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Arts & Entertainment

And The Basie Goes To...

The Count Basie Theatre announces Basie Award winners, honoring excellence in Monmouth County high school theater.

On Wednesday the Count Basie Theatre announced winners for its sixth annual Basie Awards.  The distinction recognizes outstanding achievement in the dramatic and musical theater productions of Monmouth County's high school theater companies. 

The event featured performances by the casts of the Best Musical nominees, medleys featuring the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress and Lead Actor, and a list of presenters that included a who's who in Monmouth County academia and performing arts. Twenty three high schools competed in 25 categories and over 1,300 students participated in the awards ceremony, evidenced by the thunderous roar of the audience when each nominee and winner was announced.

"Steven Sondheim once said that 'all the best performers bring a little something extra to their work...a little something more than what the author put on the page'," Count Basie CEO and Basie Awards creator, Numa Saisselin said, addressing the student nominees, "you put a little extra into your drama work this year and here you are as a result."

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A full list of winners follows:

2011 Dramatic Presentations

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ROBERT ANGELINI
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION ~ DRAMA
OCEAN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
OUR TOWN

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION ~ DRAMA
OCEAN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL -
OUR TOWN

PATTI DUNNELLS, SCOTT MCCABE
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN ~ DRAMA
RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
DRACULA

EMILY LOVELL, STEFAN MANN
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN ~ DRAMA
RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

CAROLE MALIK
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN ~ DRAMA
RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

JULIA BARNETT
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS ~ DRAMA
RED BANK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
AS YOU LIKE IT

PJ BENSON
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR ~ DRAMA
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
RUMORS

KELSEY MURPHY
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS ~ DRAMA
RED BANK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
AS YOU LIKE IT

RANDY MESTER
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR ~ DRAMA
RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
DRACULA


2011 Musical Presentations

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

CINDY DWYER
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

TOM COLLINS, RICHARD HUY, ROB GHORMLEY
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN ~ MUSICAL
OCEAN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
LES MISERABLES

CAROLE MALIK
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN ~ MUSICAL
RUMSON~FAIR HAVEN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SWEENEY TODD

SCOTT NAEF
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN ~ MUSICAL
SHORE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

CINDY DWYER
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION ~
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

SAMANTHA AMARAL
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

BARBARA GONZALEZ, JULIE TAKACS     
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY~ MUSICAL
MATAWAN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
THE WEDDING SINGER

THE BIRDS
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE GROUP ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD

RUSTY, WENDY JO, URLEEN
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE GROUP ~ MUSICAL
ST JOHN VIANNEY HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTLOOSE

EDDIE ROGERS
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ENSEMBLE PERFORMER ~ MUSICAL
LONG BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL
LES MISERABLES

PATRICK ROUNDS
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR ~ MUSICAL
MONMOUTH REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

MADELYN MONAGHAN
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS ~ MUSICAL
RED BANK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

MICHAEL MCAREE
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR ~ MUSICAL
RARITAN HIGH SCHOOL
DAMN YANKEES

VICTORIA JOEL
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS ~ MUSICAL
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL NORTH
CINDERELLA

COURTNEY KURKEMELIS
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS ~ MUSICAL
MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

OUTSTANDING CHORUS ~ MUSICAL
HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL
ANYTHING GOES

CHRIS HENSEL
OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRA ~ MUSICAL
STUDENT / ADULT
MATAWAN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
THE WEDDING SINGER

PAMELA MASSIMINI
OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRA ~ MUSICAL
ALL STUDENT
FREEHOLD HIGH SCHOOL
CINDERELLA

MARK PURSLOW
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN
THEATRE ARTS EDUCATION

EVALUATORS SPECIAL AWARD
“PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT”
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
42ND STREET

 

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