Playhouse Square Announces Nominees For Third Annual Dazzle Awards

With the aim of recognizing the importance of musical theater and arts education in Northeast Ohio high schools, Playhouse Square proudly hosts the Dazzle Awards presented by Patricia and John Chapman, affiliated with the Broadway League Foundation's National High School Musical Theatre Awards ("The Jimmy Awards").

This regional program offers arts education opportunities throughout the school year and culminates with an awards showcase hosted by Todd Meany of Cleveland's Own Fox 8 on May 19 at 7:30 p.m. For the first time, students participating in the showcase will walk the "PNC Red Carpet" as they enter the beautiful Connor Palace for the Dazzle Awards this year. Each school will have the opportunity to send a student reporter to cover the PNC Red Carpet entrance.

"One of the exciting additions to this year's program is the debut of the PNC Red Carpet, a stunning enhancement that our performers will experience before taking the stage. We hope the red carpet photos taken and shared will be cherished for years to come, and we are so grateful to PNC for helping us celebrate these talented young performers in style," said Daniel Hahn, vice president of community engagement & education at Playhouse Square.

"Cleveland has always been an artistic town, and it starts with our youngest residents," said Paul Clark, PNC regional president of Cleveland. "The Dazzle Awards give us all the chance to encourage youth to follow their dreams to the national stage."

Dazzle Awards will be presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 13 categories. The winners of The John and Patricia Chapman Best Actor and Actress categories will represent Northeast Ohio at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards at the Minskoff Theatre in New York in June.

The 2018 Dazzle Award Nominees are:

# nominated in same category last year
* last year's recipient if nominated again this year

The AJ & Nancy Stokes Best Student Orchestra

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago
Avon High School, Singin' In The Rain
Rocky River High School, Legally Blonde #
Shaker Heights High School, Carrie the Musical
Solon High School, The Secret Garden
Wadsworth High School, 42nd Street *

Best Scenic Design

Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, Into the Woods
Euclid High School, In the Heights
Open Door Christian Schools, Mary Poppins *
Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot
Solon High School, The Secret Garden #
Willoughby South High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels #

The AJ & Nancy Stokes Best Technical Execution

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago
Mayfield High School, The Little Mermaid
Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot
Shaker Heights High School, Carrie the Musical
Solon High School, The Secret Garden
Wadsworth High School, 42nd Street #

Best Costume Design

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago
Magnificat High School, CATS
Marion L. Steele, Happy Days *
Open Door Christian Schools, Mary Poppins #
Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot #
Willoughby South High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels #

Best Choreography Execution

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago
CMSD All-City Arts Program, Bring It On
Euclid High School, In the Heights #
Magnificat High School, CATS *
Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot #
Wadsworth High School, 42nd Street

Best Ensemble/Chorus

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago
CMSD All-City Arts Program, Bring It On
Euclid High School, In the Heights
Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot
Solon High School, The Secret Garden #
Wadsworth High School, 42nd Street

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Featured Performer

Kamryn Mohoney, Willoughby South High School ('Jolene' in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)
Jan Robinson, Euclid High School ('Abuela Claudia' in In the Heights)
Miraya Russell, CMSD All-City Arts Program ('Nautica' in Bring It On)
Shane Schaeffer, Marion L. Steele High School ('Jumpy Malachi' in Happy Days)
Payton St. John, Magnificat High School ('Victoria' in CATS)
Samantha Tackett, Thomas W. Harvey High School ('Gingy/Sugar Plum Fairy' in Shrek the Musical)

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Supporting Actress

Anastasia Cobb, CMSD All-City Arts Program ('Bridget' in Bring It On)
Morgan George, Euclid High School ('Daniella' in In the Heights)
Megan Lebowitz, Solon High School ('Rose Lennox' in The Secret Garden)
Brianna Mosley, Mayfield High School ('Flotsam' in The Little Mermaid)
Sydney Williams, Rocky River High School ('Not Dead Fred' in Monty Python's Spamalot)
Polina Yagusevich, Mayfield High School ('Jetsam' in The Little Mermaid)

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Supporting Actor

Maurice Godler, Euclid High School ('Sonny' in In the Heights)
Stephan Hall, CMSD All-City Arts Program ('La Cienega' in Bring It On)
Kaleb Johnson, Euclid High School ('Graffiti Pete' in In the Heights)
Jack Kasper, Solon High School ('Albert Lennox' in The Secret Garden)
Conor Scully, Magnificat High School ('Gus' in CATS)
Ryan Whitford, Saint Joseph Academy ('Mereb' in Aida)

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Actress

Sydney Fieseler, Shaker Heights High School ('Margaret White' in Carrie the Musical
Autumn Key, Orange High School ('Motormouth Maybelle' in Hairspray)
Kate Klika, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Roxie Hart' in Chicago) #
Hannah Kulawiak, Aurora High School ('Sandra Bloom' in Big Fish)
Reyna Moran, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Velma Kelly' in Chicago) *
Brooke Person, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Matron "Mama" Morton' in Chicago)

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Actor

Felix Albino, Saint Joseph Academy ('Radames' in Aida)
Dylan Grosh-Hoy, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School ('The Baker' in Into the Woods) #
Chad Harris, Aurora High School ('Will Bloom' in Big Fish)
J.R. Heckman, Solon High School ('Archibald Craven' in The Secret Garden)
Malik Montgomery, Thomas W. Harvey High School ('Donkey' in Shrek the Musical)
Cameron Morris, Rocky River High School ('King Arthur' in Monty Python's Spamalot)

The Connor Family Best Musical (Tier 1)

Aurora High School, Big Fish #
Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot *
Shaker Heights High School, Carrie the Musical

The Connor Family Best Musical (Tier 2)

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago
Euclid High School, In the Heights
Solon High School, The Secret Garden #

Public and private high schools located in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties were invited to apply for participation in the inaugural Dazzle Awards. Information and applications for the 2019 Dazzle Awards will be available online at playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards in August.

Tickets for the Dazzle Awards are available online at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000.

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