The 2018 Minty Award Nominations Announced Honoring Excellence in Staten Island High School Musical Theatre

The Minty Organization, the non-profit company which oversees The Minty Awards, is gearing for its biggest ceremony of the year, The Eighth Annual Minty Awards, set for Sunday, June 3 at 7pm at the historic St. George Theatre (35 Hyatt Street).

The Island high schools participating are Monsignor Farrell, Moore Catholic, Notre Dame Academy, St. John Villa Academy, St. Joseph By-The-Sea, St. Joseph Hill Academy, and St. Peter's Boys.

A full list of this year's nominees is available at www.mintys.org.

The 2018 Minty Award Nominations

Outstanding Production Number

"Do-Re-Mi" The Sound of Music - St. Joseph Hill Academy

"The Gods Love Nubia" Aida - St. John Villa Academy

"Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO" Damn Yankees - St. Peter's Boys High School

"Toledo Surprise" The Drowsy Chaperone - Moore Catholic High School

"Under the Sea" Disney's The Little Mermaid" - St. Joseph By-The-Sea High School

"With Cat-Like Tread" The Pirates of Penzance - Msgr. Farrell High School

"Xanadu" Xanadu - Notre Dame Academy

Outstanding Featured Dancer

Ashley Abbruzzese, Xanadu

Alyssa Cobb & Bethany Griffin, Aida

Gianna Callegari, Kayla Cariffe, Christie Chahwan, Colleen Farley, Jenna Saldi, Nicole Sutherland as "The Police" in The Pirates of Penzance

Outstanding Featured Actor

Alan Benfante as "George" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Matthew Cannizzaro as "Zoser" in Aida

Dan Fusaro as "Zeus" in Xanadu

Christopher Kelly as "Smokey" in Damn Yankees

Timothy Mayrose as "Rolf Gruber" in The Sound of Music

Andrew Valentino as "Underling" in The Drowsy Chaperone

James Venditto as "Feldzeig" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Outstanding Featured Actress

Lauren Cochran as "Gloria Thorpe" in Damn Yankees

Lucy Ermilio, Luanne Forlano, Layla Rispoli as "Nehebka" in Aida

Jillian Jackman as "Mrs. Tottendale" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Brooke McKeon as "Kitty" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Danielle Carucci as "Scuttle" in Disney's The Little Mermaid

Gianna Nepola as "The Sergeant" in The Pirates of Penzance

Olivia Vota as "Liesl" in The Sound of Music

Outstanding Supporting Actor

Edward Camuzo as "Robert Martin" in The Drowsy Chaperone

John Giarrusso as "Major General Stanley" in The Pirates of Penzance

Nicholas Lazaro as "Adolpho" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Jesse Martinelli as "Danny Maguire" in Xanadu

Tyler Kelly & Julian Gotiangco as"King Triton" in Disney's The Little Mermaid

Robert Kevorkian as "Van Buren" in Damn Yankees

Santino Arias & Andrew Busso as "Sebastian" in Disney's The Little Mermaid

Outstanding Supporting Actress

Rosalia Cioffi as "Baroness Elsa Schraeder" in The Sound of Music

Lauren Cochran as "Amneris" in Aida

Emma DeCarlo & Alexa Riccardi as "Ursula" in Disney's The Little Mermaid

Ginny Geiser as "Melpomene" in Xanadu

Julia LoCascio as "Mother Abbess" in The Sound of Music

Gianna Nepola as "Calliope" in Xanadu

Emily Woods as "The Chaperone" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Outstanding Leading Actor

Jason Daloul, Miguel Delgado, Dylan Twomley as "Prince Eric" in Disney's The Little Mermaid

Daniel Fusaro as "Radames" in Aida

Kenny Harvey as "The Pirate King" in The Pirates of Penzance

James Langan as "Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy" in Damn Yankees

Jesse Martinelli as "Frederic" in The Pirates of Penzance

Shawn Malone as "Man in Chair" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Joseph Reitano as "Mr. Applegate" in Damn Yankees

Outstanding Leading Actress

Marissa Ackerman & Elissa Rizzo as "Ariel" in Disney's The Little Mermaid

Francesca Compagno as "Janet van DeGraff" in The Drowsy Chaperone

Julia LoCascio as "Mabel" in The Pirates of Penzance

Amanda Lupo as "Aida" in Aida

Kayla McBratney as "Kira/Clio" in Xanadu

Samantha Palazzo as "Lola" in Damn Yankees

Darragh Whalen as "Maria Ranier" in The Sound of Music

The St. Genesius Award for Outstanding Musical

Aida, St. John Villa Academy

Damn Yankees, St. Peter's Boys High School

The Drowsy Chaperone, Moore Catholic High School

Disney's The Little Mermaid, St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School

The Pirates of Penzance, Msgr. Farrell High School

The Sound of Music, St. Joseph Hill Academy

Xanadu, Notre Dame Academy

There will be a special tribute performance planned for the St. John Villa Drama Club. Alumnae wishing to participate are asked to email mintyawards@mintys.org.

"?I say it every year, but the two weeks leading up to the night of the Minty's are always the most exciting - getting to work with our talented casts is such a rewarding experience year after year," said Michael J. Pinto, Sea '06, who serves as Executive Director of The Minty Organization, and co-host of the ceremony. "The friendships that are formed last long after the curtain has come down, and I am always overjoyed at the marvelous sense of family and community we see each year."

Tickets to The 2018 Minty Awards Ceremony are $20 and can be purchased by calling The St. George Box Office at 718-442-2900. Students and school staff are to order tickets through their school director.

Co-sponsors of the 2018 Minty Awards are Ben-Jo General Trucking, J. Cioffi Trucking, Senator Andrew J. Lanza, Jimmy Max and Wagner College.

Last year's ceremony was attended by over 1200 people and saw Notre Dame Academy's cast of Jesus Christ Superstar capture The St. Genesius Award for Outstanding Musical.

The schools and students will be competing in 13 categories including the evening's coveted award, The St. Genesius Award for Outstanding Musical. The school that wins the St. Genesius Award also receives $5,000 to the school's Performing Arts program and the remaining schools will each be receiving $1,000.

A student from each school will also receive The Theatre Player of the Year Award. Each school was asked to select one student who exemplified the spirit of that school's theatre department. Each school's recipient will be presented with a special award the night of the ceremony.

Each school's cast will also be performing in a specially commissioned opening number medley, as well as a 7-minute performance from their show.

Returning as Pinto's co-host for this year's ceremony will be Jessica Caracciolo, SJVA '10. "?It's been such a pleasure to see how this organization has grown over the past 8 years. Michael has done an amazing job making strong connections with all walks of life in the ?Staten Island community to ensure the success of the Minty's," stated Caracciolo.? ??"??The Minty's has transformed from an organization into to a family, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it."

Assisting in handing out the envelopes will be a cavalcade of previous Minty Awards winners and nominees who are all returning for this Eighth Year Ceremony, as well as graduates from all the participating schools who were active members of the theatre programs during high school, including some who have gone on to careers on Broadway.

Individuals who wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to The Minty Organization are asked to visit www.mintys.org.

The Mission of The Minty Organization for the Performing Arts:

"We hope to start a tradition which honors the sacrifice and dedication of Catholic High School students in dramatic arts programs. The Minty Awards aims to promote these programs, performers, and all who support them. We believe that these students and their schools provide excellent examples of self-discipline, teamwork, and faith, and we should celebrate their efforts and achievements." www.Mintys.org