Nominees revealed for 2018 High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors

SCHENECTADY—At a morning press event today, Proctors and The Times Union revealed nominees for the 2018 High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors.

Proctors CEO Philip Morris and Times Union Editor Rex Smith were joined by Proctors Creative Workforce Manager Grace Janiszewski, 2017 High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors Best Actress Jaynie Parmenterand The King and I ensemble member Marina Kondo.

For the second annual contest, 23 schools participated (up from 16 schools in 2017), with student theatrical productions adjudicated on a variety of criteria in a dozen categories.

Morris said, “Growing this program acknowledges the fantastic work our students are doing in the arts. We’re proud to engage with local schools and inspire them to even greater heights.”

Students from all 23 schools that participated in the program will perform at the High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors ceremony, 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19.

Best Actor and Best Actress winners will go on to represent the Capital Region at the Jimmy Awards—the National High School Musical Theatre Awards—in New York, June 25.

“The Times Union understands how important the performing arts are in the lives of students,” said Smith. “The High School Musical Theatre Awards offer a goal and a reward, but more importantly they remind us to look to our students for the future of the arts.”

The 2018 High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors nominees are:

Best Technical Execution

• Albany High School—”Hairspray”
• Bethlehem Central High School—”Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
• Hudson Falls High School—”Into the Woods”
• Queensbury High School—”Bye Bye Birdie”
• Voorheesville High School—”Tarzan”

Best Set Construction

• Albany High School—”Hairspray”
• Cairo-Durham High School—”Guys and Dolls”
• Hudson Falls High School—”Into the Woods”
• Schoharie High School—”Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”
• Voorheesville High School—”Tarzan”

Best Student Orchestra

• Ballston Spa High School—”Hello, Dolly!”
• Bethlehem Central High School—”Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
• Schalmont High School—”Footloose”

Best Choreography Execution

• Albany High School—”Hairspray”
• Hudson Falls High School—”Into the Woods”
• Mohonasen High School—”Guys and Dolls”
• Queensbury High School—”Bye Bye Birdie”
• Voorheesville High School—”Tarzan”

Best Ensemble/Chorus

• Albany High School—”Hairspray”
• Columbia High School-East Greenbush—”Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”
• Hudson Falls High School—”Into the Woods”
• Mohonasen High School—”Guys and Dolls”
• Voorheesville High School—”Tarzan”

Best Supporting Actress

• Maggy Seebode as Mrs. Potts in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at Bethlehem Central High School
• Grace Miller as Bridget in “Bring it On” at Broadalbin-Perth High School
• Caitlin Van Loan as Mrs. Paroo in “The Music Man” at Catskill High School
• Sophia Mathis as Arvide Abernathy in “Guys and Dolls” at Mohonasen High School
• Fallon Zell as Terk in “Tarzan” at Voorheesville High School

Best Supporting Actor

• Matt Bonacci as LeFou in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at Bethlehem Central High School
• Eli Wein as Sebastien in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Columbia High School-East Greenbush
• Nicholas Rivera as Benny Southstreet in “Guys and Dolls” at Mohonasen High School
• Connor Affinito as Hugo Peabody in “Bye Bye Birdie” at Queensbury High School
• Jackson VerDerwerken as Jean-Michael in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Schoharie High School

Best Actress

• Annabelle Duffy as Tracey Turnblad in “Hairspray” at Albany High School
• Olivia Lopez as Ella in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Columbia High School-East Greenbush
• Nina Cerniglia as Miss Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls” at Mohonasen High School
• Alexandra Cooke as Rose Alvarez in “Bye Bye Birdie” at Queensbury High School
• Natalie Davey as Martha in “The Secret Garden” at Warrensburg Jr/Sr High School

Best Actor

• Ian Myers as Beast in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at Bethlehem Central High School
• Grant Napierski as Gaston in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at Bethlehem Central High School
• Ryan Clouse as The Baker in “Into the Woods” at Hudson Falls High School
• Zachary Carpenter as Nathan Detroit in “Guys and Dolls” at Mohonasen High School
• Brandon Sarti as Sam Wheat in “Ghost the Musical” at South Glens Falls High School

Best Musical Tier A

• Albany High School—”Hairspray”
• Mohonasen High School—”Guys and Dolls”
• Queensbury High School—”Bye Bye Birdie”

Best Musical Tier B

• Hudson Falls High School—”Into the Woods”
• Mayfield High School—”Legally Blonde”
• Voorheesville High School—”Tarzan”

Best Musical Tier C

• Columbia High School-East Greenbush—”Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”
• Tamarac High School—”Damn Yankees”
• Troy High School—”Once on This Island”

The High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors are presented by The Times Union
and sub-sponsored by Cool Insuring Agency.