By: Sharon Aron Baron
Students from 13 Broward and Palm Beach County high schools received awards for excellence in their theater productions at the 17th Annual South Florida Cappie Gala.
Taking place at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, awards were handed out in 42 categories including performance, design, production, publicity, and criticism.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland took home nine awards – the most Cappies Awards including Best Play award for its production Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Best Musical went to South Plantation High School’s production of Once On This Island.
The gala began with an energetic opening number which parodied “Another Op’nin, Another Show” from Kiss Me Kate, performed by students from each of the nominated shows. Additional musical performances in this year’s gala included numbers from the six productions nominated for Best Musical and/or Best Song. Audiences also enjoyed scenes from the five Best Play nominees.
Newsworthy Winners
Emiliana Quiceno, who played the 11th Juror in Archbishop McCarthy High School’s production of 12 Angry Jurors, won Best Comic Actress in a Play as the only nominee in her category.
Eva Daskos is a double winner, earning Best Costumes and Best Actress in a Play for the role as Puck in the Sagemont School’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs had sibling winners with Emma Sugarman winning Best Freshman Critic and her sister Nicole receiving the award for the Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role as Nickie in Sweet Charity. In another family affair, Kimberly Sessions, daughter of J.P. Taravella High School theater director Lori Sessions, won Best Female Dancer for playing the title role in Sweet Charity.
2018-2019 CAPPIES WINNERS BY SCHOOL
American Heritage School (Chicago)
Best Orchestra
Archbishop McCarthy High School (12 Angry Jurors)
Best Comic Actress in a Play: Emiliana Quiceno
Calvary Christian Academy (The Miracle Worker)
Best Comic Actor in a Play: Luke DiLiddo
Best Props: Hannah Sherrod and Annie Sudler
Cardinal Gibbons High School (The Addams Family)
Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Madeline Diamond
Coral Glades High School (Eurydice)
Best Featured Actress in a Play: Julyette Vargas
Best Ensemble in a Play: The Stones
Best Hair and Make-up: Dailyn Robaina
Cypress Bay High School (Mamma Mia!)
Best Comic Actress in a Musical: Cristina Marine
Best Choreography: Valeria Jubes
JP Taravella High School (Sweet Charity)
Best Critics’ Team
Best Sophomore Critic: Leah Tomas
Best Freshman Critic: Emma Sugarman
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Nicole Sugarman
Best Female Dancer: Kimberly Sessions
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time)
Best Senior Critic: Dylan Redshaw
Best Play
Best Lead Actor in a Play: Logan Weber
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Alex Wind
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Sawyer Garrity
Best Creativity (Music Composition): Andrea Pena
Best Sound: Jocelyn Krooks, Adam Alhanti, Ava DiGilio, and Alyssa Marrero
Best Special Effects and/or Technology: Cameron Appel
Best Marketing and Publicity: Melanie Weber, Jared Block, and Genevieve Martin
North Broward Preparatory School (Bring It On)
Best Junior Critic: Madeline Finkelman
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Evan Laufman
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NSU University School (Curtains)
Best Lead Actor in a Musical: Sebastian Rabassa
Best Male Vocalist: Jared Cohen
Best Male Dancer: Gabriel Feldenkrais
Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Nicolette Nunziato
Best Lighting: Tal Kochav
Best Stage Management and Stage Crew: Liberty Lapayowker, Jennifer Holz and Erin Miller
South Plantation High School (Once On This Island)
Best Musical
Best Song: “Mama Will Provide”
Best Female Vocalist: Kayla Smith
Best Ensemble in a Musical: The Gods
Best Sets: Chase Dietrich
The Sagemont School (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Best Lead Actress in a Play: Eva Daskos
Best Featured Actor in a Play: Aaron Cantu
Best Costumes: Eva Daskos
West Boca Raton High School (Hairspray)
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Alec Schwartz
Best Comic Actor in a Musical: Noah Fineman
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