Broadway Method Academy Announces Stephen Sondheim Award Nominees
By: A.A. Cristi May. 21, 2018
Broadway Method Academy (BMA), in association with the Shubert Theatre of New Haven and Westport Country Playhouse, is proud to announce the nominees for the Stephen Sondheim Awards. The black-tie gala will take place on June 4 at 7:30 pm at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CT. The program's mission is to recognize excellence in high school musical theater.
BMA Executive Directors, Connor Deane & J. Scott Handley announced today that Hamilton's Solea Pfeiffer (Eliza Hamilton) and Ryan Vasquez will host the 2018 black-tie gala.
"We are thrilled to partner with two organizations that have contributed so much to the American theater," said Deane. "We are looking forward to bringing some of Broadway's brightest talents to share this special night with the next generation of musical theater performers." Deane said that over the next two weeks BMA would utilize their social media channels to announce the Broadway presenters.
Over the past eight months, a panel of judges attended performances by the following fourteen high schools:
Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School
Suffield Academy
West Warwick High School
Notre Dame High School
North Kingstown High School
Trumbull High School
Branford High School
Newtown High School
Darien High School
Nonnewaug High School
Cheshire High School
Amity Regional High School
Shelton High School
Immaculate High School
The panel of judges was comprised of performing arts educators, entertainment professionals and Broadway performers & designers. On May 19, these judges met for a final discussion and a review of highlights from each high school performance to subsequently create nominations.
The nominees for the 2018 Stephen Sondheim Awards are ...
Best Scenic Design
Isabel Adolphe - Heathers - Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School
Justin Mossa - Footloose - Darien High School
Bobby Marcinauskis - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School
Todd Perrin, Dan Reilly and Nina Soriano- Les Miserables - Newtown High School
Best Costume Design
Sophie Howard - Footloose - Darien High School
Kira Turlington - Heathers - Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School
Marissa Proto - The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School
Best Lighting Design
Alicia Foster - Heathers - Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School
Emily Marcinauskis - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School
Oak Chaisathaporn - Hairspray - Suffield Academy
James Gallo - Curtains - Trumbull High School
Dean Jones - Footloose - Nonnewaug High School
Bobby Gaffney- Les Miserables - Newtown High School
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Hoadley - Shrek - Pinocchio - Branford High School
Antonio Mantero - Into the Woods - Mysterious Man - Notre Dame
Callum Zak - Legally Blonde - Kyle/Chad/Dewey - Shelton High School
Thomas Leonard - Curtains - Christopher Belling - Trumbull High School
Ryan Kennedy - Addams Family - Lucas - Amity High School
Best Supporting Actress
Alex Hernandez - Shrek - Dragon - Branford High School
Marina Kolistas - Grease - Patty Simcox - Immaculate HS
Molly Schalenghe - Legally Blonde - Brooke - Shelton
Madison LaPlante - Shrek - Dragon - West Warwick
Ainsley Lugal - Legally Blonde - Serena - Shelton High School
Best Choreography
Andrea Kennedy - The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School
Emily Frangipane - Footloose - Darien High School
Matthew Farina - Grease - Immaculate High School
Katherine Sedlock - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School
Mia White - Hairspray - Suffield Academy
John Carter - Merrily We Roll Along - Cheshire High School
Best Direction
Rob and Andrea Kennedy - The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School
Tim Sorenson - Footloose - Darien High School
Matthew Farina - Grease - Immaculate High School
Fiona Bryson,Katherine Sedlock, Justin Zenchuk - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School
Thomas Dugan - Hairspray - Suffield Academy
Richard Marchetti - Shrek - West Warwick High School
Best Actor
Marty Gridula - Addams Family - Uncle Fester - Amity High School
Grady Allen - Footloose - Willard - Darien High School
Joshua Cocuzzo - Footloose - Ren - Nonnewaug
Cooper Cardone - Beauty and the Beast - Beast - North Kingstown
Connor Wall - Legally Blonde - Emmett Forrest - Shelton
Max Weiner - Hairspray - Edna Turnblad - Suffield Academy
Matt Sullivan - Legally Blonde - Professor Callahan - Shelton High School
Best Actress
Alaina Dwyer - Addams Family - Alice Beineke - Amity High School
Lexi Staubi - Footloose - Ariel - Darien High School
Teah Renzi - Les Miserables - Eponine - Newtown High School
Kyla Hackett - Legally Blonde - Elle Woods - Shelton High School
Jacqueline Mate - Curtains - Georgia - Trumbull High School
Mia White - Hairspray - Velma Von Tussel - Suffield Academy
Lilli Querker - Addams Family - Pugsley Addams - Amity High School
Best Musical
Hairspray - Suffield Academy
Shrek - West Warwick High School
Footloose - Darien High School
The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School
Legally Blonde - Shelton High School
Grease - Immaculate High School
BMA is thrilled to partner with the Jamie Hulley Arts Foundation to present over $4,000 in cash scholarships to deserving students who submitted auditions and written responses pertaining to how theater has influenced their lives.
Tickets for the gala are $35 per person and are currently on-sale through the Shubert box office or Ticketmaster.
The gala will be music directed by Jad Bernardo and will feature choreography by Julie Kavanagh and Audra Bryant. Weston G. Wetzel serves as Director of Production.
ABOUT BROADWAY METHOD ACADEMY
Broadway Method Academy is a non-profit organization that offers a premier musical theatre-training program and provides the essential tools for young artists in acting, singing, and dancing. BMA also connects children and teens that are passionate about the arts with some of Broadway's top talents and guest instructors. BMA's goal is to create a thriving artistic atmosphere where students can create lasting friendships and develop skills they will use forever.
ABOUT THE SHUBERT THEATRE
Opened in 1914, the Shubert Theatre in the New Haven earned the title "The Birthplace of the Nation's Greatest Hits" by staging over 300 shows that later opened in New York. Although the Shubert is best known for its Broadway presentations, the theatre has played host to the greatest artists of ballet, opera, classical music, jazz, big bands and popular solo artists - a tradition that continues today. The Shubert Theatre is owned and operated by CAPA-A Connecticut Not-For-Profit Organization. CAPA is one of America's most respected theatre managers and diverse arts and entertainment presenters. In addition to the legendary Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CAPA is owner/operator of downtown Columbus, Ohio's magnificent historic theatres (Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre, Southern Theatre) and manager of the contemporary Riffe Center Theatre Complex and Lincoln Theatre.
ABOUT Westport Country Playhouse
The mission of Westport Country Playhouse is to enrich, enlighten, and engage the community through the power of professionally produced theater worth talking about and the welcoming experience of the Playhouse campus. The not-for-profit Playhouse provides this experience in multiple ways by offering: Live theater experiences of the highest quality, under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos; educational and community engagement events to further explore the work on stage; the New Works Circle Initiative, a program dedicated to the discovery, development, and production of new live theatrical works; programs for students and teachers with extensive curriculum support material; Script in Hand play readings to deepen relationships with audiences and artists; the renowned Woodward Internship Program during the summer months for aspiring theater professionals; Family Festivities presentations to delight young and old alike and to promote reading through live theater; youth performance training and performance opportunities through Broadway Method Academy, WCP's resident conservatory; and the beautiful and historic Playhouse campus open for enjoyment and community events year-round.
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