(RED BANK, NJ) -- Nominees have been announced for the 13th annual BASIE AWARDS, honoring excellence in high school theater in Monmouth County. This year’s ceremony, presented by RWJBarnabas Health – Monmouth Medical Center, takes place on Wednesday, May 23rd at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.
The BASIE AWARDS began in 2005 as a way to honor and recognize high school-level actors, actresses and productions in the Monmouth County area. This year, a record 22 dramas and 29 musical performances were evaluated by the BASIE AWARDS nomination committee, which produced nominations for students, productions and schools in various acting and production categories.
“It is wonderful to see such growth in the level of commitment from the students and support from school administrators and the community that these drama programs are receiving,” said Yvonne Lamb Scudiery, Vice President of Education, Count Basie Theatre. “Monmouth County high school stages abound in students who are confident, collaborative and not afraid to take risks. Our evaluation team commends all of the high school directors for their passion and heartfelt efforts to instill creativity & joy in their students, and we’re grateful to RWJBarnabas-Monmouth Medical Center for their continued support of the Basies.”
In addition to recognizing high school talent, the BASIES’ Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Middletown’s Tom Bernard, co-founder and co-president of Sony Pictures Classics and a longtime Count Basie Theatre board member. This honor is presented to individuals who have dedicated their lives to making art happen and art that matters in our community.
“We are honored to recognize Tom Bernard for his lifetime of achievement and dedication to the arts,” said Adam Philipson, President / CEO, Count Basie Theatre. “His work in motion pictures – where his films have received more than 160 Oscar nominations with 39 wins – is a testament to his eye for excellence.”
Additionally, winners of the Count Basie Theatre’s Arts Impacts Scholarships will be recognized at the BASIE AWARDS: Erica Wu of Holmdel High School (Steven and Jaime Schultz Arts Impact Scholarship); Shelby Pickelny of Ocean Township High School (Moser-Taboada Arts Impact Scholarship); Isabella Mingino of Middletown High School South (Monmouth County Freeholders Basie Scholarship for Continuing Education, awarded to a Monmouth County senior attending college in New Jersey), and Abigail Karl of Communications High School (RWJBarnabas Health Arts Impact Scholarship). The Basie’s Arts Impact scholarship program recognizes high school seniors whose life, academic, and career choice has been impacted by the arts.
For the fifth consecutive year, the BASIE AWARDS is sponsored by RWJBarnabas Health – Monmouth Medical Center, a partnership that promotes awareness of the importance of the arts in physical and mental well-being.
“Monmouth Medical Center is proud to continue our partnership with the Count Basie Theatre to support arts in our local schools and community,” says Bill Arnold, President and CEO at Monmouth Medical Center. “Like the Count Basie Theatre, Monmouth’s Medical Center is dedicated to creating and maintaining strong community partnerships, and we are very proud to once again offer the Monmouth Medical Center-RWJBarnabas Health Arts Impact Scholarship and to help them, through our sponsorship of the Basie Awards, shine the spotlight on these very talented students.”
Here are the 2018 nominees:
Nominees For Dramatic Productions:
Outstanding Set Design in a Drama
Matawan Regional High School – Noises Off – Samuel Pickens
Marlboro High School – Don’t Dress for Dinner – Ashley Cusack
Monmouth Regional High School – Ghosts –Justin Odon
Red Bank Catholic High School – Moon Over Buffalo –Carla Valentino
Howell High School – Twentieth Century –Stephen Kazakoff
Christian Brothers Academy – Don’t Drink the Water – Colin Swabsin
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Drama
Trinity Hall – Hiding in the Open – Alex Principe
Colts Neck High School – Moon Over Buffalo – Chris Rocco
Marlboro High School – Don’t Dress for Dinner – Jim Lyle & Anthony Greco
Monmouth Regional High School – Ghosts –Justin Odon
Neptune High School – Murder by the Book – Raymond Kelly
Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Drama
Mater Dei Prep – Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery – Peggy Baumgartner
Middletown High School South – Pygmalion – Jacqui Fischer & Laura Mazza
Freehold Township High School – Boeing Boeing – Kim Richardson & Laura Cugini
Trinity Hall – Hiding in the Open – Melissa Whelan & Patty Fris
Red Bank Regional High School – Macbeth – Claudia O’Connor
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Kalin Iannone – Middletown High School South – Pygmalion
Camille Pugliese – Middletown High School South – Pygmalion
Rachel Chevlin – Howell High School – Twentieth Century
Jessica Pace – Howell High School – Twentieth Century
Meredith Kustch – Neptune High School – Murder by the Book
Morgan O’Shea – Freehold Township High School – Boeing Boeing
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Sam Zatorski – Red Bank Regional High School – Macbeth
Jack Geary – Ocean Township High School – Alice in Wonderland
Carmine Mastrokostas – Ranney School – The Killing Game
Stephen Weihs – Christian Brothers Academy – Don’t Drink the Water
Chris Coleman – Christian Brothers Academy – Don’t Drink the Water
Matt Glenn – Middletown High School South – Pygmalion
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Alicia McDonald – Raritan High School – And Then There Were None
Jacqueline Hennessy – Red Bank Catholic High School – Moon Over Buffalo
Tristen Dechaira – Neptune High School – Murder by the Book
Eleeza Faraday – Neptune High School – Murder by the Book
Caitline Killeen – Matawan Regional High School – Noises Off
Katarina Schmidt – Matawan Regional High School – Noises Off
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama
Sean Gassaway – Howell High School – Twentieth Century
Michael Leitner – Ocean Township High School – Alice in Wonderland
Jack Andrus – Ocean Township High School – Alice in Wonderland
Avery Kaplan – Freehold High School – Murder at Rundown Alley
Connor Dibella – Monmouth Regional High School – Ghosts
Ryan Deahl – Matawan Regional High School – Noises Off
Outstanding Direction in a Drama
Cindy J. Dwyer – Mater Dei Prep – Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Anthony Greco – Marlboro High School – Don’t Dress for Dinner
Emily Brown & James T. Fryer – Neptune High School – Murder by the Book
Stephen Kazakoff – Howell High School – Twentieth Century
Alana Herron – Red Bank Catholic High School – Moon Over Buffalo
Linda Walling – Matawan Regional High School – Noises Off
Outstanding Production – Drama
Marlboro High School – Don’t Dress for Dinner – Anthony Greco
Howell High School – Twentieth Century – Stephen Kazakoff
Red Bank Catholic High School – Moon Over Buffalo – Alana Herron
Matawan Regional High School – Noises Off – Linda Walling
Nominees for Musical Productions:
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Long Branch High School – Rent – Ian Moore
Long Branch High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Andrew D’Agostino
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie – Ashley Cusack
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer – Ashley Cusack
Freehold High School – Once Upon a Mattress – Kevin Gunther
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Jim Vail & Tyler McClain
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie – Robert Rutt
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer – Anthony Calicchio
Marlboro High School – 1776 – Jim Lyle & Anthony Greco
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Scott Goldstein
Long Branch High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Billy Heywood
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – Jonathan Rocco & Logan Ward
Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – Cecilia Heidelberger
Middletown High School South – Heathers – Alexis Kozak, Jacqui Fischer, & Isavella Mingino
Freehold High School – Once Upon a Mattress – Lisa Bravo Zimmerman
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Peggy Baumgartner
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer – Linda Fitzgerald
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie – Jacquie Revier, Donna Silogy-Gigante & Joanne DeLuca Daly
Outstanding Musical Direction
Long Branch High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Lianne Kulik
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer – Dr. Jeff Unger
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie – Shawn Mack
Freehold High School – Once Upon a Mattress – Eric Gross
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – Matthew Anderson
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Cindy J. Dwyer
Outstanding Choreography
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – Christina Rak
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Samantha Amaral
Middletown High School South – Heathers – Jacqui Fischer
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie – Rachel Wasser
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer – Tara Eccles-Frye
Outstanding All Student Orchestra
Marlboro High School – 1776 – Patrick M. Dalton
Middletown High School South – Heathers – Michael Raguseo
Freehold Township High School – The Pajama Game – Ed Gattsek
Outstanding Student/Adult Orchestra
Freehold High School – Once Upon a Mattress – Eric Gross
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – Matthew Anderson
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Cindy J. Dwyer
Long Branch High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Robert M. Clark
Matawan Regional High School – My Favorite Year – Lindsey Lorefice
Outstanding Chorus
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
Middletown High School South – Heathers
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer
Outstanding Featured Ensemble Group
Saint John Vianney High School – The Little Mermaid – The Mersisters
Matawan Regional High School – My Favorite Year – The Maxford Girls
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – The Bottle Dancers
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Secret Garden – The Snake Charmers
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Secret Garden – The Servants
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Secret Garden – The Gardeners
Outstanding Featured Male Performer
Matthew Curti – Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
Dylan Higgins Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
David Gonzalez – Biotechnology High School – Legally Blonde
Outstanding Featured Female Performer
Shyla Werneke – Matawan Regional High School – My Favorite Year
Molly Hurst – Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
Marelyn Diaz – Long Branch High School – Rent
Arianna Mubanda – Howell High School – Mary Poppins
Julia Lupi – Howell High School – Mary Poppins
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Isabella Antoon – Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer
Aisa Feratovic – Long Branch High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Maggie Skalecki – Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie
Alex Colaiacovo – Ocean Township High School – Bye Bye Birdie
Elena Worton – Monmouth Regional High School – George M.
Sara Burke – Colts Neck High School – The Wedding Singer
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
CJ Pinheiro – Colts Neck High School – The Wedding Singer
Ethan Black – Ocean Township High School – Bye Bye Birdie
Ryan Kozak – Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer
Paulo Makalinao – Matawan Regional High School – My Favorite Year
Michael Guarino – Trinity Hall – Into the Woods
Zackary Abbey – Trinity Hall – Into the Woods
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Dominique Demko – Long Branch High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Georgi Schnappauf – Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer
Julia Forsyth – Henry Hudson Regional High School – Little Women
Erin Obermayer – Freehold High School – Once Upon a Mattress
Anna Laemmie – Freehold High School – Once Upon a Mattress
Sarah Coleman – Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Cash Zhang – Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
Griffin Cole – Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
Jack Andrus – Ocean Township High School – Bye Bye Birdie
Antonio Straniero – Matawan Regional High School – My Favorite Year
Ryan Deahl – Matawan Regional High School – My Favorite Year
Michael Guarino – Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Direction in a Musical
Anthony Greco – Marlboro High School – 1776
Marcos Orozco & Christina Rak – Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof
Alexis Kozak – Middletown High School South – Heathers
Alana Herron – Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie
Todd Aikens – Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer
Cindy J. Dwyer – Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables
Outstanding Production – Musical
Mater Dei Prep – Les Miserables – Cindy J. Dwyer
Middletown High School South – Heathers – Alexis Kozak
Red Bank Catholic High School – Thoroughly Modern Millie – Alana Herron
Shore Regional High School – The Wedding Singer – Todd Aikens
Christian Brothers Academy – Fiddler on the Roof – Marcos Orozco & Christina Rak
The Count Basie Theatre is located at 99 Monmouth Street in Red Bank, New Jersey.
