Paper Mill Announces The Rising Star Awards 2009 Noms & Honorable Mentions

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) Since their inception in 1996 the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey. Among the early nominees and winners are Academy Award® nominee Anne Hathaway, and Tony® winner Laura Benanti.

The Rising Star Awards, presented by Investors Savings Bank Foundation are modeled after the Tony® Awards and Paper Mill's program serves the entire state of New Jersey with 100 entered productions from public, private and parochial high schools. The musicals are adjudicated throughout the spring by a group of 70 Evaluators, with each school receiving four independent evaluations. The 2009 Rising Star Awards ceremony at Paper Mill Playhouse is set for June 16th when the nominees perform and the award recipients are presented with a crystal award from Rising Star Awards partner Tiffany & Co. "The Investors family is honored to be a part of Paper Mill's Rising Star Awards and is proud of all the nominees and their accomplishments." said Kevin Cummings, Investors Savings Bank President and CEO and Foundation Trustee. "It's a thrill to see talented, hard working young people pursuing their dreams. We are gratified to help Paper Mill Playhouse achieve their mission of keeping the performing arts alive and thriving in New Jersey".

The Rising Star Awards are one of several such programs sponsored by regional theatres around the country. The winning performers in the Lead Actress and Actor categories will advance to the new National High School Musical Theatre Awards competition at New York University on June 29, 2009, representing Paper Mill Playhouse and New Jersey.

Paper Mill Director of Education, Lisa Cooney adds, "What's happening in high school musical productions here in New Jersey and around the country is remarkable. Programs like the Rising Star Awards raise the bar and create opportunities for student performers and theatre technicians to be recognized for their achievements, while giving them access to thousands of dollars in scholarship money. Many of Paper Mill's Rising Star nominees and winners are now working professionally and we consistently hear from top tier colleges and casting directors that the Paper Mill Rising Star Award is a significant accolade for an aspiring theatre artist."

The 2009 Rising Star Awards Ceremony will take place at Paper Mill Playhouse Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 7:30pm.
Paper Mill Playhouse also awards over $130,000 in scholarships at the Rising Star Awards. Three $1,000 cash scholarships are given out to outstanding individual students who plan to continue studying theatre in college. A technical theatre scholarship of $1,000 is sponsored annually by Scaramouche Costumes, LLC, and Paper Mill continues our partnership with Westminster College of the Arts of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey to offer two renewable scholarship worth $56,000 and $72,000 each to selected students participating in an entered Rising Star Award production wishing to major in musical theatre.

Paper Mill Playhouse is pleased to announce that a prize of $500 will be given to the school receiving the 2009 Educational Impact Award which acknowledges a district that successfully connects the school musical to the district's curriculum, using the production as a teaching tool for the greater student body.
Lastly, students receiving final nominations in the lead and supporting acting categories automatically receive a full scholarship to Paper Mill Playhouse's competitive Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory, a professional training program, which along with advanced classes in singing, acting and dance, offers the nominees an opportunity to perform on the stage at Paper Mill in our August season finale concert, "New Voices 2009: Thoroughly Modern Musicals".

Among the top nominated high schools, Summit High School garnered seventeen category nominations, followed by Fair Lawn High School with fifteen, and Rahway High School with thirteen. Tied with eleven nominations apiece are Nutley High School and Union High School. Cranford High School received ten nominations followed by Gill St. Bernard's School with eight. Bergen County Academies, Butler High School, Howell High School, New Milford High School, and Princeton Day School each garnered four nominations.

The 2009 Rising Star Awards presented by Investors Savings Bank Foundation are also generously supported by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The Ambrose & Ida Fredrickson Foundation, and The Bloomingdale's Fund of the Macy's Foundation and John Burgio and Ruth Bedford in memory of Jane Burgio. Additional major funding for Paper Mill Playhouse Education Outreach is provided by The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, MetLife Foundation, and Shirley Aidekman-Kaye.

Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is grateful for generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals.

Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theatres. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is provided by generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

2009 Nominations and Honorable Mentions

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
Final Nominations
Cranford HS.........................................................................ANYTHING GOES
Fair Lawn HS........................................................................THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Gill St. Bernard's School..........................................................INTO THE WOODS
Nutley HS............................................................................THE PRODUCERS
Rahway HS..........................................................................THE Will Rogers FOLLIES
Summit HS...........................................................................THE MUSIC MAN
Union HS..............................................................................42ND STREET
Honorable Mentions
Bergen County Academies.......................................................INTO THE WOODS
Shore Regional HS.................................................................OVER HERE

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Final Nominations
Absegami HS................ DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.... Morgan Kirner as "Belle"
Bergen County Academies............... INTO THE WOODS... Amanda Altomare as "The Bakers Wife"
Fair Lawn HS................THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE......... Julia Knitel as "Millie Dillmount"
Rahway HS.....THE Will Rogers FOLLIES......Sarah Lopez as "Betty Blake Rogers"
St. Joseph Regional HS.....THE WHO'S TOMMY.......Taryn Tonelli as "Mrs. Walker"
Summit HS....THE MUSIC MAN........Christine Conigliaro as "Marian Paroo"
Westfield HS.....KISS ME, KATE...Catalina Gaglioti as "Lilli Vanessi/Katherine"
Honorable Mentions
Colonia HS...THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE......... Lauren Sodono as "Millie Dilllmount"
Gill St. Bernard's School.....INTO THE WOODS.......Savannah Schecter as "The Witch"

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Final Nominations
Bergen County Academies...INTO THE WOODS....Anthony Bruno as "The Baker"
Bloomfield HS.....HOW TO SUCCEED IN ....Stephan Mir as "J. Pierrepont Finch"
Howell HS.....ON THE TOWN.......................................... Corey Mosello as "Gabey"
Rahway HS......THE Will Rogers FOLLIES.................. Phelan Tupik as "Will Rogers"
Roselle Park HS..... PIPPIN..................Zachary Infante as "Pippin"
St. Joseph Regional HS.....THE WHO'S TOMMY....Joseph DePietro as "Tommy"
Westfield HS........KISS ME, KATE......................................... Peter Surace as "FrEd Graham/Petruchio"
Honorable Mentions
Mount Olive HS....................................................... LES MISÉRABLES..................................... Timothy McEvoy as "Javert"
Nutley HS.................................................................. THE PRODUCERS...................................... Sean Ulley as "Max Bialystock"
Nutley HS.................................................................. THE PRODUCERS...................................... Daniel Fornasa as "Leo Bloom"

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Final Nominations
Cranford HS.............................................................. ANYTHING GOES...................................... Erica Morreale as "Bonnie"
Cranford HS.............................................................. ANYTHING GOES...................................... Alyssa Kempiniski as "Hope Harcourt"
Fair Lawn HS........THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.. Megan Boseski as "Mrs. Meers"
Fair Lawn HS......THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.. Katya Stepanov as "Miss Dorothy Brown"
Hopewell Valley Central HS.................................... ANYTHING GOES... Ellie Fisan as "Erma"
Mount Olive HS....................................................... LES MISÉRABLES..................................... Samantha Vidal as "Fantine"
The Pingry School................................................... LES MISÉRABLES..................................... Kaela O'Connor as "Fantine"
Watchung Hills Reg. HS......................................... A FUNNY THING...FORUM.. Chelsea Meyers as "Philia"
Honorable Mentions
Pitman HS..... THE WIZ...... Gabrielle Wilson as "The Scarecrow"
The Pingry School...... LES MISÉRABLES.....Sarah Muirhead as "Eponine"

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Final Nominations
Don Bosco Prep HS.. LES MISÉRABLES...Kevin Horan as "Thenardier"
Gill St. Bernard's School..INTO THE WOODS....William Ullrich as "Jack"
Gill St. Bernard's School...INTO THE WOODS....Christian Borman Paris as "Wolf/Cinderella's Prince"
Howell HS.... ON THE TOWN...Kevin Carillo as "Chip Offenblach"
Mount Olive HS..LES MISÉRABLES...Jordan Barrow as "Marius"
Mount Saint Mary Academy.......THE KING AND I.. Zachary Infante as "Lun Tha"
Princeton Day School....SWEET CHARITY....Chris Beard as "Vittorio Vidal"
Union HS....42ND STREET...Matt Corbin as "Billy Lawlor"
Honorable Mentions

Nutley HS.... THE PRODUCERS....Sean O'Connor as "Franz Liebkin"
Nutley HS....THE PRODUCERS..Christopher Mangum as "Roger DeBris"
Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role
Final Nominations
Howell HS...ON THE TOWN.....Jason Cohen as "Pitkin W. Bridgework"
New Milford HS........................................................ WORKING................................................... Lijin Joy as "Rex Winship/CEO"
New Milford HS........................................................ WORKING................................................... Azela Zarate as "Millworker Singer"
Nutley HS.................................................................. THE PRODUCERS...................................... Michael Egues as "Carmen Ghia"
Princeton Day School...SWEET CHARITY...Sheridan Gates as "Nickie"
Rahway HS...Will Rogers FOLLIES..........Ashley Street as "Zetiegfeld's Favorite"
Union HS....42ND STREET...Eric Z. Jackson as "Andy Lee"
Honorable Mentions
Princeton Day School..SWEET CHARITY.....Sarah Matthes as "Helene"
West Milford Township HS.....THE BOYFRIEND....Steve Heerema as "Lord Brockhurst"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Member
Final Nominations
Butler HS....CATS...LJ Bologna as "Mr. Mistofelees"
Butler HS......CATS.....Shannon Keeler as "Victoria"
Fair Lawn HS....THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE..Jose Mercado as "Ching Ho"
Jackson Memorial HS...AIDA...Brianna Pendergrass as "Nehebka"
Shore Regional HS................................................... OVER HERE................................................. Kelly Cosentino as "Donna the Waitress"
Summit HS................................................................. THE MUSIC MAN..................................... Anise Molina as "Tommy Djilas"
Summit HS................................................................. THE MUSIC MAN..................................... Brinden Elton as "Mayor Shinn"
Summit HS................................................................. THE MUSIC MAN..................................... Katherine Grayeski as "Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn"
Honorable Mentions
Roxbury HS.....BYE BYE BIRDIE....Valerie Rigosi as "Ursula"

Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Group
Final Nominations
Cranford HS..ANYTHING GOES...Nikki Carusone, Kate McCann, Rebecca Deczynski,

Amanda Jacquin, Melissa Hofferman,

Emma Fyhr, Alicia Markuske &

Sarah Carolan as "Reno's Angels"

Fair Lawn HS...THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.."The Secretaries"

Mountain Lakes HS...CINDERELLA.....Victoria Hoff & Elizabeth Colwell as "The Stepsisters"

Nutley HS....THE PRODUCERS..."The Old Ladies"

Pt. Pleasant Borough HS..THE MUSIC MAN....Chris Kubat, Andrew Ferrie, Brendan Flanagan

& John Caliendo as "The Barbershop Quartet"

Summit HS.....THE MUSIC MAN....Peter Corley, Tim Lynch, Ed Espinoza

& Jose Salazar as "The Barbershop Quartet"

Summit HS....THE MUSIC MAN.... Nora Boylan, Alex Dorer, Pam McCaddin

& Carolyn Steinberg

as "The Pick-A-Little Ladies"

Westfield HS...KISS ME, KATE......Bobby O'Rourke & Justin Rosin as "The Gangsters"

Honorable Mentions
Don Bosco Prep HS....LES MISÉRABLES..... Joe Baccan, Steven Conzo, Mark Owens,

Hugh Garvey, Matt Dello Buono,

Tom Martorano, Mike Johnson,

Michael Hoblin, Scott Sariti

& Pat Tomat as "The Students"

Morristown HS............................. SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS...... Carolina Alvarez, Melanie Peel, Noelie Mann,