Photo is courtesy of the Borough of Carteret
(CARTERET, NJ) -- The URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center has announced the nominations and honorable mentions for the 2023 Carteret PAC Central Jersey Marquee Awards, Honoring Excellence in Middlesex County High School Musical Theatre. The Marquee Awards will take place on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 7:30pm at the new Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center.
The Carteret PAC Central Jersey Marquee Awards celebrate and encourage talent and achievement in musical theatre in high schools throughout Middlesex County, NJ. The program aims to recognize students participating in a range of roles on and off stage. A total of 20 categories will be awarded at the ceremony.
Tickets are $10 and available for purchase online.
The nominees were selected by a panel of expert judges who traveled central New Jersey reviewing spring high school musicals.
The program culminates with a red-carpet celebration on the Carteret PAC stage. Nominated schools and students will perform at a Tony Awards-style ceremony to be held on May 17, 2023. The event will highlight numbers from the nominated shows, as well as award the performers, directors, choreographers, orchestras, and designers, who have expressed excellence during the 2023 musical season. The evening is hosted by Broadway actress, Tamra Hayden. Tamra Hayden is a celebrated vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who most recently toured with the Broadway National Tour of "Anastasia" and has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in musical theater. Tamra has appeared on Broadway as Cosette in "Les Miserables" and Texas in "Cabaret."
"We are delighted to recognize these exceptional students and schools in Middlesex County for their outstanding achievements," said Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman. "We congratulate them on their well-deserved nominations and honorable mentions.”
2023 Central Jersey Marquee Awards Nominations and Honorable Mentions
BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
Edison High School High School Musical
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Woodbridge High School Matilda
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Spotswood High School Chicago
BEST LEAD ACTOR
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin Andres Lanza as "Pippin"
Colonia High School All Shook Up Joe Paladino as "Chad"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Camryn Burniston as "Nick Bottom"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Matthew Wrate as "William Shakespeare"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Aishik Sen as "The Baker"
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood Jackson Bartle as "William Cartwright (the Chairman)"
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood Najm Muhammad as "Clive Paget/John Jasper"
Honorable Mentions
Edison High School High School Musical Dannijames Vergara as "Troy Bolton"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Nishanth Bhargava as "Danny Zuko"
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family Michael Onyekwere as "Gomez Addams"
BEST LEAD ACTRESS
Nominees
Colonia High School All Shook Up Alyssa Cifelli as "Natalie Haller/Ed"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Anamika Bachoo as "Witch"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Anna Kodak as "The Baker's Wife"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Grace Velasquez as "Cinderella"
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood Ashley Hamilton as "Alice Nutting/Edwin Drood"
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family Jordyn Sutton as "Wednesday Addams"
Woodbridge High School Matilda Fiona Tasarek as "Agatha Trunchbull"
Honorable Mentions
Carteret High School Pippin Ivana Nwaobi as "Leading Player"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Reva Bhalareo as "Sandy"
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family Deyana Abdelhady as "Morticia Addams"
Woodbridge High School Matilda Meilani Rea as "Matilda"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Nominees
Colonia High School All Shook Up Tristan Picou as "Dennis"
Edison High School High School Musical Christian Lee as "Ryan Evans"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Anish Dharam as "Roger"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Sam Tropea as "Nostradamus"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Yadiel Rivera Colon as "Cinderella's Prince"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Adrian Flanagan as "Jack"
Woodbridge High School Matilda Mateo Oloriz as "Mr. Wormwood"
Honorable Mentions
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Sanath Saji as "Kenickie"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Noah Feldman as "Nigel Bottom"
Spotswood High School Chicago Trevor Bergondo as "Amos Hart"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin Elani Jade Massallo as "Fastrada"
Colonia High School All Shook Up McKaela Maye as "Sylvia"
Edison High School High School Musical Elyse Penedos as "Sharpay Evans"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Makenzie McGowan as "Bea"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Emily Stein as "Portia"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Arlyn Valdez as "Little Red Ridinghood"
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family Juliana Deyhle as "Pugsley Addams"
Woodbridge High School Matilda Marisa Santiago as "Miss Honey"
Honorable Mentions
Colonia High School All Shook Up As'maa Jones as "Lorraine"
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz Alexandria Corallo as "Glinda"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Zara Diaz as "Marty"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Inabel Abreu as "Jack's Mother"
BEST ENSEMBLE MEMBER
Nominees
Edison High School High School Musical Carolyn Genzano as "Ms. Darbus"
Edison High School High School Musical Juan Paolo Andre Agustin as "Chad Danforth"
Edison High School High School Musical Riva Christy as "Taylor McKessie"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Casey Decker as "Jan"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Aadityaa Singla as "Johnny Casino/Teen Angel"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Landon Moscariello as "The Minstrel"
Woodbridge High School Matilda Jeffrey DeLeon Vaca as "Bruce"
Honorable Mentions
Carteret High School Pippin Grace Otero as "Berthe"
Colonia High School All Shook Up Veronika Nalyvayko as "Miss Sandra"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods Karissa Rodriguez as "The Narrator"
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood Jacob Hall as "Cedric Moncrieffe/Rev. Crisparkle"
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family Macaria Pelofsky as "Grandma Addams"
Spotswood High School Chicago Savanah Rosario as "Mary Sunshine"
BEST PRODUCTION NUMBER
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin "Magic To Do"
Colonia High School All Shook Up "All Shook Up"
J.P. Stevens High School Grease "We Go Together"
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! "A Musical"
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods "Prologue"
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood "There You Are"
Woodbridge High School Matilda "Revolting Children"
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz "Merry Old Land of Oz"
Edison High School High School Musical "Stick to the Status Quo"
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family "When You're An Addams"
Spotswood High School Chicago "Cell Block Tango"
BEST CHORUS
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Woodbridge High School Matilda
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Edison High School High School Musical
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Spotswood High School Chicago
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Spotswood High School Chicago
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Edison High School High School Musical
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Woodbridge High School Matilda
BEST STUDENT ORCHESTRA
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Edison High School High School Musical
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Woodbridge High School Matilda
BEST LIGHTING
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Edison High School High School Musical
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Spotswood High School Chicago
Honorable Mentions
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Woodbridge High School Matilda
BEST SCENERY
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
Edison High School High School Musical
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Spotswood High School Chicago
Woodbridge High School Matilda
BEST COSTUMES
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
Edison High School High School Musical
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Woodbridge High School Matilda
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Spotswood High School Chicago
BEST HAIR AND MAKE UP
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Woodbridge High School Matilda
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Edison High School High School Musical
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Spotswood High School Chicago
BEST STUDENT LED CATEGORY
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin Francesca Navarro as Best Student Vocal Captain
Carteret High School Pippin Mason Diaz as Best Student Musician
Edison High School High School Musical Alyssa Osaidacz as Best Student Prop and Costume Designer
Edison High School High School Musical Leah Steinlauf as Best Student Stage Manager
Edison High School High School Musical Sneha Rajagopalan as Best Student Choreographer
J.P. Stevens High School Grease Samantha Dzioba as Best Student Choreographer
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Alexandra Nardone as Best Student Choreographer/Dance Captain
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Anthony Margiotto as Best Student Musician
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Jillian Parrino as Best Student Stage Manager
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten! Olivia Cruz as Best Student Director
Perth Amboy High School Into The Woods Jaydon Ramos, DiMarie Morales, and Sarina Lebreault as Best Student Costume Team
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family Audrey Qian as Best Student Stage Manager
Woodbridge High School Matilda Caroline 'Castel' Ruiz as Best Student Stage Manager
Woodbridge High School Matilda Jenna Resta as Best Student Paint Crew - Lead
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
Edison High School High School Musical
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Woodbridge High School Matilda
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Spotswood High School Chicago
BEST DIRECTION
Nominees
Carteret High School Pippin
Colonia High School All Shook Up
Edison High School High School Musical
Old Bridge High School Something Rotten!
Perth Amboy High School Into the Woods
Rutgers Preparatory School The Addams Family
Woodbridge High School Matilda
Honorable Mentions
East Brunswick High School The Wizard of Oz
J.P. Stevens High School Grease
Piscataway High School The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Spotswood High School Chicago
The URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center (Carteret PAC), opened in 2021, is a multi-level, flexible space venue that boasts a lower-level comedy/jazz club with piano lounge; a main floor concert/comedy and entertainment space with luxury theatre style seating that is easily removed to accommodate a variety of events such as expos, weddings, dinner, and more.
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