Scores of Theater and Journalism Students Reap Cappies Awards

Best Play winner Metamorphoses by Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Hundreds upon hundreds of students from Broward and Palm Beach counties cheered loudly enough to rattle the auditorium May 20 at the 23rd awards gala  recognizing achievments in theater and journalism by their classmates from 28 public and private schools in the South Florida Cappies program.

For the second consecutive year, NSU University School in Davie took home the most honors receiving 11 awards, including Best Musical, for their production of Hadestown: Teen Edition. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach took home 10 awards for their production of Metamorphoses that included recognition as Best Play.

“All of the winners and nominees deserve a standing ovation for their dedication to excellence in the performing arts. Their participation will have a lasting impact well beyond high school,” said Jacob Aronin, Director of Education for the Broward Center for the Performing Arts which co-sponsors the program. “We are proud to once again host the newest generation of theater makers and storytellers.”

The Cappies Awards recognize the creativity, dedication and talent of students in various roles on the stage, behind the scenes or through their thoughtful words as critics. Student critics from participating schools nominate candidates after attending and writing reviews of productions from rival schools. Some of them are published at FloridaTheaterOnStage.com/cappies. The winners are then selected through a weighted peer-review voting process also conducted by students.

“I’m so proud of the volunteers who have made  the Cappies program run for 23 years,” said South Florida Cappies Founder and Chair Lori Sessions.  “The student performances this year were outstanding. During a time when arts funding is being cut in our schools and communities, I’m grateful we could come together to celebrate the high caliber of theater education in Broward and Palm Beach counties.”

For more information on the South Florida Cappies, visit Cappies.com/sfc and follow @sfcappies on Instagram and South Florida Cappies on Facebook.

Best Musical winner NSU Hadestown

The list of winners by school:

American Heritage Broward Campus

Into the Woods

Orchestra: American Heritage School Pit Orchestra

American Heritage Palm Beach Campus

The Marvelous Wonderettes

Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Sofia Jorgensen

Stage Management and Crew in a Musical: Jonathan Jacknow, Laila Thaler Sucher & Crew

Archbishop McCarthy High School

Arsenic and Old Lace

Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Julia Gouldthorpe

Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Ernesto Fernandez

Sound in a Play: Callie Green

Hair and Make-up in a Play: Olivia Pereira

The Benjamin School

The 39 Steps

Props in a Play: Isabella Anthon & Devin Farmer

Calvary Christian Academy

As You Like It

Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Aliyah Kallioinen

Cardinal Gibbons High School       

Shrek the Musical

Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Jacob Miers

Cooper City High School

Sweeney Todd (School Edition)

Vocalist in a Female Role: Saeryn Jones

Junior Critic: Kenny Gervais

Critics Team

David Posnack Jewish Day School

Fiddler on the Roof

Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Sacha Codron

Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Alyssa Tuchinsky

Dreyfoos School of the Arts

Metamorphoses

Best Play

Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Melanie Simmons

Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Shane Rainsburg

Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Colton McMackin

Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Graham Gilbert

Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Andrew Hopta

Ensemble in a Play: Movement Ensemble

Stage Management and Crew in a Play: Aniston Jennings, Sherry Wiedrich, & Charlotte Wooley

Sets in a Play: Penelope Hess, Juliana Priddy and Company

Lighting in a Play: Amira Green & Joey DiMare

Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School

Alice in Wonderland

Costumes in a Play: Miranda Pachter and Company

J.P. Taravella High School

The Wizard of Oz

Costumes in a Musical: Jennifer Fier and Crew

Lighting in a Musical: Julisa Landin, Shayna Silverstein, Emma Khodadadi

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 

Alice By Heart

Dancer in a Male Role: Ava Fronstin

Choreography: Ava Fronstin, Zoe Schwartzberg

Props in a Musical: Karen Nixon, Rania Ismail, Charlotte Schroeder, Jules Murphey

Freshman Critic: Ellie Pulsifer

NSU University School

Hadestown: Teen Edition

Best Musical

Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Sofia Casares

Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Rubi Katz

Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Sam Dyer

Vocalist in a Male Role: Josh Diaz

Ensemble in a Musical: The Workers

Song: Road to Hell

Sets in a Musical: Sam Dyer, Karina Lopez, and Jack Steinman

Sound in a Musical: Cora Rodriguez

Sophomore Critic: Zachary Kopelman

Senior Critic: Sam Dyer

South Plantation High School

Ride The Cyclone (High School Edition)

Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: David Denman

Creativity: ASL Team

Hair and Make-up in a Musical: Isabella Morales and Company

Special Effects and/or Technology: Brianny Frias, Lily Moscowitz, and Company

West Boca Raton Community High School

Once Upon a Mattress

Marketing and Publicity: EditionMila Freineit, Becca Rayman, Justin Swab

Westminster Academy 

The Lightning Thief

Dancer in a Female Role: Kathryn Wright

Opening Number at the South Florida Cappies Awards