BWW Blog: Marissa Emerson - Greater Philadelphia Cappies Nominees Announced!

On Tuesday, April 25th the Greater Philadelphia Cappies released their list of Award Nominees for the 2016-2017 season.

The Greater Philadelphia Cappies (GPC) is an organization that allows student critics to enjoy high schools productions in the area and vote for award recipients. Eligible shows must perform between mid-October and mid-April, with voting taking place soon after. After votes are tallied, schools nominated for Best Musical, Best Play, and Best Song are asked to prepare material to present in front of the entire region during the season's award ceremony, The Cappies Gala.

Many schools received recognition for their theatrical productions, with Upper Merion Area High School and Unionville High School leading the charge with thirteen nominations each. Taking on the musical comedy The Addams Family and Theban tragedy Antigone by Sophocles respectively, their programs will definitely manage to gain recognition for their sheer number of nominations alone. Ridley High School's Les Miserables: School Edition garnered an impressive twelve nominations. Following close behind with eleven nominations apiece are The Episcopal Academy's play Peter and the Starcatcher, Conestoga High School's The Mystery of Edwin Drood, PALCS School for the Creative and Performing Arts' Sweeney Todd, and Plymouth Whitemarsh High School's Rent: School Edition. Archmere Academy rounds out the double-digit nominees with ten nominations for their production of A Christmas Carol.

High school theatre has rarely seen more difficult shows than those produced in the GPC region this season, with four productions of Rent: School Edition, two productions of Les Miserables: School Edition, and two productions of Footloose up for review. Certainly not small feats for any theatre, interactive musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood and dark drama Sweeney Todd gave audiences curious plot lines to sink their teeth into while fun productions like The Drowsy Chaperone and Big Fish left audiences leaving in high spirits.

The Greater Philadelphia Cappies Gala will be held on May 21st at 4:30pm at Unionville High School. Stay tuned to see which nominees receive the coveted Cappies Awards!

Full List of Nominees:

Outstanding 9th and 10th Grade Critic

Nominees: Anij Cooper, Academy of the New Church

Abigayle Harnum, Bordentown Regional High School

Emily Lewis, Unionville High School

Sam Sprit, Upper Dublin High School

Grace Wiley, Unionville High School

Outstanding 11th Grade Critic

Nominees: Emma Danz, Harriton High School

Lea Harlev, Archmere Academy

Victoria Kline, Academy of the New Church

Trinity Pike, Upper Merion Area High School

Emily Thompson, The Baldwin School

Outstanding 12th Grade Critic

Nominees: Marissa Emerson, Upper Merion Area High School

Shelby Lenhart, Upper Merion Area High School

Jane Mentzinger, Westtown School

Ellen Powers, West Chester East High School

Lizzie Stricklin, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

Outstanding Critic Team

Nominees: Academy of the New Church

Harriton High School

Phoenixville Area High School

Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

Upper Merion Area High School

Marketing and Publicity

Nominees: UD PR Crew, Upper Dublin High School, RENT: School Edition

PJ Williams and Violet Kertis, Ridley High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Joel Danilewitz and Kit Meiler, Harriton High School ,

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Jack Sweeney, Hannah Bailey, Lauren Hughes, Courtney Smith,

Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

PWHS Marketing Team, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School,

RENT: School Edition

Special Effects and or Technology

Nominees: Lauren Amariti, Eastern Regional High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

PWHS Special FX Crew, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School,

RENT: School Edition

Special Effects Crew, Conestoga High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Underground Players Special Effects Crew,

Upper Merion Area High School, The Addams Family

Jen Lee, Rachel Wilson, Upper Dublin High School, RENT School Edition

Hair and Make-up

Nominees: Tirzah Badders, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts,

Sweeney Todd

Blake Eckert, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Belle Galante, Abby Pancoast, Marple Newtown High School, Peter Pan

Shelby Lenhart, Upper Merion Area High School, The Addams Family

Kyla McAvinue, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Sound

Nominees: Jenna Brady, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Conestoga Sound Crew, Conestoga High School,

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Ashley Renning, Mark Plaugher, Cardinal O'Hara High School,

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Gossen Yang and Jacob Viscusi, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Justin Zitelli, Upper Dublin High School, RENT: School Edition

Props

Nominees: LHS Stage Crew, Lindenwold High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Cami Mercantini, Bordentown Regional High School, Spamalot

Jordan Smelcer, Andrew Sage, Abington Friends School,

The Drowsy Chaperone

Underground Players Prop Team, Upper Merion Area High School,

The Addams Family

Paloma Zozaya, Dejah Cosby, Georgia Morgan, Anjali Bose,

Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Lighting

Nominees: Conestoga Lighting Crew, Conestoga High School,

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Eastern Regional Lighting Crew, Eastern Regional High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Maddie Donatucci, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Aaron Groff, Upper Merion Area High School, The Addams Family

John Viggiano, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts, Sweeney Todd

Costumes

Nominees: Vinnie Cavallero, Marple Newtown High School, Peter Pan

Sudden Changes Crew, Lindenwold High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Alana Lacy & the Costume Crew,

The Philadelphia High School for Creative & Performing Arts,

RENT: School Edition

Juliana Denick, Chiamaka Amaefuna, Upper Merion Area High School,

The Addams Family

Marina Khazana, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Sets

Nominees: Megan Belgam, Victoria Vaughn, Unionville High School,

Antigone by Sophocles

Junfu Chen, Abington Friends School, The Drowsy Chaperone

Chris Childs, Aaron Forsman, Cyrena Kokolis,

Eastern Regional High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Conestoga Set Crew, Conestoga High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

UD Tech, Upper Dublin High School, RENT: School Edition

Orchestra

Nominees: Loquacious Forbidden Noodling, Upper Dublin High School,

RENT: School Edition

WC East Pit Orchestra, West Chester East High School, Grease

Ridley Drama Group Pit Orchestra, Ridley High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Conestoga Pit, Conestoga High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Eastern High School Pit, Eastern Regional High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Choreography

Nominees: Cameron Cofrancesco, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Megan DePaul, Noel Guidetti, Molly Thornton, Haverford High School,

Bye Bye Birdie

Catherine Lawless, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Erin Ryan, Bordentown Regional High School, Spamalot

Kayla Warren, Friends Select School, Cabaret

Creativity

Nominees: Katie Blakeley, Upper Merion Area High School, The Addams Family

Jack Denman, Vocal Direction, Haverford High School, Bye Bye Birdie

Yonah Hamermesh, Barrack Hebrew Academy,

The Odd Couple (female version)

Eric Folmar, Harrison Bass, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Carly McIntosh, Julia Maenza, Roya Alidjani, Noor Bowman,

The Baldwin School, 12 Angry Jurors

Stage Management and Stage Crew

Nominees: Erin Caltiere, Bordentown Regional High School, Spamalot

Seri Fleming, Maya Mehrota, Abington Friends School,

The Drowsy Chaperone

Christina LeFebvre, Conestoga High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Penelope Murzenski, Chris Childs, Gabriela Bourla,

Eastern Regional High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Kara Kennedy, Dylan Reilly, Ridley High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Ensemble in a Play

Nominees: Chorus A & B, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

The Jurors, The Baldwin School, 12 Angry Jurors

Mollusks, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Ghosts of Christmas Past, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Girls of Salem, Upper Darby High School, The Crucible

Ensemble in a Musical

Nominees: Brothers, Cardinal O'Hara High School,

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Sweeney Ensemble, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts,

Sweeney Todd

The Seven Friends, The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

Chairman and Stage Manager, Conestoga High School,

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Students / Revolutionaries, Ridley High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Featured Actress in a Play

Nominees: Bella Abbrescia, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Fabiola Alfred, Upper Darby High School, The Crucible

Jane Bradley, The Baldwin School, 12 Angry Jurors

Ciara Hervas, Friends' Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Grace Willey, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Featured Actor in a Play

Nominees: Ashwin Akki, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Eli Hunsinger, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Jake Landaiche, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Joe Schoepp, Friends' Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Mike Weir, Upper Darby High School, The Crucible

Featured Actress in a Musical

Nominees: Caroline Borio, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, RENT: School Edition

Blake Eckert, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Natalie Kim, Central Bucks West, Big Fish

Taylor Ruffo, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts, Sweeney Todd

Caroline Sessa, Haverford High School, Bye Bye Birdie

Featured Actor in a Musical

Nominees: Jack Ashfield, Bordentown Regional High School, Spamalot

Primo Davis, Eastern Regional High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Zachary Powell, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts,

Sweeney Todd

Ryan Slusky, Upper Merion Area High School, The Addams Family

Meese Tobey, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Solo Dancer

Nominees: Drew Jacobson, Abington Friends School, The Drowsy Chaperone

Kayla Mastronardo, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School,

RENT: School Edition

Bryanna McEvoy, Cardinal O'Hara High School,

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Mira Sadeghi, Marple Newtown High School, Peter Pan

Cameren Sullivan, The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

Dance Ensemble

Nominees: Ghost Dancers, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Principal Dancers, The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

Cold Feets, Abington Friends School,

The Drowsy Chaperone

Alabama Lambs, Central Bucks West, Big Fish

Greased Lightnin' Boys, West Chester East High School, Grease

Female Vocalist

Nominees: Bridgette Burton, Eastern Regional High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Melissa Goldhorn, Cardinal O'Hara High School,

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

India Henderson, Westtown School, RENT: School Edition

Catherine de Lacoste-Azizi, The Haverford School, Oliver!

Lauren Merenda, Upper Dublin High School, RENT: School Edition

Male Vocalist

Nominees: Gary Bowman, Eastern Regional High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Thomas Dempsey, Cardinal O'Hara High School,

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Colin Mash, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, RENT: School Edition

Gianni Palmarini, Sun Valley High , Footloose

Ben Powell, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts, Sweeney Todd

Comic Actress in a Play

Nominees: Ruthie Cohen, Barrack Hebrew Academy, The Odd Couple (female version)

Bailey Collington, Interboro High School, Plaza Suite

Caroline Quinn, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Audrey Senior, The Baldwin School, 12 Angry Jurors

Julianita Vlad, Phoenixville Area High School, Taming of the Shrew

Comic Actor in a Play

Nominees: McKee Bond, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Jack Correll, Friends Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Kevin Reeder, Interboro High School, Plaza Suite

Keelin Reilly, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Jack Zweben, Barrack Hebrew Academy, The Odd Couple (female version)

Comic Actress in a Musical

Nominees: Anna Bobok, Upper Merion Area High School, The Addams Family

Lindsay Cohen, Eastern Regional High School,

Les Miserables: School Edition

Nina Gold, Harriton High School ,

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Danica Moyer, Dock Mennonite Academy, Curtains!

Caroline Roberts, Haverford High School, Bye Bye Birdie

Comic Actor in a Musical

Nominees: Brendan Carr , Germantown Academy, The Burnt Part Boys

Cameren Sullivan, The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

Jack Ashfield, Bordentown Regional High School, Spamalot

Christian Tuffy, Upper Moreland High School, Footloose

Brian Wang, Abington Friends School, The Drowsy Chaperone

Supporting Actress in a Play

Nominees: Camryn Buss, Academy of the New Church, A Charlie Brown Christmas

Sabrina Chevlin, Barrack Hebrew Academy,

The Odd Couple (female version)

Brooke Kraftson, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Noelle Mercer, Friends' Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Ishana S., The Baldwin School, 12 Angry Jurors

Supporting Actor in a Play

Nominees: David Demarco, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Joe Gormley, Upper Darby High School, The Crucible

Wyatt McDevitt, Interboro High School, Plaza Suite

Evan Paszamant, Friends' Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Arnie Shiva, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Supporting Actress in a Musical

Nominees: Zoe Hunchack, Springfield High School, Once Upon A Mattress

Ashley Lennick, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts,

Sweeney Todd

Avery Misinkavitch, Jenkintown High School, Into the Woods

Lauren Quigley, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, RENT: School Edition

Jordan Thompson, Delaware County Christian School, The Little Mermaid

Supporting Actor in a Musical

Nominees: Murphy Applin, Jr., The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

Jack D'Emilio, Conestoga High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Robert Gervasi, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School RENT: School Edition

Ben Mergott, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Shane Troxell, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts, Sweeney Todd

Lead Actress in a Play

Nominees: Helena Bryant, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Sanjana Friedman, The Baldwin School, 12 Angry Jurors

Natalie Mancuso, Interboro High School, Plaza Suite

Zoe Walker, Friends' Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Willetta Wisely, Phoenixville Area High School, Taming of the Shrew

Lead Actor in a Play

Nominees: Rain Diaz , Upper Darby High School, The Crucible

Matthew Etzrodt, Archmere Academy, A Christmas Carol

Alex Kallis, Unionville High School, Antigone by Sophocles

Julian Shapiro-Barnum, Friends' Central School, The Infinite Black Suitcase

Greg Smith, Episcopal Academy, Peter and the Starcatcher

Lead Actress in a Musical

Nominees: Federica Andino-Vega, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School,

RENT: School Edition

Zami Buggs-King, The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

MacKenzie Cannon, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Taylor Mitchell, Central Bucks West, Big Fish

Grace Slear, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts, Sweeney Todd

Lead Actor in a Musical

Nominees: Ricky Christman, Upper Merion Area HIGH SCHOOL, The Addams Family

Alex Giganti , Friends Select School, Cabaret

Jake Mergott, Ridley High School, Les Miserables: School Edition

Max Mooney, Conestoga High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Drew Weiss, The Haverford School, Oliver!

Song

Nominees: "Model Behavior", Harriton High School ,

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Bre`akdown

"I Don't Care", Friends Select School, Cabaret

"Both Sides of the Coin", Conestoga High School,

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

"A Little Priest", PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts,

Sweeney Todd

"I'll Cover You (Reprise)", The Philadelphia High School for Creative

& Performing Arts, RENT: School Edition

Play

Nominees: The Crucible, Upper Darby High School

12 Angry Jurors, The Baldwin School

Antigone by Sophocles, Unionville High School

Peter and the Starcatcher, Episcopal Academy

The Infinite Black Suitcase, Friends' Central School

Musical

Nominees: The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Conestoga High School

Les Miserables: School Edition, Eastern Regional High School

Les Miserables: School Edition, Ridley High School

Sweeney Todd, PALCS Center for Performing and Fine Arts

RENT: School Edition, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School