Cortland Rep Announces Hish School Recipients Of The 2024-25 Pavilion Awards

The winners for the 20th annual Cortland Repertory Theatre “Pavilion Awards” were announced on Wednesday, May 14 at CRT Downtown in the city of Cortland. 

These awards, sponsored in part by a Central New York Community Foundation “Bright Ideas” grant, and Bernard's Custom Engraving, recognize outstanding achievement in local high school theatre during the 2024-25 school year.

The mission of this program is to celebrate and support the thriving and vibrant high school theatre community in the greater Cortland County area. CRT's intention is to bestow visibility and elevate the importance of theatre education in our schools and reward excellence onstage and off. CRT endeavors to be a vital resource for the theatrical communities in our school systems.

Every musical, play or theatre festival produced in the current school year, and within the “Pavilion Community” (i.e., Cortland County, and schools just outside the county line which have attending students who live in Cortland County) were eligible. All awards are non-gender based, and all involved students, onstage or backstage, were eligible. Categories include:

Shining Star: Each production was awarded “Shining Stars”, chosen by the students involved in the production themselves. Students were asked to cast ballots for two individuals who proved to be enthusiastic, supportive, humble, and caring company members throughout the rehearsal and performance process.

Audience Choice: Audience members were given the opportunity to vote for their two favorite students from each production. Ballots were available and ballot boxes were placed in the lobby area.

Directors Champion: The directing team of each production chose up to two students who demonstrated exemplary leadership, compassion, maturity and an overall positive influence on the rehearsal and performance process.

The Rona Knobel Excellence in Theatre Education Award: This special recognition is awarded to one production each year.  The recipient is a leading example of creativity, inclusion, and community outreach. Production teams submitted applications describing their challenges, victories and learning experiences with this year's show. Each application was reviewed and carefully considered by the CRT committee with a final vote by secret ballot.

At the ceremony, CRT's Producing Artistic Director Kerby Thompson served as host, with CRT Youth Board President Drew Thomas from McGraw and Levi Niggli from Homer acting as Masters of Ceremony, and announcing the recipients of the Shining Star and Audience Choice awards.  The directors of each production presented the Directors Champion awards. Winners received medallions sponsored and created by Bernard's Custom Engraving.  During the ceremony, cast members performed musical numbers and scenes from some of their respective shows.

The recipients were as follows:

Cincinnatus: “The Beverly Hillbillies” directed by Heather Frink
Shining Star: Haydn Kisner and Breyden Silva
Audience Choice: John Ryan and Breyden Silva
Directors Champion: Greta Frink and Breyden Silva

Cincinnatus: “5 Mini Musicals” directed by Hailee Barry
Shining Star: Haydn Kisner and Breyden Silva
Audience Choice: Paityn LaDue and Caralina Silva
Directors Champion: Greta Frink and John Ryan

Cortland: “Ranked” directed by Tyler Meade Young
Shining Star: Bridget Madden and Braxton Towle
Audience Choice: Maddie Nightingale and Vicky Ramiza
Directors Champion: Andrew Camillo and Maddie Nightingale

Cortland: “One-Act Play Festival” - advisor: Susie Carr
One award was given to the play and playwright(s), as chosen by consensus of the CRT Pavilion Award Committee.
Directors Champion: Vampibros by Braxton Towle and Olivia Vitello

Cortland Christian Academy: “Robin Hood” directed by Rebekah Rofe and Julie O'Gorman
Shining Star: Chloe Darling and Autumn Dovi
Audience Choice: Tyler Barber and Ariana Scott-Mendez
Directors Champion: Chloe Darling and Autumn Dovi

Dryden: “The Hello Girls” directed by Alexandra Langdon
Shining Star: Payton Covington and Natalie Warwick
Audience Choice: Emerson Lafaye and Nicole Morrow
Directors Champion: Talen Harrington and Abbey Smith

Groton: “Seussical, The Musical” directed by Annette Twitchell
Shining Star: Lena Brehm and Noble Snyder
Audience Choice: Lena Brehm and Tristian McCracken
Directors Champion: Trey Dwyer and Noble Snyder

Homer: “Antigone” directed by Reed Cleeland
Shining Star: Mark Elliot and Olivia Kidda
Audience Choice: Ruairi Dudgeon and Kendra Griffin
Directors Champion: Mark Elliott and Emma Robideau

Homer: “Into the Woods” directed by Cara K-B McLaughlin
Shining Star: Nina Campos and Emma Robideau
Audience Choice: Drew Cotterill and Ruairi Dudgeon
Directors Champion: Levi Niggli and Emma Robideau

Homer: “A Comedy of Errors” directed by Haley Georgia
Shining Star: Levi Niggli and Lily Robideau
Audience Choice: Levi Niggli and Kaelyn Page
Directors Champion: Ruairi Dudgeon and Kaelyn Page

McGraw: “Newsies” directed by Madison Elia
Shining Star: Leah Nauseef and Drew Thomas
Audience Choice: Liam Baker and Riley VanLiew
Directors Champion: Taylor Thompson and Lailah Zoll

Tully: “Matilda” directed by Kat Krumbach
Shining Star: Lilith Andrews and Brennan Dilmore
Audience Choice: Emma Leahey and Lucy Wright
Directors Champion: Lilith Andrews and Evangeline Votra

McGraw High School's production of “Newsies” received a plaque for the Rona Knobel Excellence in Theatre Education Award, as well as a check for $500 to be put towards next year's high school production.