15th Cappies Honors Scores Of Student Critics and Artists

The Sagemont School production of Frankenstein

By Bill Hirschman

The din of hundreds and hundreds of cheering, hollering teenagers exploding Tuesday through downtown Fort Lauderdale wasn’t to applaud a 70-yard punt return or the appearance of a hip-hop celeb.

Instead, the teens’ tumult in the Broward Center for Performing Arts recognized excellence in the past nine months in 25 public and private schools through Broward and Palm Beach counties recognizing achievement in theater by high school performers, designers, technicians and critics.

The Critics’ Awards Program, or Cappies for short, handed out 42 awards at its 15th annual gala between scenes from a raft of musicals and plays performed in area schools in the past season – scenes that involved about 250 students.

The Cappies, modeled after the Tony Awards for Broadway productions,
winners are determined by votes from students through a weighted peer-review voting process.  Nominations are made by student critics from participating schools who attend productions at rival schools and write reviews, which then are edited by theater educators and published on FloridaTheaterOnStage.com.

The show opened with a digital welcome from Broadway star Idina Menzel (Wicked) and the list of presenters include several current professionals who had been Cappies winners as high school production students. The evening was hosted this year by playwright-educator Tyler Graves and educator Jennifer Laudia with choreography by Cappies alumna Kimmi Johnson, and a student band led by Caryl Fantel.

Among the productions responsible for several awards each were NSU University School Fiddler on the Roof, The Sagemont School’s Frankenstein, Dillard Center for the Arts, Ain’t Misbehavin’, South Plantation High School The Crucible,  Somerset Academy Arts Conservatory The Foreverglades. and West Boca High School which opened the evening with an extensive song and dance rendition of “I’ve Got Rhythm” from Crazy For You

This complete list of winners is followed by the complete list of nominees:

Freshman Critic:  Nicole Sugarman, JP Taravella High School
Sophomore Critic:  Alex Wind, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Junior Critic:  Andres Hernandez, The Sagemont School
Senior Critic:  Taylor Fish, Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Critics Team:  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Marketing and Publicity: Andrew Singer, NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Special Effects and or Technology: Sofia Grajales and Crew, The Sagemont School, Frankenstein
         
Hair and Make-up: Ariel Seligman-Delgado, Maggie Roach, Sam Suito and crew, The Sagemont School, Frankenstein
         
Sound: Matthew Goldberg and Company, NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Props: Lindsay Nichols, Palm Beach Central High School, Shrek
         
Lighting: Tal Kochav, NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Costumes: Maia Cole, Kaitlin Feinberg, Sydney Juda, NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Sets: Jacob Kachur, Allie Posner, Jacob Smith, Moyra Stewart, Boca Raton High School, In The Heights
         
Orchestra: The Jazz Band, Dillard Center for the Arts, Ain’t Misbehavin’
         
Choreography: Yuval Benit, NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Creativity: Dylan Baierlein, Directing, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Annie
         
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Ryan Hartman, West Boca High School, Crazy For You
         
Ensemble in a Play: Voices of the Unheard, South Plantation High School, The Crucible
         
Ensemble in a Musical: Disciples, American Heritage School, Godspell
         
Featured Actress in a Play: Jessica Gomez, Somerset Academy Arts Conservatory, The Foreverglades
         
Featured Actor in a Play: Alan Corvaia, The Sagemont School, Frankenstein
         
Featured Actress in a Musical: Hannah Ellowitz, American Heritage School, Godspell
         
Featured Actor in a Musical:Sven Ballarte, Boca Raton High School, In The Heights
         
Female Dancer: Joi McCoy, Dillard Center for the Arts, Ain’t Misbehavin’
         
Male Dancer: Sam Cadieux, West Boca High School, Crazy For You
         
Female Vocalist:Mina Marcelino, West Broward High School, Thoroughly Modern Millie
         
Male Vocalist:
Gabriel Hernandez, Cypress Bay High School, Hair
         
Comic Actress in a Play: Bella Miulescu, Archbishop McCarthy High School, The Game’s Afoot
         
Comic Actor in a Play: Gabriel Celik, Somerset Academy Arts Conservatory, The Foreverglades
         
Comic Actress in a Musical: Kimberly Sessions, JP Taravella High School, Cinderella
         
Comic Actor in a Musical: Davion Jones, Dillard Center for the Arts, Ain’t Misbehavin’
         
Supporting Actress in a Play: Gianna Milici, Somerset Academy Arts Conservatory, The Foreverglades
         
Supporting Actor in a Play: Pablo Uribasterra, Archbishop McCarthy High School, The Game’s Afoot
         
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Taylor Fish, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, Annie
         
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Aaron Avidon, West Boca High School, Crazy For You
         
Lead Actress in a Play: Kelly Walsh, South Plantation High School, The Crucible
         
Lead Actor in a Play: Paxton Terris, The Sagemont School, Frankenstein
         
Lead Actress in a Musical: Carmen Bulthuis, JP Taravella High School, Cinderella
         
Lead Actor in a Musical: Andrew Singer, NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Song: “Tradition,” NSU University School, Fiddler On The Roof
         
Play: The Crucible, South Plantation High School
         
Musical: Fiddler On The Roof, NSU University School

Cappies Nominations by School

 

 

American Heritage School – 10
Archbishop McCarthy High School – 10
Boca Raton Community High School – 13
Cardinal Gibbons High School- 5
Cooper City High School – 1
Coral Glades High School – 6
Cypress Bay High School – 7
Deerfield Beach High School – 7
Dillard Center for the Arts – 7
JP Taravella High School – 14
North Broward Preparatory – 9
Palm Beach Central – 5
Pine Crest School – 2
Piper High School – 6
Pompano Beach High School – 2
Saint John Paul II Academy – 2
St. Thomas Aquinas – 4
The Sagemont School – 11
Somerset Academy – 8
South Plantation High School – 8
Stoneman Douglas High School – 24
University School of Nova Southeastern University –18
West Boca High School – 10
West Broward High School – 5
Western High School – 2

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2016-2017 CAPPIES NOMINEES BY SCHOOL

American Heritage School
(10 nominations; seven for Godspell and three for criticism)
Critics’ Team 
Junior Critic: Sydnie Rathe
Sophomore Critic: Gabriela Coutinho                          
Musical: Godspell
Song: “Bless the Lord”
Lead Actor in a Musical: Jacob Greene
Comic Actress in a Musical: Fiona Baquerizo
Featured Actress in a Musical: Hannah Ellowitz
Featured Actor in a Musical: Elliot Mahon
Ensemble in a Musical: Disciples

Archbishop McCarthy High School
(10 nominations; eight for The Game’s Afoot and two for criticism)
Critics’ Team
Junior Critic: Shea Simpson
Play: The Game’s Afoot
Lead Actress in a Play: Alexandria Palazzo
Lead Actor in a Play: Liam Mihoulides
Supporting Actress in a Play: Brianna Eljaua
Supporting Actor in a Play: Pablo Uribasterra
Featured Actress in a Play: Glenn Muston
Comic Actress in a Play: Bella Miulescu
Stage Management & Stage Crew: Amanda Alvarez

Boca Raton Community High School
(13 nominations for In The Heights)
Lead Actor in a Musical: Alec Taylor
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Benjamin Tharrington
Comic Actor in a Musical: Karlo Buxo
Comic Actress in a Musical: Bianca Mota
Female Vocalist: Valeria Castano
Female Dancer: Allegra Mannarino
Featured Actor in a Musical: Sven Ballarte
Ensemble in a Musical: The Salon Girls
Sets: Jacob Kachur, Allie Posner, Jacob Smith, Moyra Stewart
Lighting: Matthew Chapman, Emily Lubin, Liana Progor, and Company
Props: Ben Bruen, Sam Perez, Alex Talbott and Company
Special Effects and or Technology: Allegra Mannarino, Jacob Smith, and Company 
Marketing & Publicity: Sven Ballarte, Delaney Hill, Jordyn Matez, Ana Michele

Cardinal Gibbons High School
(Five nominations; four for In Little Women and one for criticism)
Freshman Critic: Charlotte Bacharach
Male Vocalist: Dallas Erwin
Female Vocalist: Emily Tallman
Costumes: Alexandra Cassis, Anais Mamery, Hannah Eicholtz
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Laurence Christopher, Laura Chiarello, Jenna Gaulthier, Olivia Betzler

Cooper City High School
(One nominations for Picasso at the Lapin Agile)
Comic Actor in a Play: David Lyn

Coral Glades High School
(Six nominations; three for Into the Woods and three for criticism)
Critics’ Team
Senior Critic: Gabi Simon
Senior Critic: Sophia Young
Lead Actor in a Musical: Eli Flynn
Lead Actress in a Musical: Sophia Young
Ensemble in a Musical: The Magic Beansemble Orchestra

Cypress Bay High School
(Seven nominations for Hair)
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Gianni Palermo
Comic Actor in a Musical: Nathaniel Stoughton
Male Vocalist: Gabriel Hernandez
Female Vocalist: Samantha Burns
Featured Actress in a Musical: Daniela Machado
Choreography: Adrian Machado, Amanda Ribnick
Sets: Leandro Biarrieta, Danielle Gonzalez, Diego Ramirez, Michael Valladares

Deerfield Beach High School
(Seven nominations; six for The Laramie Project and one for criticism)
Senior Critic: Maya Quinones
Play: The Laramie Project
Supporting Actor in a Play: Daniel Silberberg
Supporting Actor in a Play: Daniel Silberberg
Comic Actress in a Play: Domonique Bethel
Featured Actress in a Play: Sarah Mellinger
Featured Actor in a Play: Marcel Elkouri

Dillard Center for the Arts
(Seven nominations for Ain’t Misbehavin’)
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Mikayla Queely
Comic Actor in a Musical: Davion Jones
Female Vocalist: Brianna Garcon
Male Dancer: Mikal Singletary
Female Dancer: Joi McCoy
Orchestra: The Jazz Band
Costumes: Caroline Campos, Bella Conway, Amanda Doty, Grace Sindaco

JP Taravella High School
(14 nominations; 10 for Cinderella and four for criticism)
Critics’ Team
Junior Critic: Daniel Agmon
Freshman Critic: Nicole Sugarman
Freshman Critic: Dani Wolfe
Musical: Cinderella
Lead Actress in a Musical: Carmen Bulthuis
Comic Actress in a Musical: Kimberly Sessions
Featured Actor in a Musical: Boaz Levy
Orchestra: Cinderella Orchestra
Sets: JPT Tech Theatre Class, Cast & Crew
Lighting: Michael Squier, Christian Johnston, Simone Kelly
Props: Cortney Jaeger & Crew
Sound: Alex Rodriguez, Maxwell Boxx, Jason Wright & Crew
Marketing and Publicity:  Kimberly Sessions & Claire Lefort

North Broward Preparatory School
(Nine nominations; eight for Cabaret and one for criticism)
Freshman Critic: Madeline Finkelman
Musical: Cabaret
Song: “Willkommen”
Lead Actress in a Musical: Quinn DeVita
Lead Actor in a Musical: Evan Laufman
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Danielle Ganz 
Male Vocalist: Samuel Kelly-Cohen 
Marketing and Publicity: Carmen Horn, Nya Goberville, Mohammad Khalil, and Company
Hair and Make-up: Julia Hopper,  Amanda McCabe, Juliana McCabe

Palm Beach Central
(Five nominations for Shrek)
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Stephen Coley
Male Dancer: Ben Shaevitz
Featured Actress in a Musical: Chava Hadar
Props:  Lindsay Nichols
Hair and Make-up: Sarah Ingram and Ben Shaevitz

Pine Crest School
(Two nominations for All Shook Up)
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Ryan Fiedler
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Deanna Hennelly

Piper High School
(Six nominations for Antigone)
Lead Actress in a Play: Melissa Kean
Supporting Actress in a Play: Karen Valencia
Comic Actor in a Play: Lowrence Toussaint
Featured Actress in a Play: Abigail Downie
Ensemble in a Play: The Greek Chorus
Creativity: Maya Xirinachs, Director

Pompano Beach High School
(Two nominations for Harvey)
Lead Actor in a Play: Daniel Llorens
Lead Actress in a Play: Catherine Hollows

Saint John Paul II Academy
(Two nominations for Flowers for Algenon)
Lead Actor in a Play: Coleton Santacroce
Featured Actor in a Play: Blake Earl

St. Thomas Aquinas High School
(Four nominations for Everyman)
Featured Actor in a Play: Samara Chahine
Featured Actress in a Play: Matthew Jahnes
Ensemble in a Play: Death’s Minions
Choreography: Alexa Hui

The Sagemont School
(11 nominations; 10 for Frankenstein and one for criticism)
Junior Critic: Andres Hernandez
Play: Frankenstein
Lead Actor in a Play: Paxton Terris
Supporting Actor in a Play: Andres Hernandez
Featured Actor in a Play: Alan Corvaia
Ensemble in a Play: The Machine
Choreography: Kayla Smith, Paxton Terris
Lighting: Ivette Serrano, Jourdan Press and Crew
Sound: Redheart Billie, Brandon Nunez, and Crew
Hair and Make-up: Sierra Callwood, Ainsley Kohler, Amelia Reeve, Megan Sirvent
Special Effects and or Technology: Sofia Grajales and Crew

Somerset Academy
(Eight nominations; seven for The Foreverglades and one for criticism)
Sophomore Critic: Susanna Ninomiya
Play: The Foreverglades
Supporting Actress in a Play: Gianna Milici
Comic Actor in a Play: Gabriel Celik
Featured Actress in a Play: Jessica Gomez
Ensemble in a Play: Soldiers of Act 2
Creativity: Baldaccini & Co, Directing/Composing
Sets: Emmanuel Naranjo, Valeria Vila, Megan Ysme

South Plantation High School
(Eight nominations for The Crucible)
Play: The Crucible
Sound: Sarai Posadas
Lead Actor in a Play: Kelly Walsh
Lead Actress in a Play: Edwin Garcon
Featured Actor in a Play: Dwayne Reed
Ensemble in a Play: Voices of the Unheard
Costumes: Curtis Dodgen and Crew
Hair and Make-Up: Dominique Mitchell, Paige Slowinksi, Eliana Feldman

Stoneman Douglas High School
(24 nominations; 17 for Annie and seven for criticism)
Critics’ Team
Senior Critic: Taylor Fish
Senior Critic: Sheridan Lasher
Junior Critic: Sofie Whitney
Sophomore Critic: Alex Wind
Sophomore Critic: Dylan Redshaw
Freshman Critic: Eve Cohen
Song: “Fully Dressed”
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Taylor Fish
Comic Actor in a Musical: Michelle Malove
Comic Actress in a Musical: John Barnitt
Male Vocalist: Alex Wind
Female Dancer: Theresa Prayther
Male Dancer: Logan Weber
Featured Actress in a Musical: Melanie Weber
Ensemble in a Musical: Orphans
Stage Management and Crew: Chris Grady, Sydney Kleinsasser, Molly Reichard
Creativity: Dylan Baierlein (Directing)
Choreography: Theresa Prayther
Costumes: Olivia Sands, Company
Lighting: Euan Beith, Company
Props: Kayla Salzberg, Keri Copping
Sound: Jocelyn Krooks, Company 
Marketing and Publicity: Dylan Redshaw, Sofie Whitney

University School of NSU
(18 nominations; 17 for Fiddler On The Roof and one for criticism)
Sophomore Critic: Aysha Zackria
Musical: Fiddler On The Roof
Song: “Tradition”
Lead Actor in a Musical: Andrew Singer
Lead Actress in a Musical: Ayla Maulding
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Yuval Benit
Female Dancer: Sivan Ben David
Featured Actor in a Musical: Ben Crawford
Ensemble in a Musical: Villagers
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Lowitz, Duecker, Gonzalez and Company
Choreography: Yuval Benit
Costumes: Maia Cole, Kaitlin Feinberg, Sydney Juda
Sets: Kenny Duecker
Lighting: Tal Kochav
Props: Madeleine Smith and Company
Sound: Matthew Goldberg and Company
Hair and Makeup: Sierra Callwood, Ainsley Kohler, Amelia Reeve, Megan Sirvent
Marketing and Publicity: Andrew Singer

West Boca High School
(10 nominations for Crazy For You)
Musical: Crazy For You
Song: “I Got Rhythm”
Lead Actress in a Musical: Alexia Assuncao 
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Aaron Avidon
Comic Actress in a Musical: Samantha LeClaire
Male Dancer: Sam Cadieux
Featured Actor in a Musical: Matthew Madden
Featured Actress in a Musical: Tessa Burkhart
Ensemble in a Musical: The Follies
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Ryan Hartman

West Broward High School
(Five nominations for Thoroughly Modern Millie)
Comic Actor in a Musical: Noah Levin
Male Vocalist: Jorge Amador
Female Vocalist: Mina Marcelino
Male Dancer: Geszer Santana de Jesus
Female Dancer: Catherine Bendyk

Western High School
(Two nomination for The Shadow Box)
Lead Actress in a Play: Caitlyn Castiglione
Supporting Actress in a Play: Isabella Cring

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