Playhouse Square Announces 2022 Dazzle Awards Nominees

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, Playhouse Square will once again host the Dazzle Awards. Students from 29 area high schools will share their talents on the Connor Palace stage on Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000.

The Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman, affiliated with The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards®, recognize the importance of musical theater and arts education in Northeast Ohio high schools.

This regional program offers arts education opportunities throughout the school year and culminates with the annual awards ceremony hosted by Natalie Herbick of Cleveland's Own Fox 8. Students participating in the ceremony walk the "PNC Red Carpet" as they enter, then take the stage to perform.

As part of a technical apprenticeship, two students have the opportunity to shadow the Dazzle Awards lighting and sound designers, observe the creative process with the director/choreographer and music director and apply their skills with the stage management team. Interested sophomores, juniors and seniors from schools participating in the Dazzle Awards submitted applications and letters of recommendation. From the pool of applicants, Emma Boring of Archbishop Hoban High School and Jacob Layton of Eastlake North High School were selected.

This year, Playhouse Square introduced a program for student reporters, providing educational workshops and opportunities to review performances. One of the students, Daishanay Williams of Willoughby South High School, is now a finalist in The Jimmy Awards Student Reporter Search. Visit @JimmyAwards on Facebook and Instagram to like, comment and share Daishanay's video to help her be chosen to cover The Jimmy Awards.

At the May 21 ceremony, Dazzle Awards will be presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 13 categories, including the "Spirit of the Dazzle Awards" category, awarded to the student who most embodies camaraderie, passion and an infectiously positive attitude throughout rehearsal week as identified by the creative team. The Best Actor and Best Actress will represent Northeast Ohio at The Jimmy Awards at the Minskoff Theatre in New York in June.

The 2022 Dazzle Award Nominees:

Best Student Orchestra

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Sunday in the Park with George
Avon Lake High School, Matilda The Musical
Eastlake North High School, Matilda The Musical
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Orange High School, All Shook Up
Rocky River High School, Young Frankenstein
Walsh Jesuit High School, Cinderella (R&H Broadway Edition)

Best Technical Execution

Avon Lake High School, Matilda The Musical
Eastlake North High School, Matilda The Musical
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, Mary Poppins
Rocky River High School, Young Frankenstein
Shaker Heights High School, Barnum
Solon High School, We Will Rock You (School Edition)

Best Scenic Design

Avon Lake High School, Matilda The Musical
Eastlake North High School, Matilda The Musical
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Independence High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, Mary Poppins
Padua Franciscan High School, The Hello Girls
Solon High School, We Will Rock You (School Edition)

Best Costume Design

Avon Lake High School, Matilda The Musical
Eastlake North High School, Matilda The Musical
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Independence High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, Mary Poppins
Padua Franciscan High School, The Hello Girls
Rocky River High School, Young Frankenstein

Best Choreography Execution

Archbishop Hoban High School, Shrek The Musical
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, Mary Poppins
Marion L. Steele High School, Mamma Mia!
Rocky River High School, Young Frankenstein
Solon High School, We Will Rock You (School Edition)
Wadsworth High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Best Ensemble/Chorus

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Sunday in the Park with George
Archbishop Hoban High School, Shrek The Musical
Chagrin Falls High School, Mamma Mia!
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, Mary Poppins
Rocky River High School, Young Frankenstein
Solon High School, We Will Rock You (School Edition)

Best Supporting Actress

Alia Ali, Hathaway Brown School ('Pablo' in Sister Act)
Paris Bunch, Mayfield High School ('Becky Two Shoes' in Urinetown)
Francesca Burke, Hathaway Brown School ('Sister Mary Lazarus' in Sister Act)
Fiona Coughlin, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Old Lady / Blair Daniels' in Sunday in the Park with George)
Viza Freeman, Hathaway Brown School ('TJ' in Sister Act)
Dez'Marie Germany, Thomas W. Harvey High School ('Ornella Sturdevant' in Leap of Faith)
Julia Martin, Archbishop Hoban High School ('Dragon / Sugar Plum Fairy' in Shrek The Musical)

Best Supporting Actor

Jackson Bird, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Franz / Dennis' in Sunday in the Park with George)
London Golya, Rocky River High School ('Inspector Kemp' in Young Frankenstein)
TJ Grzybowski, Mayfield High School ('Old Man Strong / Hot Blades Harry' in Urinetown)
Max Lucic, Rocky River High School ('The Monster' in Young Frankenstein)
Bennett Mulvaney, Aurora High School ('Andre' in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)
Carter Sindelar, Rocky River High School ('The Herald / Victor von Frankenstein / The Hermit' in Young Frankenstein)
Max Smith, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Boatman / Charles Redmond' in Sunday in the Park with George)

Best Actress

Kayla Haskins, Avon Lake High School
Grace Hoy, Chagrin Falls High School
Gabi Ilg, Medina High School
Amelia Lamb, Magnificat High School
Desir'ee Neal, Hathaway Brown School
Brenna Sincaglia, Chagrin Falls High School
Calista Zajac, Magnificat High School

Best Actor

Daniel Blum, Mayfield High School
Sam Brown, Magnificat High School
Tyler DiFranco, Midview High School
Eric Feucht, Chagrin Falls High School
Amir Smith, Hathaway Brown School
Emmanuel Stewart, Thomas W. Harvey High School
AJ Wansack, Avon Lake High School

Best Musical (Tier 1 - school musical budget less than $12,000)

Eastlake North High School, Matilda The Musical
Rocky River High School, Young Frankenstein
Wadsworth High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Best Musical (Tier 2 - school musical budget greater than $12,000)

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Sunday in the Park with George
Hudson High School, Chicago (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, Mary Poppins

Public and private high schools located in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties were invited to apply for participation in the Dazzle Awards. Information and applications for the 2023 Dazzle Awards will be available online at playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards in August.