Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s Production of Imaginary.

By: Sharon Aron Baron

With the coronavirus wreaking havoc on all social gatherings, high school students have had to face numerous disappointments: cancelled field trips, proms, graduation ceremonies, sports seasons, and theatre seasons.

Cappies chapters across the US and Canada were forced to stop before completing this season’s performances. South Florida Cappies, however, is the exception, being the only chapter to complete their season.

The Critics’ Awards Program, or Cappies for short, celebrated its 18th season by releasing nominations despite being unable to vote in person due to COVID 19.

Don Walters, Chair of South Florida Cappies said the onset of the coronavirus pandemic created substantial obstacles to their traditional voting methods, but thanks to modern technology and the dedication and creativity of our Steering Committee, they were able to transition to completely remote online voting.

“Given all the sacrifices our students have had to make, we refused to let the virus prevent us from fulfilling our mission of celebrating high school theater,” he said.

In addition to the 42 awards normally presented, this year South Florida Cappies will award 7 additional Cappie awards. The board voted to split numerous technical categories between play and musical. Lori Sessions, Program Director for South Florida Cappies says, “Our acting categories have always been split between play and musical. This year, we wanted to celebrate more of our technicians and designers, who are working hard in our school theatre programs, with the addition of seven new awards”

The school with the most nominees in the musical category is Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with 17 nominations for its musical production of Imaginary.

Calvary Christian Academy leads in the play category with 14 nominations for Peter and the Starcatcher. All 24 schools who presented a show for South Florida Cappies this year received nominations.

Coral Glades High School received 10 nominations for Brighton Beach Memoirs and J.P. Taravella received 13 for Seussical –two Coral Springs high schools that did well this year.

Cappie Award winners are determined by votes from students through a weighted peer-review voting process. Nominations are made by student critics from participating schools who attend productions at rival schools and write reviews, which then are edited by theater educators and published on FloridaTheaterOnStage.com.

Even though the Gala Celebration may look a little different this year, the students will still be recognized on May 19 when the winners are announced.

More information will be forthcoming on the Gala Celebration. Please visit www.cappies.com/sfc

2019-2020 Cappies Nominations Per School

American Heritage School
14 Nominations for Oklahoma

Marketing and Publicity- Irene Newman, Kristian Maurrase, Olivia Valdes, Madison Winkler
Sets in a Musical: Nikolas Serrano
Stage Management and Crew in a Musical: Rachel Taylor
Orchestra: Oklahoma Pit Orchestra
Ensemble in a Musical: Oklahoma Citizens
Featured Actor in a Musical: Jonah Warhaft
Female Dancer: Maggie Weidner
Male Dancer: Kevaughn Reid
Female Vocalist: Ella Noriega
Male Vocalist: Dylan Ruccitto
Comic Actress in a Musical: Adelina Marinello
Comic Actor in a Musical: Julian Villegas
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Michael Guarasci
Musical

Archbishop Edward A McCarthy High School
10 Nominations for The Diary of Anne Frank

Hair and Make-up in a Play: Maria Soto
Stage Management and Crew in a Play: Britni Barcelo
Ensemble in a Play: Annex Residents
Featured Actress in a Play: Maisy Surman
Featured Actor in a Play: Bennett Sommer
Supporting Actress in a Play: Bianca Weston
Supporting Actor in a Play: Christopher Muston
Lead Actress in a Play: Erica Gouldthorpe
Lead Actor in a Play: Justin Cook
Play

Calvary Christian Academy
12 nominations for Peter and the Star Catcher and 5 for Criticism

Calvary Christian School’s Production of Starcatcher.

Hair and Make-up in a Play: Maria Piedra, Danielle Stevens
Sound in a Play: Madison Norman, Demi-Nikole Bernadotte
Props in a Play: Annie Sudler, Caiden Talbert, Jordyn Cervone, Ivy Goode
Costumes in a Play: Angelina Ispir, Dylan Courage, Linsey Adams
Stage Management and Crew in a Play: Lauren Ferrer and Corin Parker
Ensemble in a Play: The Children
Comic Actress in a Play: Kelly Goenaga
Comic Actor in a Play: Gage Eller
Supporting Actor in a Play: Richard Egues
Lead Actress in a Play: Jenna McCoy
Lead Actor in a Play: Maxim Rose
Play
Freshman Critic: Abbey Alder
Sophomore Critic: Annie Sudler
Junior Critic: Lauren Ferrer
Senior Critic: Kaitlyn Tully
Critics’ Team, Kaitlyn Tully, Lead Critic

Cardinal Gibbons High School
5 Nominations for Bright Star

Hair and Make-Up in a Musical: Lily Krause, Molly Quirk, Maria Camila Tovar
Costumes in a Musical: Megan Price, Madison Mishkin
Featured Actress in a Musical: Amber Arevalo
Female Dancer: Beatriz Arevalo
Lead Actress in a Musical: Darby Silverman

Cooper City High School
13 Nominations for Bubble Boy; 5 for Criticism

Marketing and Publicity-Troupe 0784 Officers
Props in a Musical: Rachel Goldberg
Lighting in a Musical: Katie Behr
Sets in a Musical: Rylee Berger
Choreography: Reese Abrahamoff and Donna Nesselroth
Creativity: Dustin Symonette and Olivia Vera, Musicianship
Ensemble in a Musical: Bubble Boy Ensemble
Featured Actor in a Musical: Ander Diez
Comic Actress in a Musical: Marley Meany
Lead Actress in a Musical: Emily Kaufman
Lead Actor in a Musical: Reese Abrahamoff
Song: One More Mile
Musical
Sophomore Critic: Rachel Goldberg
Senior Critic: Reese Abrahamoff
Senior Critic: Riley Berger
Senior Critic: Gabriela Phillips
Critics’ Team, Reese Abrahamoff, Lead Critic

Coral Glades High School
10 Nominations for Brighton Beach Memoirs

Coral Glades High School’s production of Brighton Beach Memoirs.

Hair and Make-up in a Play: Julyette Vargas
Props in a Play: Brielle Bickford
Costumes in a Play: Jamie Metoyer
Sets in a Play: Juliette BeJune, Matthew Dell-Hak
Stage Management and Crew in a Play: Emma Summers
Featured Actress in a Play: Heidi Gruenbaum
Comic Actor in a Play: Matthew Dell-Hak
Supporting Actress in a Play: Tai Beasley
Supporting Actor in a Play: Joshua Flynn
Play

Cypress Bay High School
7 nominations for Rock of Ages; 1 for Criticism

Lighting in a Musical: Brianna Cordoves
Choreography: Katie Kanefsky and Ashley Valent
Featured Dancer: Ashley Valent
Male Dancer: Roy De Oliveira
Male Vocalist: Daniel Parilli
Supporting actor in a Musical: Alejandro Rodriguez
Sophomore Critic: Cristian Velasquez

David Posnack Jewish Day School
2 nominations for Bring it On
Orchestra: David Posnack Band
Featured Actress in a Musical: Margalit Maleh

Deerfield Beach High School
6 nominations for Driving Miss Daisy

Hair and Make-up in a Play: Alesia Boles, Alaiss Mendez, Ilene Reyes
Sound in a Play: Michael Hahn
Props in a Play: Jennifer “Blue” Moore, Yeva Llyankova, Sebastian Fernandez
Stage Management and Crew in a Play: Tori Adame
Lead Actress in a Play: Sarah Mellinger
Lead Actor in a Play: Chad Chambers

Dillard Center for the Arts
4 nominations for AIDA
Orchestra: Dillard Center for the Arts Orchestra
Male Dancer: Tre’lon Salley
Male Vocalist: Solomon Liria
Lead Actress in a Musical: Azaria Pearson

J.P. Taravella High School
13 nominations for Seussical; 4 for Criticism

J.P. Taravella’s production of Seussical.

Hair and Make-up in a Musical: Katherine Polgar, Adam Dwyer, Dylan Niles and Dayna Williams
Sound in a Musical: Amanda Gonzalez, Chris Daley and Crew
Props in a Musical: Kayla LaCerra, Ben Chisolm, Analisa Roy, Alex Fritz
Lighting in a Musical: Alex Rodriguez, Boaz Levy and Christian McKenna
Costumes in a Musical: Mia Mendez, Erin Feinstein, Clara Jackson and Crew
Sets in a Musical: JPT Stagecraft Class, Cast and Crew
Choreography: Jaime Happel and Dani Wolfe
Stage Management and Crew in a Musical: Sandy Ajaj, Kailey McKenna and Riley Liebertz
Ensemble in a Musical: Bird Girls
Featured Dancer: Dani Wolfe
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Nicole Sugarman
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Hunter Quinn
Lead Actor in a Musical-Nicolas Vela
Sophomore Critic: Emma Sugarman
Junior Critic: Leah Tomas
Junior Critic: Nicolas Vela
Critics Team, Nicole Sugarman Lead Critic

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
17 nominations for Imaginary The Musical; 2 for Criticisim

Marketing and Publicity-Caroline Eaton
Hair and Make-up in a Musical: Heather Hart
Props in a Musical: Angelina Accardi and Naomi Sternberg
Lighting in a Musical: Ally Reichard
Choreography: Cameron Appel and Alexandra Duffy
Creativity: Jared Block and Andrea Pena, Directors
Stage Management and Crew in a Musical: Jordan Braunstein, Hannah Grinbank and Ava Digilio
Ensemble in a Musical: Big Kids
Featured Actress in a Musical: Avery Anger
Featured Actor in a Musical: Nicholas Bedusa
Featured Dancer: Hayden Redshaw
Male Dancer: Cameron Appel
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Peri Harris
Supporting actor in a Musical: David Prengler
Lead Actor in a Musical: Logan La Pierre
Song: Upgrade Time
Musical
Sophomore Critic: Caroline Eaton
Critics Team: Peri Harris, Lead Critic

Monarch High School
3 nominations for Smile
Costumes in a Musical: Shaylyn Ferguson, Sophia Tellez, Hannah Smith
Female Vocalist: Mia Prokop
Comic Actress in a Musical: Mariana Montoya

North Broward Preparatory School
10 nominations for City of Angels

Marketing and Publicity- Natalie Langnas, Ava Scott, Dylan Jost and Juliana Castillo
Hair and Make-Up in a Musical: Christina McCabe and Andrea Palladino
Featured Actress in a Musical: Juliana Castillo
Female Vocalist: Madeline Finkelman
Male Vocalist: Luke Di Liddo
Comic Actor in a Musical: Daniel Haubner
Lead Actor in a Musical: Evan Laufman
Supporting actress in a Musical: Natalie Langnas
Song: You’re Nothing Without Me
Musical

NSU University School
14 nominations for Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure; 2 for Criticisim

Marketing and Publicity- Mia Internoscia, Peter Koltis, Erin Miller, Marissa Tessier
Special Effects and/or Technology: Jennifer Holz and Crew
Props in a Musical: Emma Skaff, Marissa Tessier
Costumes in a Musical: Gabriella Argue, Gabriel Feldenrais, Nicolette Nunziato, Xiora Osceola
Orchestra: Neverland Band
Choreography: Bailey Busher
Stage Management and Crew in a Musical: Liberty Lapayowker, Jennifer Holz, Erin Miller and Company
Featured Actor in a Musical: Peter Koltis
Comic Actor in a Musical: Gabriel Feldenkrais
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Anthony Langone
Lead Actress in a Musical: Nicolette Nunziato
Lead Actor in a Musical: Evan Eiglarsh
Song: A Pirate with a Conscience
Sophomore Critic: Levi Coloe
Critics Team: Nikki Nunziato, Lead Critic

Palm Beach Central
4 nominations for In the Heights; 4 for Criticisim
Sets in a Musical: Sonya Smith
Creativity: Tori Lobdell, Music Director
Comic Actor in a Musical: Nathaniel Veneziano
Supporting Actress in a Musical: Naomi Ruiz

Piper High School
1 nomination for Pangea
Female Vocalist: Daneeva Newland

Pompano Beach High School
4 nominations for Luna Gale

Costumes in a Play: Hayli Balgobin
Sets in a Play: Abigail O’Hara, Jasmine Francis
Creativity: Alfonse Mazzarella, Audrey Maggio
Supporting Actor in a Play: Alfonse Mazzarella

The Sagemont School
7 nominations for The Right to Remain Silent; 1 for Criticism
Hair and Make-up in Play: Ariel Seligman Delgado and Crew
Sound in a Play: Marc Plaskett
Lighting in a Play: Madyson Gold
Costumes in a Play: Eva Daskos
Featured Actress in a Play: Eva Daskos
Featured Actor in a Play: Santiago Murillo
Comic Actress in a Play: Ariel Seligman Delgado
Junior Critic: Eva Daskos

Author Profile

Sharon Aron Baron

Sharon Aron Baron is a Parkland resident and editor of Talk Media. She has been covering Parkland news since 2012. Parkland Talk was created to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Parkland.