The next generation of Broadway stars are taking center stage at Playhouse Square’s Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman. From behind-the-scenes work creating costumes and set designs to orchestras playing iconic scores and actors bringing scripts to life on stage, the educational program showcases the talents of more than 2,100 students from 32 schools around Northeast Ohio. The Dazzle Awards – affiliated with The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® – honors the hard work, dedication and excellence seen in the region’s high school theater programs.
The 2023 Dazzle Awards Ceremony takes place at the KeyBank State Theatre on Saturday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000.
This regional program offers arts education opportunities throughout the school year and culminates with the annual awards ceremony hosted by Fox 8’s Natalie Herbick. Students participating in the ceremony walk the “PNC Red Carpet” as they enter, then take the stage to perform.
In addition to master classes and audition workshops for those on stage, interested students can apply to be a Dazzle Awards Student Reporter, Technical Apprentice, and new this year, Musical Apprentice. Through these programs, they can learn firsthand from industry professionals, including the Dazzle Awards director/choreographer, music director, musicians, stage managers, lighting and sound designers and local reporters. The following students were chosen based on an application process and letters of recommendation:
Musical Apprentices
Grace Burdorff (Saxophone), Midview High School
Miya DeBolt (Flute), Bay Village High School
Audra Incledon (Cello), Orange High School
Ewan James Colin Moss (Trombone), Bay Village High School
Drew Straub (Trumpet), Independence High School
Technical Apprentices
Joelle Billson, Willoughby South High School
Emma Kovach-Uzl, Eastlake North High School
Rebecca Zwick, Medina High School
Student Reporters
Sarah Keller, Brunswick High School
Mackenzie Kirkpatrick, Midview High School
Lauren Sams, Thomas W. Harvey High School
Britta Sevcik, Avon Lake High School
At the May 20 ceremony, Dazzle Awards will be presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 13 categories, including the “Spirit of the Dazzle Awards” category, awarded to the student who most embodies camaraderie, passion and an infectiously positive attitude throughout rehearsal week as identified by the creative team. The Best Actor and Best Actress will represent Northeast Ohio at The Jimmy Awards at the Minskoff Theatre in New York in June.
The 2023 Dazzle Award Nominees:
Best Student Orchestra
Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Tuck Everlasting
Bay Village High School, Disney's Newsies
Eastlake North High School, Little Shop of Horrors
Hudson High School, The Addams Family
Medina High School, Something Rotten!
Orange High School, Into the Woods
Wadsworth High School, Fiddler on the Roof
Best Technical Execution
Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Tuck Everlasting
Magnificat High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Mayfield High School, Ragtime School Edition
Nordonia High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Rocky River High School, Bright Star School Edition
Solon High School, The Addams Family
University School, Merrily We Roll Along
Best Scenic Design
Aurora High School, Bye Bye Birdie
Bay Village High School, Disney's Newsies
Eastlake North High School, Little Shop of Horrors
Hudson High School, The Addams Family
Magnificat High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Rocky River High School, Bright Star School Edition
Walsh Jesuit High School, Mamma Mia!
Best Costume Design
Bay Village High School, Disney's Newsies
Hawken School, Footloose
Hudson High School, The Addams Family
Lutheran High School West, The Music Man
Magnificat High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Midview High School, Seussical
Rocky River High School, Bright Star School Edition
Best Choreography Execution
Bay Village High School, Disney's Newsies
Hawken School, Footloose
Hudson High School, The Addams Family
Lutheran High School West, The Music Man
Magnificat High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Mayfield High School, Ragtime School Edition
Rocky River High School, Bright Star School Edition
Best Ensemble/Chorus
Aurora High School, Bye Bye Birdie
Bay Village High School, Disney's Newsies
Hudson High School, The Addams Family
Lutheran High School West, The Music Man
Magnificat High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Mayfield High School, Ragtime School Edition
Rocky River High School, Bright Star School Edition
Best Supporting Actor
Alex Dale, Hudson High School ('Lurch' in The Addams Family)
Nathan Hill, Chagrin Falls High School ('Kevin G' in Mean Girls High School Version)
Kaden Jones, University School ('Joe' in Merrily We Roll Along)
Jack Lange, Rocky River High School ('Daryl Ames' in Bright Star School Edition)
Aidan Moll, University School ('K.T.' in Merrily We Roll Along)
Jacob Rentas, Lutheran High School West ('Marcellus Washburn' in The Music Man)
Graham Wilde, Mayfield High School ('Younger Brother' in Ragtime School Edition)
Best Supporting Actress
Elizabeth Axelrod, Mayfield High School ('Evelyn Nesbit' in Ragtime School Edition)
Dani Buyansky, Independence High School ('Dragon/Ensemble' in Shrek The Musical)
Izzy Kreeger, Eastlake North High School ('Mushnik' in Little Shop of Horrors)
Rebecca Leist, Lutheran High School West ('Eulalie McKecknie Shinn' in The Music Man)
Marta Minarik, Magnificat High School ('Mona/Ensemble' in Chicago: Teen Edition)
Tana Preseren, Eastlake North High School ('Audrey 2' in Little Shop of Horrors)
Nora Stipanovich, Magnificat High School ('Hunyak/Juror One' in Chicago: Teen Edition)
Best Actor
Sam Brown, Bay Village High School ('Davey' in Disney's Newsies)
Lukas Cinko, Archbishop Hoban High School ('Ren McCormack' in Footloose)
Savon Harris, Mayfield High School ('Coalhouse Walker Jr.' in Ragtime School Edition)
Kyle McFalls, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Jesse Tuck' in Tuck Everlasting)
Stanley Niekamp, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Miles Tuck' in Tuck Everlasting)
Zhavier Nurse, Thomas W. Harvey High School ('Agwe' in Once on This Island)
Nicholas Szekely, Bay Village High School ('Jack Kelly' in Disney's Newsies)
Best Actress
Paris Bunch, Mayfield High School ('Sarah' in Ragtime School Edition)
Laila Christian, Shaker Heights High School ('Sandy Cheeks' in The SpongeBob Musical)
Fiona Coughlin, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC ('Mae Tuck' in Tuck Everlasting)
Claire Marchant, Nordonia High School ('Ursula' in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Kate Pawlowski, Hudson High School ('Wednesday Addams' in The Addams Family)
Lindsey Ross, Hudson High School ('Morticia Addams' in The Addams Family)
Calista Zajac, Magnificat High School ('Roxie Hart' in Chicago: Teen Edition)
Best Musical (Tier 1 – musical budgets less than $13,000)
Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Tuck Everlasting
Bay Village High School, Disney's Newsies
Rocky River High School, Bright Star School Edition
Best Musical (Tier 2 – musical budgets greater than $13,000)
Hudson High School, The Addams Family
Magnificat High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Mayfield High School, Ragtime School Edition
Public and private high schools located in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties were invited to apply for participation in the Dazzle Awards. Information and applications for the 2024 Dazzle Awards will be available online at playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards in August.