Student Winners Announced for Northeast Ohio's Dazzle Awards!

With the aim of inspiring performance and recognizing the importance of musical theater and arts education in Northeast Ohio high schools, Playhouse Square held the third annual Dazzle Awards presented by Patricia & John Chapman on Saturday, May 19. The Dazzle Awards are affiliated with the National High School Musical Theatre Awards("The Jimmy Awards") presented by The Broadway League Foundation.

This regional program offered arts education opportunities throughout the school year and culminated with an awards showcase staged by Broadway director/choreographer Rommy Sandhu and hosted by Todd Meany of Cleveland's Own Fox 8. 250 students performed in fully choreographed opening and closing numbers. Each school nominated in the Connor Family Best Musical categories performed a song from their musical in full make-up and costumes, and the John and Patricia Chapman Best Actor and Actress nominees performed together in medleys.

Prior to start of the show, students walked the "PNC Red Carpet" as they entered the Connor Palace. Student reporters representing 14 high schools interviewed and photographed their classmates to school news programs, newspapers, social media channels and yearbooks.

Throughout the evening, Dazzle Awards were presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 14 categories, including the new "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 Dazzle Awards creative team.

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The 2018 Dazzle Awards recipients are:

The Nancy and A.J. Stokes Best Student Orchestra

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago

Best Scenic Design

Solon High School, The Secret Garden

The Nancy and A.J. Stokes Best Technical Execution

Solon High School, The Secret Garden

Best Costume Design

Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot

Best Choreography Execution

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago

Best Ensemble/Chorus

Euclid High School, In the Heights

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Featured Performer

Miraya Russell, CMSD All-City Arts Program ('Nautica' in Bring It On)
Miraya won a Best Supporting Actress Dazzle Award last year for her portrayal of 'Addaperle' in The Wiz.

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Supporting Actress

Brianna Mosley, Mayfield High School ('Flotsam' in The Little Mermaid)

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Supporting Actor

Stephen Hall, CMSD All-City Arts Program ('La Cienega' in Bring It On)

The Connor Family Best Musical (Tier 1 - Budget less than $10,000)

Rocky River High School, Monty Python's Spamalot
(Rocky River also won the 2016 and 2017 Dazzle Awards in this category.)

The Connor Family Best Musical (Tier 2 - Budget $10,000 or more)

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Chicago

The Spirit of the Dazzle Awards

Peyton St. John, Magnificat High School

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Actress

Reyna Moran, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLE ('Velma Kelly' in Chicago)
Reyna won in this category last year for her portrayal of Vanessa in In the Heights.

The John and Patricia Chapman Best Actor

J.R. Heckman, Solon High School ('Archibald Craven' in The Secret Garden)
J.R. won in this category in 2016 for his portrayal of Donkey in Shrek the Musical.

The Connor Family awarded $1000 to the recipients of The Connor Family Best Musical Tier 1 and Tier 2 categories, Rocky River and Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, for use toward their next high school musical productions.

As recipients of the John and Patricia Chapman Best Actress and Actor Awards, Reyna Moran (senior) and J.R. Heckman (junior) will represent Northeast Ohio at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards ("The Jimmy Awards") on June 25. Playhouse Square presented Reyna and J.R. each with checks for $1500.

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 2018 Dazzle Awards will be available online at playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards in late summer.