Dr. Phillips Center Announces 2016 Applause Award Winners!

The Dr. Phillips Center Florida Hospital School of the Arts announces the 2016 recipients of the Applause Awards, boasting a range of students and talent from 22 schools in six counties of Central Florida. The showcase, recognizing outstanding achievements of participating high schools' musical theater productions and students, will take place in the Walt Disney Theater on June 5, 2016 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the awards showcase are $21.75 and may be purchased by visiting the Dr. Phillips Center Box Office at 445 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are also available by calling 844.513.2014 or online at drphillipscenter.org. Online and phone ticket purchases include handling fees.

The Applause Awards, a program put forth by the School of the Arts, supports participating high schools by providing high quality learning, performing and creative experiences for students. Schools register to have their musical theater productions reviewed by a qualified team of adjudicators who provide directors with valuable feedback. After a spring review period, a showcase modeled after the Tony awards takes place each June, featuring performances throughout the ceremony. Winning performers from the "Outstanding Lead Performer," "Outstanding Supporting Performer," "Outstanding Dance Performer" and "Honorable Mention in Performance" categories are invited to perform. High Schools winning in the "Outstanding Musical" category are also invited to perform numbers from their respective shows. The lineup of those high schools set to perform includes Freedom High School's Bring it On! The Musical, Harrison School for the Arts's Crazy for You, Lake Highland Preparatory School's Guys and Dolls, Lake Nona High School's Hairspray - Cast B, Liberty High School's Next to Normal and Trinity Preparatory School's The Last Five Years. Additionally, the evening boasts two performances from local middle schools celebrating education at levels prior to high school: Indian Trail Middle School's Once Upon a Mattress and Millennium Middle School's Annie, Jr.

The event demonstrates the enthusiasm, dedication and talent of high school musical theater programs and encourages participating schools to grow and continue to improve their programs.

New to the program this year: One male lead and one female lead will be selected from the Orlando showcase to move forward in competing in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA), also known as the Jimmy Awards. Named for James M. Nederlander, the legendary Broadway theatre owner and producer, awards for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor are awarded at the New York City ceremony. The eighth annual Jimmy Awards will take place on June 27, 2016.

Dr. Phillips Center Florida Hospital School of the Arts 2016 Applause Awards Winners

Outstanding Musical

Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Lake Nona High School, Hairspray - Cast B

Trinity Preparatory School, The Last Five Years

Outstanding Ensemble

Dr. Phillips High School, Mary Poppins - Broadway Cast

Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

West Orange High School, Into the Woods

Outstanding Orchestra

Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Harrison School for the Arts, Fiddler on the Roof

Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

University High School, Little Women

West Orange High School, Mary Poppins

Outstanding Lead Performer

Alex Thomas - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Alexander LaPlante - Montverde Academy, No Way to Treat a Lady

Angela Romero - Colonial High School, All Shook Up

Azhariyha Vaughan - Liberty High School, Next to Normal

Emma Heistand - West Orange High School, Into the Woods

Emma Heistand - West Orange High School, Mary Poppins

Frank Zwally - St. Cloud High School, Sweeney Todd

Gian Perez - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Isabelle Pride - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Kayra Torres - University High School, Little Women

Maddie Walker - Trinity Preparatory School, The Last Five Years

Madeline Aquino - The Master's Academy, Annie Get Your Gun

Matthew Roman - Boone High School, The Addams Family

Oliver Davids - Dr. Phillips High School, tick, tick, BOOM!

Paige Norberg - Circle Christian School, Sasquatched - The Musical

Paula Figueroa - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Rafael Figueroa - Boone High School, The Addams Family

Ryan Cortelyou - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Ryland Marbutt - Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Sean Parkhurst - Liberty High School, Next to Normal

Tatiana Bello - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Tony Moreno - Trinity Preparatory School, Into the Woods

Tony Moreno - Trinity Preparatory School, The Last Five Years

Outstanding Supporting Performer

Alexis Garcia - Colonial High School, All Shook Up

Annabell Mizrahi - Dr. Phillips High School, Mary Poppins - Broadway Cast

Brian Wardeh - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Catalina Rodriguez - University High School, Little Women

Dara DeLucci - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Ella Cruz - Celebration High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Grace Campisi - Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Jessica Fernandez - Celebration High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Jose Benzaquen - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Lexie Foley - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Lydia Rose Kinzler - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Marcus Patterson - Wekiva High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Parker Wallace - West Orange High School, Into the Woods

Sarah Mills - The Master's Academy, Annie Get Your Gun

Thomas Popaditch - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Thalia Plasencio - Celebration High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Torie D'Alessandro - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Zachary Croft - West Orange High School, Into the Woods

Outstanding Dance Performer

Alex Iacuzzo - Lake Brantley High School, Bye, Bye, Birdie

Brendan Morris - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Carolyn Nahikian - University High School, Little Women

Destiny James - Lake Brantley High School, Bye, Bye, Birdie

Emily Kissenberth - The Master's Academy, Annie Get Your Gun

Emma Kapper - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Grace Kearney - The Master's Academy, Annie Get Your Gun

Ireland Brown - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Ryland Marbutt - Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Ryland Marbutt - Harrison School for the Arts, Fiddler on the Roof

Tabitha Scofield - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Tarensha Alexis - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Vianca Collazo - The Master's Academy, Annie Get Your Gun

Honorable Mention in Performance

Ariel Medina - Gateway High School, Rent

Demetri Crane - Trinity Preparatory School, Into the Woods

Dewaky Rivas - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Journee Wagner - Colonial High School, All Shook Up

Shirley Duran - Colonial High School, All Shook Up

Abbi Bryson - Timber Creek High School, Into the Woods

Melanie Smith - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Gabriel Sementari - Montverde Academy, Barnum

Rose Tremarco - Montverde Academy, No Way to Treat a Lady

Outstanding Young Performer

Ryleigh Lawton - Dr. Phillips High School, Mary Poppins

Macy Hayes - Windermere Preparatory School, The Wizard of Oz

Nicholas Juergens - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Outstanding Director

Gail Chase - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Janine Papin - Trinity Preparatory School, The Last Five Years

Jenora Duprey - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Matt Nash-Brown - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Melaney Douglass - University High School, Little Women

Melaney Douglass - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Nathan Uhrig - Liberty High School, Next to Normal

Nina Cochran - St. Cloud High School, Sweeney Todd

Trudy Bruner - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Musical Director

James Rode - Celebration High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Justin Chase - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Shannon Lyles - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Suzi Lambert - Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Terry Thomas - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Tim Hanes - Dr. Phillips High School, Mary Poppins

Outstanding Choreographer

Krisanne Kellmyer & Matt Nash-Brown - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Laurel Renfroe - Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Leslie Gettis - Dr. Phillips High School, Mary Poppins

Tami Uhrig - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Torie D'Alessandro, Mikaela Farrell & Shay Hattaway - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Outstanding Stage Manager

Gabriela Bitar & Seded Ganbat - Freedom High School, Bring it On! The Musical

Lauren Vick - University High School, Little Women

Lauren Vick - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Mykael Larson - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Olivia Trumble - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Overall Design

Randy Cochran - St. Cloud High School, Sweeney Todd

Ryan Douglass - University High School, Little Women

Ryan Douglass - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Tommy Mangieri - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Steve Rossi - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Outstanding Set Design

Ken Rush - West Orange High School, Into the Woods

Mykael Larson - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Nathan Uhrig - Liberty High School, Next to Normal

Rene Alvarez - Lake Brantley High School, Bye, Bye, Birdie

Robbin Watts - Harrison School for the Arts, Fiddler on the Roof

Ryan Douglass - University High School, Little Women

Ryan Douglass - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Tommy Mangieri - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Lighting Design

Alex Jaruszewski - Lake Nona High School, Hairspray

Corey Marin - University High School, Little Women

Corey Marin - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Emma Pearcy - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

John Whiteley - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Victor Souffrant - Liberty High School, Next to Normal

Outstanding Sound Design

John Valines - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Justin Wright - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Outstanding Costume Design

Ceci Ingram & Deidra Crosby - Harrison School for the Arts, Crazy for You

Jewell Poirer & Farrah Sephri - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Simone Smith - Lake Highland Preparatory School, Guys and Dolls

Honorable Mention in Design

Becky Saunders & Donna Speers - Circle Christian School, Sasquatched - The Musical

Bryce Palfy - Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Brandon Sarria - University High School, Little Women

Eric Juergens - University High School, The Little Mermaid

Community Engagement

Merritt Island High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

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