(RED BANK, NJ) -- A sold-out Count Basie Theatre hosted the eleventh-annual Basie Awards on Wednesday, May 18, as students and faculty directors from across Monmouth County were recognized for their achievements in high school dramas and musicals. Twenty-one dramas and 28 musical performances were evaluated by the BASIE AWARDS nomination committee this year, which produced nods for students, productions and schools in various acting and production categories.
"Once again we were blown away by the level of talent we continue to see in Monmouth County," said Adam Philipson, President / CEO, Count Basie Theatre. "The energy in the theatre tonight was as thrilling and loud as if The Boss had been on stage. We have helped to create a community of supportive theatre lovers and we have Yvonne Lamb-Scudiery to thank for creating this magical event."
The 2016 Basies Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Lamb-Scudiery, the theatre's Education Director and founder of the Basie's Performing Arts Academy, leading its charge as a community and educational change agent for more than 15 years.
"With the support of a fabulous team here at the Basie," Lamb-Scudiery said, "we have become a leader in arts education, impacting thousands of lives each year. If living my dream isn't enough, I am doubly proud to be the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award, and inspired to continue our work to become a regional center for learning, creativity and ennobling power of the arts."
Additionally, winners of the Count Basie Theatre's Arts Impacts Scholarships were announced, honoring four high school seniors whose life, academic and career choice has been impacted by the arts. Paulina Homiak (Middletown High School South) received the Siciliano Landscape Company Arts Impact Scholarship, Jacob Wahba (Ranney School) was named winner of the Moser Taboada Arts Impact Scholarship, Shannon Corsi (Rumson-Fair Haven High School) received the Monmouth Medical Center – Barnabas Health Arts Impact Scholarship), and Cassi Zappala (Middletown High School North) was named winner of the Monmouth County Freeholders Basie Scholarship for Continuing Education.
The 2016 BASIE AWARDS were sponsored in part by Barnabas Health-Monmouth Medical Center, in a partnership that promotes awareness of the importance of the arts in physical and mental well-being.
"Monmouth Medical Center is very proud of its partnership with Count Basie Theatre, which has a well-earned reputation as one of New Jersey's most popular and respected arts institutions," said Bill Arnold, President and CEO, Monmouth Medical Center and The Unterberg Children's Hospital. "The Basie Awards are a great example of what happens when two pillars of the community create a dynamic and powerful partnership. Even though our missions are different, our goals are the same: a vision for our community, based on a culture of high expectations and a stellar quality of life."
2016 BASIE AWARDS – WINNERS IN BOLD ITALICS
MUSICAL PRESENTATIONS
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
(TIE) Shore Regional High School – The Music Man- Scott Naef / Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – Bonnie and Clyde – Matthew Leddin
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Stephen Kazakoff & Colleen Greberis
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Alexis Kozak
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Tom Martini & Ashley Cusak
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Andrew D'Agostino
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid – Scott Goldstein
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Damien Gigantello
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Robert Rutt
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Anthony Calicchio
Marlboro High School – Aida – Jim Lyle & Anthony Greco
Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Jacquie Revier
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Jacqui Fischer & Laura Mazza
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Jacquie Revier, Donna Sology-Gigante, Joanne DeLuca-Daly
Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid – Donna Sology-Gigante & Joanne DeLuca-Daly
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Linda Fitzgerald, Dona Coffey & Bobbie Sweger
Outstanding Musical Direction
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Shawn Mack
Marlboro High School – Aida – Patrick M. Dalton
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Dr. Jeff Unger
Monmouth Regional High School – Footloose – Christopher Sabol
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Regina McAllen
Outstanding Choreography
(TIE) Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Lisa Twamley / Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Jacqui Fischer
Matawan Regional High School – Footloose – Julie McKurth
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Rachel Wasser
Monmouth Regional - Footloose – Michael Penna
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Tara Eccles-Frye
Outstanding Small Pit Ensemble
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Emily Kaster
Keansburg High School – Seussical – Katy Sarlo
Christian Brothers Academy – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Karen Gold
Mater Dei Prep – You're a Good Man Charlie Brown – Cindy J. Dwyer
Outstanding All Student Orchestra
Marlboro High School – Aida – Patrick M. Dalton
Freehold High School – Into the Woods – Eric Gross
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Anthony Limaldi
Freehold Township High School – Bring It On – Edward Gattsek
High Technology High School – Urinetown – Aaron Cheng
Outstanding Student/Adult Orchestra
(TIE) Henry Hudson Regional High School – Shrek – Jeffrey Starr / Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Robert M. Clark
Manalapan High School – Cinderella – Jose Maunez
Ranney School – Carousel – Dr. Dorothy Sobieski & John Propper
Matawan Regional High School – Footloose – Lindsey Lorefice
Ocean Township High School – Pippin – Kyle Titmas
Outstanding Chorus
Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Marlboro High School – Aida
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid
Middletown High School South – American Idiot
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man
Outstanding Featured Ensemble Group
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – The Mersisters
Saint John Vianney High School – Grease – The Pink Ladies
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan - Indians
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Flotsam and Jetsam
Outstanding Featured Ensemble Performer
Shelby Lapierre – Saint John Vianney High School – Grease
Matthew Harrison – Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Ed Nowak – Christian Brothers Academy – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Abigail Schories – Saint John Vianney High School – Grease
Taylor Zenner – Ranney School – Carousel
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Olivia Rescigno – Shore Regional High School – The Music Man
Grace Henning – Keyport High School – The Little Mermaid
Paulina Homiak – Middletown High School South – American Idiot
Alysa Finnegan – Mater Dei Prep – You're a Good Man Charlie Brown
Melissa Calicchio – Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Lara Atry – Marlboro High School – Aida
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Jack Andrus – Ocean Township High School – Pippin
Griffin Cole – Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid
Rick Altenberg – Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid
Carl Muhler – Freehold High School – Into the Woods
Regene Odon – Monmouth Regional High School – Song for a New World
Carmine Mastrokostas – Ranney School - Carousel
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
(TIE) Alysa Finnegan – Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid / Kate Mazza – Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid
Tessa Payer – Ranney School – Carousel
Laura Diorio – Middletown High School South – American Idiot
Evan Schultz – Ranney School – Carousel
Natasha Williams – Keansburg High School – Seussical
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Aidan Benavides – Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can
Hudson Eder – Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can
Lucas DeGirolamo – Ocean Township High School – Pippin
Quinn Surdez – Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Regene Odon – Monmouth Regional High School – Footloose
Luke Pearlberg – Red Bank Regional High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Direction in a Musical
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Alexis Kozak
Marlboro High School – Aida – Anthony Greco
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Stephen Kazakoff
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Keith Gissubel
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Todd Aikens
Outstanding Production – Musical
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Stephen Kazakoff Marlboro High School – Aida – Anthony Greco
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Alexis Kozak
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Keith Gissubel
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Todd Aikens
Monmouth Regional High School – Footloose – Michael Penna
Evaluators Special Award
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
Standing Ovation
Outstanding Set Design in a Drama
Marlboro High School – Rumors – Anthony Greco & Jack Pensabene
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – Alexis Kozak & Marisa Colvin
Colts Neck High School – A Family Reunion to Die For – Alexa Koch
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Robert Rutt, Carla Valentino
Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers – Colleen Greberis & Stephen Kazakoff
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Drama
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – DJ Hager
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Robert Rutt
Saint John Vianney – John Lennon and Me – Rachel Ryan, Emily Olsen, & Max Foley
Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus – Matt Suszka & Francis Hankins & Ashley Houck
Marlboro High School – Rumors –Jim Lyle & Anthony Greco
Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Drama
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Cheryl Thompson
Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers – Jaquie Revier
Ocean Township High School – Brighton Beach Memoirs – Alma Garrity & Laurie Smith
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – Jacqui Fischer & Laura Mazza
Ranney School – The Plough and the Stars – John Doyle
Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus – Mary Kokie McHaugher
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
(TIE) Paulina Homiak – Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank / Samantha Siriani – Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang
Leigh Forsyth – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Faerie King's Daughter
Devlin Stark – Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang
Jenny Greener – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Faerie King's Daughter
Brooke Salamone – Freehold Township High School – You Can't Take It With You
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Rick Altenburg – Mater Dei Prep – Perfect Meetings
Lucas DeGirolamo – Ocean Township High School – Brighton Beach Memoirs
Sean Molicki – Mater Dei Prep – Perfect Meetings
Josh Cooperman – Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Hudson Eder – Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Jack Andrus – Ocean Township High School – Brighton Beach Memoirs
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Laura Diorio – Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank
Carly Shepherd – Saint John Vianney – John Lennon and Me
Leah Sandow - Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Holly Koerwer – Trinity Hall – Suite Surrender
Lauren Mazzara – Marlboro High School – Rumors
Sophia Geisser - Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama
(TIE) Karl Brand - Ranney School – The Plough and the Stars / Patrick Monaghan – Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus
Matt Hughes - Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Faerie King's Daughter
Quinn Surdez – Matawan Regional High School – Harvey
Jonathan Slovak – Communications High School – Twelve Angry Men
Outstanding Direction in a Drama
(TIE) Steven Koumoulis - Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank / Reuben Jackson – Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus
Anthony Greco – Marlboro High School – Rumors
Keith Gissubel – Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang
Cindy Dwyer & Gary Powell – Mater Dei Prep – Perfect Meetings
Outstanding Production Drama
Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus – Reuben Jackson
Middletown High School South – The Diary of
Anne Frank - Steven Koumoulis
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of
Christopher Durang – Keith Gissubel
Marlboro High School – Rumors – Anthony Greco
Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers – Stephen
Kazakof
ABOUT THE COUNT BASIE THEATRE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM:
The Count Basie Theatre's educational mission is to provide a foundation of cultural enrichment to students of all ages and economic levels. These efforts include arts instruction and coursework, plus unique programs like teacher's professional development and bus-in programs for students in underprivileged school districts. The theatre's Education and Outreach Programs and its faculty aim to offer an ever-changing suite of programming designed to enrich the Count Basie Theatre community as a whole.
(PHOTO 1) -- A multi-school ensemble, led by Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama winner Laura Diorio, opened the Basie ceremony.
(PHOTO 2) -- Middletown High School South’s selection from American Idiot
(PHOTO 3) -- A shot from Shore Regional High School’s performance of The Music Man.
(PHOTO 4) -- Red Bank Catholic High School’s production of A Little Mermaid.
All photos by Andrew Musser – Count Basie Theatre
