2014/15 Teeny Awards Winners Honored at Ceremony Sunday
East End Arts announced the winners of their annual high school drama awards, 2014-15 Teeny Awards, during a formal ceremony at Center Moriches High School on Sunday, June 7.
Nominees wore formal attire and walked a red carpet before awards were presented individually to the audience as each winner stepped onstage and into the spotlight to thunderous applause. Arts supporters, theater professionals and prominent community members presented awards, and each winner received a glass trophy.
Presented and coordinated by East End Arts, the Teeny Awards, a younger, local version of Broadway’s Antoinette Perry Awards–The Tony Awards–has been celebrating excellence in East End high school theater since 2002.
The audience was treated to scenes from this year’s outstanding productions from the 16 participating high schools in the region, while honoring the best shows and individual players from this past school year. Performances included:
“The Jester, the Minstrel, and I” from Once Upon a Mattress by Greenport High School; “The Song That Goes Like This” from Spamalot by Shoreham-Wading River High School; “Run an Tell That” from Hairspray by Longwood High School; “Roll in the Hay” from Young Frankenstein by Hampton Bays High School; “Sincere” from Bye Bye Birdie by Center Moriches High School; “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO” from Damn Yankees by Longwood High School; and cameo performances from other schools in the fabulous opening number!
Walker Vreeland, of WBAZ 102.5 FM served as the Master of Ceremonies, while various honored guests and sponsors presented awards. Among them, Scot Alan, Assistant to Producer/Director of Development at Gateway Playhouse; Tina Andrews, Award-winning playwright, screenwriter, producer and director; Sheree Elder, Composer, Performing Artist, and Alumni of East End Arts School; Thomas Farrell, Broadway Producer, Chairman of the Board of Bailey House; Gabrille Gangi, Graduate of Center Moriches and Teeny Awards Nominee Alumni; Rob Hinderliter, Producer/Managing Member of R&D Theatricals LLC; Kasia Klimiuk, Co-Founder/Producer of Our Fabulous Variety Show; Diane Murray, SVP/Chief Risk Officer at Empire National Bank; Toni Munna, founding Teeny Awards Coordinator; Anita Nigrel, SVP Retail Banking at Suffolk County National Bank; Julienne Penza, Director of Arts Education at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center; Ryan Schaefer, Teeny Award Nominee and Winner for Best Choreography in 2013 & 2014; Scott Schwartz, Artistic Director at Bay Street Theatre; Wally Smith, President and General Manager of 88.3 WPPB; New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele; Morgan Vaughan, Executive Director of LTV Studios, Artistic Director of Round Table Theatre Co., former Teeny Awards Coordinator; Jim Wooten, Riverhead Town Council Member.
“I am extremely grateful for all of the amazing people who make the Teeny Awards possible!” Teeny Awards Coordinator Anita Boyer said, thanking all those involved, from “the great crew at East End Arts,” to the directors and teachers at each school and, of course, the talented and hardworking students. “My hope is that everyone can celebrate and recognize what a gift their theatrical experiences are, both for themselves and their communities,” Boyer added, sharing her excitement for next year.
The 2014-15 Teeny Awards winners are:
Supporting Male in a Musical TIE
Ramsey Pack as Seaweed in Hairspray at Longwood
Connor Vaccariello as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family at Southold
Supporting Female in a Musical
Kaylea Scott as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray at Longwood
Lead Male in a Musical
Denis Hartnett as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family at Pierson
Lead Female in a Musical TIE
Mackenzie Engeldrum as Inga in Young Frankenstein at Hampton Bays
Isabella Le Boeuf as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray at Longwood
Supporting Female in a Play
Raven Janoski as Penny Sycamore in You Can’t Take it With You at Mattituck
Supporting Male in a Play TIE
Denis Hartnett as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest at Pierson
James Mancuso as Mr. Webb in Our Town at Shoreham-Wading River
Lead Female in a Play TIE
Olivia Geppel as Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank at McGann-Mercy
Colleen Kelly as Alice Sycamore in You Can’t Take it With You at Mattituck
Lead Male in a Play
Ramsey Pack as Carroll Danes in Bad Auditions by Bad Actors at Longwood
Outstanding Female in a One-Act Play
Emily Austopchuk as Tassie in Tassie Suffers at Ross School
Outstanding Male in a One-Act Play
Miguel Monori as Barry in Misfortune at Ross School
Outstanding Choreography
Emma Galasso for her number in Godspell at Westhampton Beach
Playbill and Poster Design
Bridgett Comiskey and Lily Saeli for The Addams Family at Southold
Outstanding Actor/Actress in a Musical or Play
This category was created to recognize a student who shines brightly in a role that is not eligible for adjudication in the leading or supporting categories.
Nick Auletti for his roles in Godspell at Westhampton Beach
Gwyn Foley as Essie in You Can’t Take it With You at Mattituck
JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD
Chosen by the judges in a vote, this award is for a particular scene, musical number, dance number, ensemble effort or group that they feel stands out for special recognition.
This year, the recipient is “The Ancestors” from The Addams Family at Pierson High School.
STUDENT STAGE MANAGER RECOGNITION
The following students are all recognized for their invaluable contributions as stage managers:
Bryan Aguilar for Footloose at Riverhead
Andrea Anketell for Suddenly Last Summer at Shoreham-Wading River
Shane Factora (Lead) for Hairspray at Longwood
Jennifer Hall for The Addams Family at Pierson
Christen Heine for The Addams Family at Pierson
Erin Horan for Bye Bye Birdie at Center Moriches
Sarah Huneault for Footloose, The Seussificaton of Romeo and Juliet and The Audition at Riverhead
Benjamin Jazdzewska (Assistant Crew Chief) for Hairspray at Longwood
Hunter Mancuso (Co-Crew Chief) for Hairspray at Longwood
Kyra Mears for Suddenly Last Summer at Shoreham-Wading River
Anthony Navas for Bye Bye Birdie at Center Moriches
Hannah Oswalt for Bye Bye Birdie at Center Moriches
Catherine Penn for The 39 Steps and Godspell at Westhampton Beach
Philip Rossillo (Crew Chief) for Hairspray at Longwood
Kimberly Scheer for Bye Bye Birdie and You Can’t Take it With You at Mattituck
Sean Walden for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
Cara Vaccariello for Don’t Drink the Water at Southold-Greenport Drama and The Addams Family at Southold
Sarah Volkmann for Bye Bye Birdie at Center Moriches
STUDENT PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR RECOGNITION
The following students are all recognized for their invaluable contribution in producing and/or directing:
Sean Mannix (Director) for Suddenly Last Summer at Shoreham-Wading River
Cady Vitale (Producer) for You Can’t Take it With You at Mattituck
STUDENT LIGHTING DESIGN RECOGNITION
The following students are all recognized for their invaluable contribution in lighting design:
Michael Carey for Hairspray at Longwood
Alec Giufurta for The Wizard of Oz at Southampton
Shane Hennessy for The Importance of Being Earnest and The Addams Family at Pierson
Philip Staples for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
Sarah Tuthill for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
STUDENT SOUND DESIGN RECOGNITION
The following students are all recognized for their invaluable contribution in sound design:
Chris Gabrielson for The Wizard of Oz at Southampton
Amanda Gallagher (Assistant) for Hairspray at Longwood
Thomas Gallina (Assistant) for Hairspray at Longwood
Meaghan McDonough (Assistant) for Hairspray at Longwood
Jessica Reyes (Lead) for Hairspray at Longwood
Ashley Sommer (Assistant) for Hairspray at Longwood
Philip Staples for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
Sarah Tuthill for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
STUDENT COSTUME DESIGN RECOGNITION
The following students are all recognized for their invaluable contribution in costume design:
Shannon Colfer for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
Hanna Land for Once Upon a Mattress at Greenport
STUDENT SET DESIGN RECOGNITION
The following students are all recognized for their invaluable contribution in set design:
Amanda Gallagher for Hairspray at Longwood