The Critics’ Awards Program, or Cappies for short, will celebrate outstanding achievement in high school theater when students from 26 public and private schools throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties vie for top honors in the 14th Annual Cappies Awards Gala on Tuesday, May 24 at 7 p.m. in the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards, the Cappies Awards program will feature songs and scenes from the top-nominated shows and recognize the best in high school theater in 40 categories encompassing awards for performers, designers, technicians and critics.
Top nominees are Stoneman Douglas High School with 18 nominations for its musical production of Shrek and seven for critic reviews. JP Taravella High School leads in the play category with 10 nominations for Hotel Paradiso and four for critic reviews.
Cappie Award 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.
Etai Benson and Randi Kleiner, the first ever recipients of the South Florida Cappies for Lead Actor and Actress in a Musical held in 2003, will return to host Gala this year.
Benson is a New York-based actor and a J.P. Taravella High School alumnus. He is best known for a two-year run as Boq in the smash musical Wicked on Broadway, a role he also played in the San Francisco and First National Tour companies. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Moscow Art Theatre School. Benson worked with legendary director Harold Prince workshopping the upcoming new musical The Band’s Visit. He was a published critic, performed in the Cappie Award-winning Once Upon a Mattress, Rehearsal for Murder, Singin’ in the Rain and Beauty and the Beast.
Kleiner is the Founder and CEO of SeriesFest, a cutting edge episodic content and television festival held annually in Denver. Kleiner served Cappies as a founding Steering Committee Member. She also was involved in the Cappie-winning productions of Beauty and The Beast, Singin’ in the Rain (Choreography Winner) and Noises Off.
Tickets are $20. They are available online at BrowardCenter.org or, Ticketmaster.com; by phone at (954) 462-0222 or TTD/TTY at (800) 359-2525; in person at Ticketmaster outlets or the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale.
Cappies Nominations by School
American Heritage School – 8
Archbishop McCarthy High School – 9
Boca Raton Community High School – 15
Cooper City High School – 4
Coral Glades High School – 10
Cypress Bay High School – 10
Deerfield Beach High School – 5
Dillard Center for the Arts – 6
JP Taravella High School – 14
North Broward Preparatory – 6
Palm Beach Central – 7
Pine Crest School – 7
Piper High School – 1
Pompano Beach High School – 1
Royal Palm Beach Community High School – 1
Saint Andrew’s School – 1
Saint John Paul II Academy – 1
Somerset Academy – 9
South Plantation High School – 14
St. Thomas Aquinas – 2
Stoneman Douglas High School – 25
The Sagemont School – 7
University School of Nova Southeastern University –16
West Boca High School – 14
West Broward High School – 4
Western High School – 1
2015-2016 CAPPIES NOMINEES BY SCHOOL
American Heritage School
(Eight nominations for Falling)
Play: Falling
Sound: Rachael Banach
Props: Emily Grossutti
Sets: Brian Haimes
Supporting Actress in a Play: Felicia Reich
Supporting Actor in a Play: Brian Haimes
Lead Actress in a Play: Delaney Lovejoy
Lead Actor in a Play: Diego de la Espriella
Archbishop McCarthy High School
(Nine nominations; seven for The Crucible and two for criticism)
Play: The Crucible
Sophomore Critic: Laralee Simpson
Junior Critic: Brooke Whitaker
Stage Management & Stage Crew: Christine Fanchini
Featured Actress in a Play: Marisabel Correa
Supporting Actress in a Play: Bella Miulescu
Supporting Actor in a Play: Kevin Fitzpatrick
Lead Actress in a Play: Brianna Eljaua
Lead Actor in a Play: Matthew Salas
Boca Raton Community High School
(15 nominations for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
Musical: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Marketing & Publicity: Matez and Crew
Special Effects and or Technology: Stewart, Ballarte, Piccin and Crew
Props: Props Crews
Lighting: Adams, Posner, Chapman and Guin
Costumes: Hunsucker, Narino, Schmidt and Crew
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Hunsucker and Crew
Ensemble in a Musical: Brothers
Featured Actor in a musical: Matthew Moore
Female Dancer: Allegra Mannarino
Female Vocalist: Channing Ramsey
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Alec Taylor
Lead Actor in a musical: Trevor Wayne
Song: Those Canaan Days
Sound: Kachur, Lubin, Benedict
Cooper City High School
(Four nominations for Legally Blonde)
Male Dancer: Alec DeJesus
Comic Actress in a Musical: Jennifer Lopez
Comic Actor in a Musical: Jacob Rones
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Francesca Maurer
Coral Glades High School
(10 nominations; Eight for Smile and two for criticism)
Junior Critic: Gabi Simon
Critics’ Team: Coral Glades High School
Marketing and Publicity: Samantha Gaynor
Lighting: Jamie Brothman
Orchestra: Smile Orchestra
Featured Actress in a Musical: Samantha Gaynor
Female Vocalist: Haley Amann
Comic Actor in a Musical: Eli Flynn
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Sophia Young
Comic Actress in a Musical: Gabi Simon
Cypress Bay High School
(10 nominations; Nine for Cats and one for criticism)
Senior Critic: Nick Lopez
Costumes: Angelica Herrera, Jillian Moore, Adrian Machado and Crew
Choreography: Jordanne Cantrill
Ensemble in a Musical: Jellicle Cats
Featured Actress in a Musical: Jillian Moore
Featured Actor in a Musical: Michael Villadares
Female Dancer: Jordanne Cantrill
Male Dancer: Ben Siegel
Male Vocalist: Adrian Machado
Lead Actress in a Musical: Suzie Fyodorov
Deerfield Beach High School
(Five nominations; Three for The Odd Couple – Female Version and two for criticism)
Junior Critic: Maya Quinones
Critics’ Team
Ensemble in a Play: Trivial Pursuit Friends
Featured Actress in a Play: Dominique Bethel
Comic Actress in a Play: Cameron Maglio
Dillard Center for the Arts
(Six nominations for The Wiz)
Hair and Makeup: Grace Sindaco and Company
Costumes: Caroline Campos and Company
Orchestra: DCA Jazz Orchestra
Male Dancer: Imani Brissett
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Mikayla Queeley
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Davion Jones
JP Taravella High School
(14 nominations; 10 for Hotel Paradiso and four for criticism)
Play: Hotel Paradiso
Freshman Critic: Kimberly Sessions
Sophomore Critic: Daniel Agmon
Sophomore Critic: Morgan Wolfe
Critics’ Team: JP Taravella High School
Sound: Michael Squier, Connor Hoffman, Tia Walker
Ensemble in Play: Martin Sisters
Featured Actress in a Play: Stephanie Aguirre
Featured Actor in a Play: Kevin Cruz-Capella
Comic Actor in a Play: Daniel Agmon
Supporting Actress in a Play: Taylor Barth
Supporting Actor in a Play: Hagan Oliveras
Lead Actress in a Play: Alex Montesino
Lead Actor in a Play: Dashawn Perry
North Broward Preparatory School
(Six nominations; Five for Pride and Prejudice and one for criticism)
Play: Pride and Prejudice
Senior Critic: Neil Goodman
Featured Actress in a Play: Jennifer Carter
Supporting Actress in a Play: Samantha Hodes
Lead Actor in a Play: Neil Goodman
Lead Actress in a Play: Tommi Rose
Palm Beach Central
(Seven nominations for Mary Poppins)
Sets: Chloe Lacouture, Lindsay Nichols
Featured Actor in a Musical: Sebastian Sosa-Reese
Female Dancer: Amy Cwick
Female Vocalist: Jillian Halperin
Comic Actress in a Musical: Hannah Baker
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Nicole Pena
Lead Actor in a Musical: Josh Houchins
Pine Crest School
(Seven nominations for To Kill A Mockingbird)
Creativity: Sarah Gale, Music Composition
Ensemble in a Play: Townspeople
Featured Actor in a Play: Nicholas Tosello
Comic Actress in a Play: Nicole Thraum
Comic Actor in a Play: Sammy Koolik
Lead Actress in a Play: Cayleigh Pine
Lead Actor in a Play: Tommy Sullivan
Piper High School
(One nomination for criticism)
Junior Critic: Melissa Kean
Pompano Beach High School
(One nomination for Lost in Yonkers)
Comic Actor in Play: Ryan Swart
Royal Palm Beach Community High School
(One nomination for The 39 Steps)
Comic Actor in a Play: Ryan Gosling
Saint Andrew’s School
(One nomination for The Drowsy Chaperone)
Male Vocalist: Naveen Sharma
Saint John Paul II Academy
(One nomination for The Importance of Being Earnest)
Supporting Actor in a Play: Nik Ramadan
Somerset Academy
(Nine nominations for Mr Burns, a post-electric play)
Play: Mr Burns, a post-electric play
Hair and Makeup: Jazlyn Viera and crew
Creativity: Kiara Negroni, Susanna Ninomiya
Ensemble in a Play: 3rd Act Residents of Springfield
Featured Actress in a Play: Marlo Rodriguez
Female Vocalist: Mandy Nikole Figueroa
Male Vocalist: Bobby Morales
Comic Actress in a Play: Gianna Milici
Comic Actor in a Play: Lamont Brantley
South Plantation High School
(14 nominations; 13 for Singin In The Rain and one for criticism)
Musical: Singin In The Rain
Freshman Critic: Paige Slowinski
Marketing and Publicity: Daela Holeness
Special Effects and or Technology: Tyler Cole, Jesse Castellanos
Sound: Sarai Posadas and Crew
Props: Tajah Lee
Lighting: Michael Crabbe, Dane Rotunno
Sets: Adam Ortega
Orchestra: Singin’ In the Rain Orchestra
Ensemble in a Musical: Interpreters
Comic Actress in a Musical: Hannah Singer
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Jesse Castellanos
Lead Actor in a Musical: Jermarcus Riggins
Song: Make ’em Laugh
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
(Two nominations for The Madwoman of Chaillot
Comic Actress in a Play: Summer Benson
Supporting Actor in a Play: Michael Dufek
Stoneman Douglas High School
(25 nominations; 18 for Shrek and seven for criticism)
Musical: Shrek
Freshman Critic: Dylan Redshaw
Freshman Critic: Alex Wind
Sophomore Critic: Sofie Whitney
Junior Critic: Taylor Fish
Senior Critic: Kayla Goldfarb
Senior Critic: Thomas Neira
Critics’ Team: Stoneman Douglas High School
Marketing and Publicity: Kayla Goldfarb and Company
Special Effects and or Technology: Euan Beith, and Company
Hair and Makeup: Michaela Bajic, Kelly Blauschild
Sound: Adam Alhanti, Rose Popkin
Props: Olivia Trent
Choreography: Theresa Prayther
Creativity: Lee Alhanti, Directing
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Chris Grady, Sydney Kleinssasser, Parker Jacobs
Ensemble in a Musical: Fairytale Creatures
Featured Actress in a Musical: Tatiana Tardalo
Featured Actor in a Musical: John Barnitt
Comic Actress in a Musical: Bridget Foley
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Dylan Baierlein
Lead Actress in a Musical: Lexi Angel
Lead Actor in a Musical: Brendan Duff
Song: Freak Flag
Lighting: Thomas Neira, Spencer Shaw and Crew
The Sagemont School
(Seven nominations; Six for Chicago and one for criticism)
Senior Critic: Claudia Moncaliano
Lighting: Arturo Fernandez, Michael Reardon, Skylar Scorca
Sets: Victor Paes-Leme, Daniel Entenberg, Santiago Reyes-Retana and Crew
Costumes: Taylor Briesemeister, Andres Hernandez and Crew
Featured Actress in a Musical: Erica Merlino
Female Dancer: Susana Obando
Lead Actress in a Musical: Jessie Jordan
University School of NSU
(16 nominations; 13 for Spamalot and three for criticism)
Musical: Spamalot
Freshmen Critic: Aysha Zackria
Sophomore Critic: Erin Cary
Critics’ Team: University School of NSU
Marketing and Publicity: Andrew Singer
Special Effects and or Technology: Matthew Goldberg
Hair and Makeup: Make-up Design Team
Props: Bankston, Smith and Company
Choreography: Sophie Septoff
Stage Management and Crew: Duecker, Sirvent and Crew
Featured Actor in a Musical: Ben Crawford
Female Vocalist: Michelle Langone
Comic Actor in a Musical: Avrumie Tornheim
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Carlo Feliciani
Lead Actor in a Musical: Andrew Singer
Song: You Wont Succeed on Broadway
West Boca High School
(14 nominations for Chicago)
Musical: Chicago
Hair and Makeup: Cristina Cautero, Amanda Helbling, Victoria Martin, Missy Varela
Costumes: Heather Goughan, Jewelia Carter, Elizabeth Yarris, and Crew
Sets: Ryan Hartman, Cristina Rodriguez, George Said, and Crew
Stage Management and Stage Crew: Mathew Kanterman, Nick Morelli, Kayla Stricker
Ensemble in a Musical: Male Dance Ensemble (Roxie’s Boys)
Featured Actress in a Musical: Samantha Frankenbush
Female Dancer: Carolyn Castillo
Male Dancer: Samuel Cadieux
Male Vocalist: Ryan Lim
Comic Actor in a Musical: Matthew Madden
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Hillary Corniel
Lead Actress in a Musical: Alexia Assuncao
Song: We Both Reached for the Gun
West Broward High School
(Four nominations for Bye Bye Birdie)
Male Dancer: Jacob Duncan
Male Vocalist: Colin Miller
Comic Actor in a Musical: Jorge Amador
Lead Actress in a Musical: Sarah Gorfinkel
Western High School
(One nomination for A Heart Divided)
Supporting Actress in a Play: Micaela Mercado
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