Broadway Method Academy Announces Stephen Sondheim Award Nominees

By: May. 21, 2018
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Broadway Method Academy Announces Stephen Sondheim Award Nominees Broadway Method Academy (BMA), in association with the Shubert Theatre of New Haven and Westport Country Playhouse, is proud to announce the nominees for the Stephen Sondheim Awards. The black-tie gala will take place on June 4 at 7:30 pm at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CT. The program's mission is to recognize excellence in high school musical theater.

BMA Executive Directors, Connor Deane & J. Scott Handley announced today that Hamilton's Solea Pfeiffer (Eliza Hamilton) and Ryan Vasquez will host the 2018 black-tie gala.

"We are thrilled to partner with two organizations that have contributed so much to the American theater," said Deane. "We are looking forward to bringing some of Broadway's brightest talents to share this special night with the next generation of musical theater performers." Deane said that over the next two weeks BMA would utilize their social media channels to announce the Broadway presenters.

Over the past eight months, a panel of judges attended performances by the following fourteen high schools:

Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Suffield Academy

West Warwick High School

Notre Dame High School

North Kingstown High School

Trumbull High School

Branford High School

Newtown High School

Darien High School

Nonnewaug High School

Cheshire High School

Amity Regional High School

Shelton High School

Immaculate High School

The panel of judges was comprised of performing arts educators, entertainment professionals and Broadway performers & designers. On May 19, these judges met for a final discussion and a review of highlights from each high school performance to subsequently create nominations.

The nominees for the 2018 Stephen Sondheim Awards are ...

Best Scenic Design

Isabel Adolphe - Heathers - Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Justin Mossa - Footloose - Darien High School

Bobby Marcinauskis - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School

Todd Perrin, Dan Reilly and Nina Soriano- Les Miserables - Newtown High School

Best Costume Design

Sophie Howard - Footloose - Darien High School

Kira Turlington - Heathers - Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Marissa Proto - The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School

Best Lighting Design

Alicia Foster - Heathers - Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School

Emily Marcinauskis - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School

Oak Chaisathaporn - Hairspray - Suffield Academy

James Gallo - Curtains - Trumbull High School

Dean Jones - Footloose - Nonnewaug High School

Bobby Gaffney- Les Miserables - Newtown High School

Best Supporting Actor

Michael Hoadley - Shrek - Pinocchio - Branford High School

Antonio Mantero - Into the Woods - Mysterious Man - Notre Dame

Callum Zak - Legally Blonde - Kyle/Chad/Dewey - Shelton High School

Thomas Leonard - Curtains - Christopher Belling - Trumbull High School

Ryan Kennedy - Addams Family - Lucas - Amity High School


Best Supporting Actress

Alex Hernandez - Shrek - Dragon - Branford High School

Marina Kolistas - Grease - Patty Simcox - Immaculate HS

Molly Schalenghe - Legally Blonde - Brooke - Shelton

Madison LaPlante - Shrek - Dragon - West Warwick

Ainsley Lugal - Legally Blonde - Serena - Shelton High School

Best Choreography

Andrea Kennedy - The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School

Emily Frangipane - Footloose - Darien High School

Matthew Farina - Grease - Immaculate High School

Katherine Sedlock - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School

Mia White - Hairspray - Suffield Academy

John Carter - Merrily We Roll Along - Cheshire High School

Best Direction

Rob and Andrea Kennedy - The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School

Tim Sorenson - Footloose - Darien High School

Matthew Farina - Grease - Immaculate High School

Fiona Bryson,Katherine Sedlock, Justin Zenchuk - Legally Blonde - Shelton High School

Thomas Dugan - Hairspray - Suffield Academy

Richard Marchetti - Shrek - West Warwick High School

Best Actor

Marty Gridula - Addams Family - Uncle Fester - Amity High School

Grady Allen - Footloose - Willard - Darien High School

Joshua Cocuzzo - Footloose - Ren - Nonnewaug

Cooper Cardone - Beauty and the Beast - Beast - North Kingstown

Connor Wall - Legally Blonde - Emmett Forrest - Shelton

Max Weiner - Hairspray - Edna Turnblad - Suffield Academy

Matt Sullivan - Legally Blonde - Professor Callahan - Shelton High School

Best Actress

Alaina Dwyer - Addams Family - Alice Beineke - Amity High School

Lexi Staubi - Footloose - Ariel - Darien High School

Teah Renzi - Les Miserables - Eponine - Newtown High School

Kyla Hackett - Legally Blonde - Elle Woods - Shelton High School

Jacqueline Mate - Curtains - Georgia - Trumbull High School

Mia White - Hairspray - Velma Von Tussel - Suffield Academy

Lilli Querker - Addams Family - Pugsley Addams - Amity High School

Best Musical

Hairspray - Suffield Academy

Shrek - West Warwick High School

Footloose - Darien High School

The Addams Family - Amity Regional High School

Legally Blonde - Shelton High School

Grease - Immaculate High School

BMA is thrilled to partner with the Jamie Hulley Arts Foundation to present over $4,000 in cash scholarships to deserving students who submitted auditions and written responses pertaining to how theater has influenced their lives.

Tickets for the gala are $35 per person and are currently on-sale through the Shubert box office or Ticketmaster.

The gala will be music directed by Jad Bernardo and will feature choreography by Julie Kavanagh and Audra Bryant. Weston G. Wetzel serves as Director of Production.

ABOUT BROADWAY METHOD ACADEMY

Broadway Method Academy is a non-profit organization that offers a premier musical theatre-training program and provides the essential tools for young artists in acting, singing, and dancing. BMA also connects children and teens that are passionate about the arts with some of Broadway's top talents and guest instructors. BMA's goal is to create a thriving artistic atmosphere where students can create lasting friendships and develop skills they will use forever.

ABOUT THE SHUBERT THEATRE

Opened in 1914, the Shubert Theatre in the New Haven earned the title "The Birthplace of the Nation's Greatest Hits" by staging over 300 shows that later opened in New York. Although the Shubert is best known for its Broadway presentations, the theatre has played host to the greatest artists of ballet, opera, classical music, jazz, big bands and popular solo artists - a tradition that continues today. The Shubert Theatre is owned and operated by CAPA-A Connecticut Not-For-Profit Organization. CAPA is one of America's most respected theatre managers and diverse arts and entertainment presenters. In addition to the legendary Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CAPA is owner/operator of downtown Columbus, Ohio's magnificent historic theatres (Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre, Southern Theatre) and manager of the contemporary Riffe Center Theatre Complex and Lincoln Theatre.

ABOUT Westport Country Playhouse

The mission of Westport Country Playhouse is to enrich, enlighten, and engage the community through the power of professionally produced theater worth talking about and the welcoming experience of the Playhouse campus. The not-for-profit Playhouse provides this experience in multiple ways by offering: Live theater experiences of the highest quality, under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos; educational and community engagement events to further explore the work on stage; the New Works Circle Initiative, a program dedicated to the discovery, development, and production of new live theatrical works; programs for students and teachers with extensive curriculum support material; Script in Hand play readings to deepen relationships with audiences and artists; the renowned Woodward Internship Program during the summer months for aspiring theater professionals; Family Festivities presentations to delight young and old alike and to promote reading through live theater; youth performance training and performance opportunities through Broadway Method Academy, WCP's resident conservatory; and the beautiful and historic Playhouse campus open for enjoyment and community events year-round.



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