Arts & Entertainment
And The Basie Award Goes To ...
Mater Dei, Middletown High School North, South take musical, drama
It was the moment many high school students and faculty were waiting for. The moment when they, with great excitement and trepidation heard, "The envelope, please ..."
Last night, winners for the sixth annual Basie Awards were announced at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank. The distinction recognizes outstanding achievement in the dramatic and musical theater productions of Monmouth County's high school theater companies. Topping a grand list of those recognized: performers and production leaders from Mater Dei and Middletown high schools North and South.
The event featured performances by the casts of the Best Musical nominees, medleys featuring the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress and Lead Actor, and a list of presenters that included a who's who in Monmouth County academia and performing arts.
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Twenty three high schools competed in 25 categories and over 1,300 students participated in the awards ceremony, evidenced by the thunderous roar of the audience when each nominee and winner was announced.
"Steven Sondheim once said that 'all the best performers bring a little something extra to their work...a little something more than what the author put on the page'," Count Basie CEO and Basie Awards creator, Numa Saisselin said, addressing the student nominees, "you put a little extra into your drama work this year and here you are as a result."
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A full list of winners follows:
2011 Dramatic Presentations
ROBERT ANGELINI
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION ~ DRAMA
OCEAN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
OUR TOWN
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION ~ DRAMA
OCEAN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL -
OUR TOWN
PATTI DUNNELLS, SCOTT MCCABE
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN ~ DRAMA
RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
DRACULA
EMILY LOVELL, STEFAN MANN
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN ~ DRAMA
RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
CAROLE MALIK
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN ~ DRAMA
RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
JULIA BARNETT
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS ~ DRAMA
RED BANK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
AS YOU LIKE IT
PJ BENSON
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR ~ DRAMA
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
RUMORS
KELSEY MURPHY
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS ~ DRAMA
RED BANK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
AS YOU LIKE IT
RANDY MESTER
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR ~ DRAMA
RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
DRACULA
2011 Musical Presentations
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
CINDY DWYER
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
TOM COLLINS, RICHARD HUY, ROB GHORMLEY
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN ~ MUSICAL
OCEAN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
LES MISERABLES
CAROLE MALIK
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN ~ MUSICAL
RUMSON~FAIR HAVEN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SWEENEY TODD
SCOTT NAEF
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN ~ MUSICAL
SHORE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
CINDY DWYER
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION ~
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
SAMANTHA AMARAL
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
BARBARA GONZALEZ, JULIE TAKACS
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY~ MUSICAL
MATAWAN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
THE WEDDING SINGER
THE BIRDS
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE GROUP ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD
RUSTY, WENDY JO, URLEEN
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE GROUP ~ MUSICAL
ST JOHN VIANNEY HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTLOOSE
EDDIE ROGERS
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ENSEMBLE PERFORMER ~ MUSICAL
LONG BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL
LES MISERABLES
PATRICK ROUNDS
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR ~ MUSICAL
MONMOUTH REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
MADELYN MONAGHAN
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS ~ MUSICAL
RED BANK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
MICHAEL MCAREE
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR ~ MUSICAL
RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
DAMN YANKEES
VICTORIA JOEL
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS ~ MUSICAL
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL NORTH
CINDERELLA
COURTNEY KURKEMELIS
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
OUTSTANDING CHORUS ~ MUSICAL
HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL
ANYTHING GOES
CHRIS HENSEL
OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRA ~ MUSICAL
STUDENT / ADULT
MATAWAN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
THE WEDDING SINGER
PAMELA MASSIMINI
OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRA ~ MUSICAL
ALL STUDENT
FREEHOLD HIGH SCHOOL
CINDERELLA
MARK PURSLOW
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN
THEATRE ARTS EDUCATION
EVALUATORS SPECIAL AWARD
“PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT”
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
42ND STREET