For the seventh year, the Count Basie Theatre is recognizing high school performing arts with the Basie Awards, a program that's committed to fostering an appreciation of the arts and honoring excellence in high school theater.

The nominations have been announced; and, this year, Middletown South and North high schools scored several nominations for the Rimers of Eldritch and Bye Bye Birdie productions. Mater Dei also won a few of its own nominations for Almost, Maine.

Last year, an all-time high of 25 Monmouth County private, public, and vocational high schools participated in the Basie Awards.

The show will be held on May 23, at 7 p.m.

A complete list of the nominations:

Outstanding Set Design in a Drama

• Asbury Park High School - Backstage - Robert Rutt & Gary Kilmer

• Ocean Township High School - Noises Off - Tom Collins 

• Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - It’s a Wonderful Life - Dino Pagano • Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps - Anthony Greco

• Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch - Alexis Kozak

• Mater Dei Prep - Almost Maine - John Budzyna

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Drama

• Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch - Cory Golusinski 

• Raritan High School - Alice in Wonderland - Michael Jacoby

• Marlboro High School - Maybe Baby, It’s You - Kevin Gunther

• Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps - David Ahlers

• Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - It’s a Wonderful Life - Dino Pagano

Outstanding Costume Design in a Drama
(The Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design)

• Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps - Jacquie Revier

• Manalapan High School - A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Meghan Reeves

• Raritan High School - Alice in Wonderland - Melanie Taylor

• Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch - Jacqueline Mazza

• Ranney School - And Then There Were None - John Doyle

Outstanding Direction in a Drama

• Robert Angelini - Ocean Township High School - Noises Off

• Alexis Kozak - Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch

• Anthony Greco - Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps

• Melanie Taylor - Raritan High School - Alice in Wonderland

• Suzanne Sweeney - Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - It’s a Wonderful Life

• Jesse Grabowski - Manalapan High School - A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Outstanding Dramatic Presentation

• Raritan High School - Alice in Wonderland - Melanie Taylor

• Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps - Anthony Greco

• Manalapan High School - A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Jesse Grabowski

• Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - It’s a Wonderful Life - Suzanne Sweeney

• Ocean Township High School - Noises Off - Robert Angelini

• Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch - Alexis Kozak

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama

• Alyssa Figueroa - Asbury Park High School - Backstage

• Victoria Keiser - Raritan High School - Alice in Wonderland

• Caroline Palsi - Communications High School - Rumors

• Suzie Hicks - Colts Neck High School - Isn’t It Romantic

• Krista Skribner - Mater Dei Prep - Almost, Maine

• Kim Alexis Kallok - Ocean Township High School - Noises Off

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

• Dan Hamm - Raritan High School - Alice in Wonderland

• CJ Marsini - Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch

• Nate Fields - Asbury Park High School - Backstage

• Phil Limeri - Mater Dei Prep - Almost, Maine

• Matt Melleby - Mater Dei Prep - Almost, Maine

• Shaun Nerney - Mater Dei Prep - Almost, Maine

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

• Melissa Albert - Marlboro High School - Maybe Baby, It’s You

• Dani Gordon - Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps

• Kelly Lozo - Middletown High School South - The Rimers of Eldritch

• Alicia Moeller - Red Bank Regional High School - Midsummer Night’s Dream

• Nicole Friedman - Manalapan High School - Midsummer Nights’ Dream

• Julie Ripple - Matawan Regional High School - Gramercy Ghost

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama

• Patrick Leeman - Matawan Regional High School - Gramercy Ghost
• Chris Dubrow - Red Bank Regional High School - A Midsummer Night’s Dream • Noah Goldstein - Ranney School - And Then There Were None
• Robert Resnick - Marlboro High School - Maybe, Baby It’s You

• Kevin Karol Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - It’s a Wonderful Life
• Nick D’Ambrosio - Monmouth Regional High School - The 39 Steps

Nominees for Musical Presentations:

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical

• Mater Dei Prep - Flat Stanley - D. Horowitz & M. Cahill

• Monmouth Regional High School - Seussical - Anthony Greco & Jack Pensabene

• Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde - Dino Pagano & Suzanne Sweeney

• Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods - Fred Sorrentino

• Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon - Tom Collins

• Shore Regional High School - Annie Get Your Gun - Scott Naef

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical

Asbury Park High School - The Wiz - Robert Rutt Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon - George Ripley & Victoria Cascaes Howell High School - Cabaret - Travis Popiel Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde - Matthew Hervilly & Suzanne Sweeney Shore Regional High School - Annie Get Your Gun - Scott Naef & Todd Aikens Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods - Frank Bell

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
(The Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design)

Asbury Park High School - The Wiz - Trina Peduto Colford Howell High School - Cabaret - Jacquie Revier Mater Dei Prep - Flat Stanley - Cindy Dwyer & Jacquie Revier Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie - Jacqueline Mazza & Laura Mazza Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods - Fred Mayo, Debra Thime, & Fred Sorrentino Monmouth Regional High School - Seussical - Jacquie Revier

Outstanding Musical Direction

Howell High School - Cabaret - Regina McAllen Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods - Shawn Mack Mater Dei Prep - Flat Stanley - Cindy Dwyer Monmouth Regional High School - Seussical - Mary Mindas Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde - Bill Grillo & Vincent Mottern Mater Dei Prep - Once Upon a Mattress - Cindy Dwyer

Outstanding All Student Orchestra

Freehold High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Pamela Massimini High Technology High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Lisa Zahray Manalapan High School - The Wedding Singer - Adam Glenn

Outstanding Student/Adult Orchestra

Howell High School - Cabaret - Regina McAllen Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon - Mark Cook Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods - Shawn Mack Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde - Bill Grillo & Vincent Mottern

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical

Howell High School - Cabaret - Lisa Twamley Matawan Regional High School - Guys and Dolls - Julie Takacs McKurth Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie - Jacqueline Mazza Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde - Alexis Marinov Monmouth Regional High School - Seussical - Donna Battaglia Raritan High School - The Wizard of Oz - Lisa Catena

Outstanding Ensemble Group

The Gamblers - Matawan Regional High School - Guys and Dolls The Kit Kat Girls - Howell High School - Cabaret Sweet Apple Teens - Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie Hot Box Girls - Matawan Regional High School - Guys and Dolls The Gospeleers - Neptune High School - Finian’s Rainbow

Outstanding Featured Ensemble in a Musical

Uzo Amuzie - Matawan Regional High School - Guys and Dolls Emily Mitro - Shore Regional High School - Annie Get Your Gun Kelly Lozo - Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie Erin McGuiness - Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie

Outstanding Chorus in a Musical

Raritan High School - The Wizard of Oz Red Bank Catholic - Into the Woods Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde Howell High School - Cabaret Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Brianna McDonald Vitale - Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods Kayla Ryder - Matawan Regional High School - Guys and Dolls Michaela Farrell - Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods Briana Luguori - St. John Vianney High School - Legally Blonde Samantha Sayah - Howell High School - Cabaret

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Patrick Leeman - Matawan Regional High School - Guys and Dolls CJ Marsini - Middletown High School South - Bye Bye Birdie Jake Cameron - Shore Regional High School - Annie Get Your Gun Mark Regan, Jr. - Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods Conall McNelis - Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

Sarah Bartosh - Ranney School - Drood Hannah Simpson - Ranney School - Drood Chloe Chalakani - Shore Regional High School - Annie Get Your Gun Amanda Lefkowitz - Howell High School - Cabaret Julia Whary - Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

Harrison Best - Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde Shaun Nerney - Mater Dei Prep - Flat Stanley Ari Beller - Red Bank Regional High School - Forum - Richard Huy - Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon
Lucas Manfredi - Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon

Outstanding Direction in a Musical

Cindy Dwyer - Mater Dei Prep - Flat Stanley Stephen Kazakoff - Howell High School - Cabaret Andrew De Prisco - Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods Suzanne Sweeney - Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde Anthony Greco - Monmouth Regional High School - Seussical Robert Angelini - Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon

Outstanding Musical Presentation

Red Bank Catholic High School - Into the Woods - Andrew De Prisco Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School - Jekyll & Hyde - Suzanne Sweeney Howell High School - Cabaret - Stephen Kazakoff Monmouth Regional High School - Seussical - Anthony Greco Ocean Township High School - Miss Saigon - Robert Angelini