RBR, RBC Nominated for Basie Awards

They're the Tony Awards of area high schools' way off-Broadway stars — The Basie Awards.

And it's showtime for the list of this year's nominees.

For the 2012-13 high school theater season, Red Bank Regional garnered several nominations for its musical production of Little Women and two for The Little Mermaid (see nominees in bold on list below) and Red Bank Catholic was nominated in a couple of categories for its Lucky Stiff production (see nominees in bold on list below).

In the drama category, Red Bank Catholic garnered nominations for its production of Miss Firecracker Contest (see below).

Intendend as a means for effective community outreach the Count Basie Theatre staff created the Basie Awards in 2006. This is its eighth year. The awards honor talent and top performances in Monmouth County high school musical theater and drama. 

All high schools in the county are eligible for the judging. How it works is that interested schools provide members of the panel with four tickets to each of their annual shows.

Professional actors, singers, directors, choreographers review and assess the productions and make nominations.

An evaluation committee of professionals then votes on the winners.

This year's awards ceremony will be held on May 22 at the Count Basie Theatre.

And, the nominees for 2012-13 are ...

Musical Presentations ~ 2012-13

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical:

Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Anthony Greco & Jack Pensabene
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida ~ Dino Pagano
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up ~ Cindy Dwyer  
Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women ~ Claudia O’Connor & Carl Grillo
Ocean Township High School ~ Godspell ~ Neil Prince & Tim Spaeth

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical:

Shore Regional High School ~ Grease ~ Anthony Callicchio
Asbury Park High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Robert Rutt
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up ~ Gary Alan Powell
Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ Travis Popiel
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Anthony Greco

Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical:

Red Bank Catholic High School ~ Lucky Stiff ~ Fred Mayo & Debra Thime
Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women ~ Kit Dwight
Shore Regional High School ~ Grease ~ Linda Fitzgerald
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up ~ Jacquie Revier
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Jacquie Revier, Lisa Bravo Zimmerman
& Donna Keohane Silogy-Gigante
Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ Jacquie Revier

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical:

Shore Regional High School ~ Grease ~ Tara Eccles
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up ~ Samantha Amaral
Colts Neck High School ~ Oklahoma ~ Ted Shaeffler, Meredith Gallagher, Rachel Greenberg
Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ Lisa Twamley
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida ~ Alexis Marinov

Outstanding Musical Direction in a Musical: 

Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women ~ Kris Zook
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up ~ Cindy Dwyer
Manalapan High School ~ Anything Goes ~ Adam Glenn
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Mary Mindas
Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ Regina McAllen
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida ~ Bill Grillo & Vince Mottern

Outstanding All Student Orchestra:

Manalapan High School ~ Anything Goes ~ Jose Maunez
Colts Neck High School ~ Oklahoma ~ Jack Maniaci  
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Mary Mindas
Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ Anthony Limaldi
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida ~ Bill Grillo

Outstanding Student/Adult Orchestra: 

Red Bank Catholic High School ~ Lucky Stiff ~ Shawn Mack
Asbury Park High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Laura Wamsley, Karen Schwarz, Tanya Peterson
Matawan Regional High School ~ Mame ~ Chris Hensel
Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women ~ Camille Thompson

Outstanding Chorus in a Musical:

Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida
Colts Neck High School ~ Oklahoma
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island
Asbury Park High School ~ Once On This Island

Outstanding Featured Ensemble Performer in a Musical:

Marlboro High School ~ Thoroughly Modern Millie ~ Lindsay Gross
Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Mermaid, Junior ~ Madelyn Monaghan
Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Mermaid, Junior ~ Meg Kelly

Outstanding Ensemble Group in a Musical:

Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ The Showgirls
Shore Regional High School ~ Grease ~ The Pink Ladies
Shore Regional High School ~ The Burger Palace Boys

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:

Ashley Stepien ~ Howell High School ~ Singing The In Rain
Eliana Swartz ~ Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women
Madelyn Monaghan ~ Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women
Suzie Hicks ~ Colts Neck High School ~ Oklahoma
Emily Mitro ~ Shore Regional High School ~ Grease

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:

Tom DiBella ~ Colts Neck High School ~ Oklahoma
Gregory Ippolito ~ Freehold Township High School ~ Guys And Dolls
Michael Maxham ~ Manalapan High School ~ Anything Goes
Christian Cieri ~ Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up
Nick D’Ambrosia ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island
Karl Brand ~ Ranney School ~ Man Of La Mancha

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:

Clare Fitzgerald ~ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida
Danielle Gordon ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island
Jenna Scannelli ~ Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain
Joelle Rosen ~ Long Branch High School ~ Legally Blonde
Gabrielle Concepcion ~ Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women
Brianna McDonald Vitale ~ Red Bank Catholic High School ~ Lucky Stiff

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:

Elias Kotsis ~ Middletown High School South ~ Cabaret
Ryan Molicki ~ Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up
Jonathan Teeling ~ Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain
Jack Newsome ~ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida
Brandon Burns ~ Raritan High School ~ Annie Get Your Gun
Jason Schissel ~ Manalapan High School ~ Anything Goes

Outstanding Direction in a Musical:

Anthony Greco ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island
Cindy Dwyer ~ Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up
Gary Kilmer ~ Asbury Park High School ~ Once On This Island
Stephen Kazakoff ~ Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain
Suzanne Sweeney ~ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida

Outstanding Musical Production:

Red Bank Regional High School ~ Little Women ~ Joseph Russo
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ Aida ~ Suzanne Sweeney
Howell High School ~ Singing In The Rain ~ Stephen Kazakoff
Mater Dei Prep ~ All Shook Up ~ Cindy Dwyer
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Once On This Island ~ Anthony Greco & Jack Pensabene

Dramatic Presentations ~ 2012-13

Outstanding Set Design in a Drama:

Freehold High School ~ Rebel Without A Cause ~ Kevin Gunther
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ A Christmas Carol ~ Dino Pagano & Suzanne Sweeney
Ocean Township High School ~ The Crucible ~ Tom Collins  
Matawan High School ~The Happiest Millionaire ~ Sam Pickens

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Drama:

Freehold High School ~ Rebel Without A Cause ~ KasiAnn Sweeney & Kevin Gunther
Red Bank Catholic High School ~ Miss Firecracker Contest ~ Frank Bell
Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing ~ David Ahlers
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ A Christmas Carol ~ Matthew Hervilly & KasiAnn Sweeney
Ocean Township High School ~ The Crucible ~ George Ripley

Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design:

Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing ~ Jacquie Revier
Matawan High School ~The Happiest Millionaire ~ Susan Takacs
Ocean Township High School ~ The Crucible ~ Alma Garrity
Middletown High School South ~ The Marriage Of Bette And Boo ~ Jacqueline Mazza & Laura Mazza
Ranney School ~ Twelfth Night ~ John Doyle 
Raritan High School ~ The Crucible ~ Joyce Horan

Outstanding Direction in a Drama:

Alexis Kozak ~ Middletown High School South ~ The Marriage Of Bette And Boo  
Andrew DePrisco ~ Red Bank Catholic ~ Miss Firecracker Contest  
Suzanne Sweeney ~ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ A Christmas Carol 
Lynette Werthwein & Ann Hanley ~ Ocean Township High School ~ The Crucible
Anthony Greco ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing

Outstanding Dramatic Presentation:

Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing ~ Anthony Greco & Jack Pensabene
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ A Christmas Carol ~ Suzanne Sweeney
Ocean Township High School ~ The Crucible ~ Lynette Werthwein & Ann Hanley
Middletown High School South ~ The Marriage Of Bette And Boo ~ Alexis Kozak 
Freehold High School ~ Rebel Without A Cause ~ KasiAnn Sweeney

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama:

Julia Purcell ~ St. John Vianney High School ~ Getting An Education
Brianna Liguori ~ St. John Vianney High School ~ Getting An Education
Sayde Abrams ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing 
Danielle Gordon ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing 
Catherine Healey ~ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ A Christmas Carol
Ashley Stepien ~ Howell High School ~ Midsummer/New Jersey

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama:

Gregory Ippolito ~ Freehold Township High School ~ Enter Laughing
Jack Newsome ~ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School ~ A Christmas Carol
Ryan Molicki ~ Mater Dei Prep ~ Radium Girls
Paolo Arceo ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing
Kevin Erskine ~ Communications High School ~ You Can’t Take it with You
Carlos Reyes ~ Matawan Regional High School ~ The Happiest Millionaire

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama:

Katie Micha ~ Matawan Regional High School ~ The Happiest Millionaire
Hannah Hale ~ Howell High School ~ Midsummer New Jersey
Kelly Lozo ~ Middletown High School South ~ The Marriage Of Bette And Boo
Haley Smialek ~ Ocean Township High School ~ The Crucible

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama:

Ben Puvalowski ~ Ranney School ~ Twelfth Night
Nick D’Ambrosia ~ Monmouth Regional High School ~ Boeing Boeing
Noah Goldstein ~ Ranney School ~ Twelfth Night
Ryan Bandilla ~ Freehold High School ~ Rebel Without A Cause
Sean Cavanaugh ~ Communications High School ~ You Can’t Take It With You