The First Annual KVTA Made-up Awards
- Dana James
- Jan 3
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
***ATTENTION***
An emergency addendum has been added to this document. The Fake Award Academy has been notified that the results of one of the categories was lost in the mail. You can read these results below. This in no way reflects on the author of this blog post, who tried really hard to remember everything but it was really late the other night and Samantha just wouldn't go to bed and I was tired and I meant well! Just read what was added and remember that I'm a human being too!
As 2025 comes to a close and our memories of the holiday season crystallize, our collective short-attention span turns to the next event on the pop culture calendar: award season! But who really cares what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Television Academy, or various Broadway organizations think? (Well, maybe we listen to the Broadway organizations a bit). Instead of listening to what a bunch of people you don't know think about that one movie you saw a few months ago, why not read what I think about your favorite KVTA productions of 2025! What better way to celebrate another successful year with KVTA than with a fake award presentation? My team of crack theater critics have spent the year dissecting every aspect of these productions and here are our decisions. If nothing else, it's an opportunity to showcase some of the more embarrassing pictures we have available! Drumroll please...
Honorary Mentions
Because KVTA is becoming even more prolific, with a number of productions outside of the normal season schedule, it is fitting for the Fake Award Academy to present these special awards.
Spookiest Production-Cemetery Walk
On a (much cooler than two years ago!) August day, KVTA brought the dead back to life at Mound Grove Cemetery. Our actors portrayed the people who built this county and gave a living history lesson to the attendees. This tradition of the Kankakee County Museum has become a highly anticipated part of KVTA's repertoire and hopefully will be for years to come.
Best Spectral Horse-Sleepy Hollow
Bet you didn't know we used a real ghost horse, did you? What an actor he is! With four years of experience under our belt, each iteration of KVTA's production of Sleepy Hollow at Perry Farm has evolved into a community favorite. Each year's performance brings changes to the cast and script and each year, the reviews get better. I can't wait to see what great improvements are made next year!
Disneyest Production-KVTA's Summer Camp, Disney's Dare to Dream
You can't be more than 100% Disney, so this was a shoo-in. KVTA's Young People's Theatre put on a great production of Disney classics. This was also my daughter Samantha's first time as an audience member at a KVTA production. And to everyone in the 2 pm show, I'm sorry that she was running circles within the first five minutes. Maybe she'll be a little better next year...
Schmaltzyest Production-Tinseltown Christmas
I was proud to be a part of KVTA's first production of a Tinseltown Christmas. I was amazed at how our variety of songs was able to elicit such memorable laughter and nostalgia. From the cutest version ever of I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas to the warmest takes on your Christmas favorites. More than a few tears were shed, thanks to an amazing collection of talent. Keep your ears open for next year's schedule!
Now for the night's main event. The fake ballots are in. Who will win the coveted Dana's Favorite Production award?
KVTA 2025 Production Awards
Most Emotional Production-Steel Magnolias
Although I'm a child of the 80's, I was too young to read or watch Steel Magnolias when it was originally popular, so the story KVTA presented was new to me, and, I would bet, to lots of other people. I'm a tough nut to crack, but even I (almost) shed a tear at the finale of Steel Magnolias. One of the hardest things to do in theater is to elicit emotions from someone else but there wasn't a dry eye in the house by the end of this show.
Smelliest Body Odor-Shrek Jr.
I thought about how I could be positive and kind to the kids who worked so hard for this production (who really did an amazing job). I could talk about the great comedic character performances by each of the fairy tale creatures and Duloc citizens or about the amazing tap number halfway through. But I think it is much funnier to pretend that the most memorable thing about this YPT production is that everyone smelled as bad as Shrek. Close your eyes and imagine a stage full of fairy tale creatures living in a swamp with no running water. It was almost as if the odors were wafting off the stage. Makes me glad that the next YPT production features young adult characters that care about their personal stench in Footloose: Youth Edition!
Most Ambitious Production-Matilda
If you were lucky enough to see this production, what you surely remember is the sheer size of everything: the huge sets, costumes, dance numbers, and performances. This production warranted the use of the ample stage at LCC. I am sure that the set very literally required every square inch of space available to reach from leg to leg with rotating platforms and a full-sized classroom wheeled on and off multiple times. Every time I talked to the cast and staff during this show, they always mentioned how big everything was, and the final product definitely reflected that.
Production Most Likely to Make You Reconsider Your Relationship with Your Father-Pinocchio Jr.
If you read any of my previous posts, you might wonder why I'm beating a dead horse. But in the audience at this show, my previous blog post sat heavy in my mind at each and every plot point. I have a feeling that I wasn't the only one. Like I said earlier, I'm a tough nut to crack, but the performances of these kids made a impact on me and all in attendance.
Production That Even with All the Other Heavily Dramatic Choices Choked up the Most People-The Christmas Schooner
Why so heavy on drama this year, KVTA? I mentioned my fragile mental state when leaving most productions this year, but this one takes the cake. Exploring the idea of being away from your family for an extended period of time is hard enough on your emotions, but then you have to deal with (spoilers!) death too!? This production showcased one of the most heavy, emotional scenes that I have ever seen in the Black Box Theatre that was just two people talking. This drama coupled with the great songs and dances made this a fantastic capstone production to 2025.
And now, here it is: Dana's Favorite Production! Drumroll, please...
Dana's Favorite Production-Urinetown
I know, I know, it was a complete shock. I even counted the ballots twice. Who would have thought that a show predicated on paying to pee would be such a great fit for KVTA. But now that I reflect on it, WOW! What a production! Everybody was great, but, I don't know if you noticed, but there was this one actor who hit every beat, every joke, and even put on a killer dance number! I never knew he had it in him! All kidding aside, this production was fantastic and a whole lot of fun. And every actor (I mean every actor) in this production made it an amazing ensemble performance.
As partial as I may be to this production, I could honestly never choose a favorite. All of these productions have a place in KVTA history and in the memories of every participant. Everyone that works to make each production possible, be involved in our community, maintain the building, and everything in between, including the KVTA Board, directors, staff, actors, musicians, and volunteers has played a part and will always be a part of the Kankakee Valley Theatre Association. Thank you for a great 2025 and I can't wait to see all of you in 2026.
