The Critics’ Awards Program, or Cappies, recognizing outstanding achievement in high school theater at the 14th Annual Cappies Awards Gala were held Tuesday at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
Cappie Award winners are determined by votes from the 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 are then edited by theater educators and published on FloridaTheaterOnStage.com.
In addition to the awards, $500 scholarships were given to each of the students who were recognized as Senior Critic, Lead Actor in Play, Lead Actress in a Play, Lead Actor in a Musical and Lead Actress in a Musical
The Critics’ Awards Program, or Cappies for short, celebrate outstanding achievement in high school theater as students from 26 public and private schools throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties vie for top honors.
Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards, the Cappies Awards program features songs and scenes from the top-nominated shows and recognizes the best in high school theater in 40 categories encompassing awards for performers, designers, technicians and critics.
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, hosted the gala.
In addition, two Melinda Clarke spotlight scholarships were awarded to Taylor Barth and Carlo Feliciani, and one scholarship was given to Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center-Hagan Oliveras.
The winners are:
Freshman Critic, Aysha Zackria, NSU University School
Sophomore Critic, Erin Cary, NSU University School
Junior Critic, Maya Quinones, Deerfield Beach High School
Senior Critic, Nick Lopez, Cypress Bay High School
Critics’ Team, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Play, Falling, American Heritage School
Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Boca Raton High School
Marketing and Publicity, Kayla Goldfarb and Company, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Shrek
Special Effects and or Technology; Stewart, Ballarte and Piccin and crew, Boca Raton High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Hair and Make-up, Michaela Bajic, Kelly Blauschild, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Shrek
Sound, Rachael Banach, American Heritage School, Falling
Props, Emily Grossutti, American Heritage School, Falling
Lighting, Adams, Posner, Chapman and Guin, Boca Raton High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Costumes, Angelica Herrera, Jillian Moore, Adrian Machado, and Crew Cypress Bay High School, Cats
Sets, Brian Haimes, American Heritage School, Falling
Orchestra, DCA Jazz Orchestra, Dillard Center for the Arts, The Wiz
Choreography, Jordanne Cantrill, Cypress Bay High School, Cats
Creativity, Lee Alhanti, Directing, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Shrek
Stage Management and Stage Crew, Mathew Kanterman, Nick Morelli, Kayla Stricker, West Boca High School, Chicago
Ensemble in a Play, 3rd Act Residents of Springfield, Somerset Academy Arts Conservatory, Mr. Burns, a post-electric play
Ensemble in a Musical, the Brothers, Boca Raton High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Featured Actress in a Play, Marisabel Correa, Archbishop McCarthy High School, The Crucible
Featured Actor in a Play, Kevin Cruz, JP Taravella HS, Hotel Paradiso
Featured Actress in a Musical, Jillian Moore, Cypress Bay High School, Cats
Featured Actor in a Musical, John Barnitt, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Shrek
Female Dancer, Jordanne Cantrill, Cypress Bay High School, Cats
Male Dancer, Samuel Cadieux, West Boca High School, Chicago
Female Vocalist, Michelle Langone, NSU University School, Spamalot
Male Vocalist, Ryan Lim, West Boca High School, Chicago
Comic Actress in a Play, Gianna Milici , Somerset Academy Arts Conservatory, Mr. Burns, a post-electric play
Comic Actor in a Play, Ryan Swart, Pompano Beach High School, Lost in Yonkers
Comic Actress in a Musical, Bridget Foley, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Shrek
Comic Actor in a Musical, Avrumie Tornheim, NSU University School, Spamalot
Supporting Actress in a Play, Bella Miulescu, Archbishop McCarthy High School, The Crucible
Supporting Actor in a Play, Hagan Oliveras, JP Taravella HS, Hotel Paradiso
Supporting Actress in a Musical, Francesca Maurer, Cooper City High School, Legally Blonde
Supporting Actor in a Musical, Jesse Castellanos, South Plantation High School, Singin’ In The Rain
Lead Actress in a Play, Delaney Lovejoy, American Heritage School, Falling
Lead Actor in a Play, Diego de la Espriella, American Heritage School, Falling
Lead Actress in a Musical, Alexia Assuncao, West Boca High School, Chicago
Lead Actor in a Musical, Trevor Wayne, Boca Raton High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Song, You Won’t Succeed on Broadway, NSU University School, Spamalot