Cue up the orchestra and set the spotlight to center stage because Playhouse Square is ready to raise the curtain on showstopping performances from high school students around the region. The 2024 Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman celebrates the onstage and offstage work of students from a record-breaking 37 schools across seven Northeast Ohio counties.
The Dazzle Awards is affiliated with the The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® and offers arts education opportunities throughout the school year. It culminates with the annual awards ceremony hosted by Fox 8’s Natalie Herbick. Excitement fills the air as participating students walk the “PNC Red Carpet” upon arrival, then perform on a Playhouse Square stage.
The 2024 Dazzle Awards Ceremony takes place at the KeyBank State Theatre on Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000.
Throughout the year, students who have a passion for being on stage can participate in Dazzle Awards audition workshops and master classes with industry professionals; while other students have the opportunity to apply to be a Dazzle Awards Student Reporter, Technical Apprentice or Musical Apprentice. Through these programs, students can learn from the best in the business 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
Emily Chiu (Flute), Orange High School
Liam Foss (Guitar), Willoughby South High School
Ryan Heckroth (Trumpet), Hudson High School
Keller Shea (Saxophone), Bay High School
Philip Yao (Violin), Aurora High School
Technical Apprentices
Elle Firstenberg, Hathaway Brown School
Luke Lanning, Eastlake North High School
Lexi Weber, Chagrin Falls High School
Student Reporters
Jacob Meyers, Padua Franciscan High School
Ella Modarelli, Magnificat High School
Leanna Nugent, Bay High School
Lucy Spencer, Independence High School
At the May 18 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 winners will represent Northeast Ohio at The Jimmy Awards at the Minskoff Theatre in New York in June.
The 2024 Dazzle Award Nominees:
Best Student Orchestra
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Bay High School, Something Rotten!
Hudson High School, Into the Woods
Lakewood High School, Sweeney Todd (School Edition)
Orange High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Rocky River High School, Bye Bye Birdie
Shaker Heights High School, Mean Girls (High School Version)
Strongsville High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Best Technical Execution
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Hawken School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Hudson High School, Into the Woods
Lutheran High School West, Curtains (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Mayfield High School, Rent (School Edition)
Solon High School, Curtains (School Edition)
University School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Best Scenic Design
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Bay High School, Something Rotten!
Hawken School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Hudson High School, Into the Woods
Lutheran High School West, Curtains (School Edition)
Medina High School, The Prom (School Edition)
Solon High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Willoughby South High School, The SpongeBob Musical
Best Costume Design
Archbishop Hoban High School, Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Bay High School, Something Rotten!
Hudson High School, Into the Woods
Lutheran High School West, Curtains (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Mayfield High School, Rent (School Edition)
Nordonia High School, Mamma Mia!
Best Choreography Execution
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Bay High School, Something Rotten!
Lutheran High School West, Curtains (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Medina High School, The Prom (School Edition)
Saint Ignatius High School, How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Solon High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Strongsville High School, Chicago: Teen Edition
Best Ensemble/Chorus
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Bay High School, Something Rotten!
Hawken School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Hudson High School, Into the Woods
Lutheran High School West, Curtains (School Edition)
Magnificat High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Saint Ignatius High School, How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Solon High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Best Supporting Actor
Rafael Alarcon, Lutheran High School West (‘Bobby Pepper’ in Curtains (School Edition))
James Fornadel, Saint Ignatius High School (‘JB Biggley’ in How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)
Myles Hills, Shaker Heights High School (‘Kevin G’ in Mean Girls (High School Version))
Ryan Kooken, Solon High School (‘Bobby Pepper’ in Curtains (School Edition))
Aidan Moll, University School (‘Douglas Panch’ in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)
Charlie Pinter, Magnificat High School (‘Lurch’ in The Addams Family (School Edition))
Matthew Sherban, Avon Lake High School (‘Chef Louis / Sailor’ in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Max Wojtus, Avon High School (‘Lurch’ in The Addams Family)
Best Supporting Actress
Lourdes Gonzalez, Thomas W. Harvey High School (‘Babette’ in Disney's Beauty and the Beast)
Claire Guddy, Chagrin Falls High School (‘Babette’ in Disney's Beauty and the Beast)
Molly Ryan, Avon Lake High School (‘Flounder’ in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Sun-Hee Smith, Saint Ignatius High School (‘Smitty’ in How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)
Kayla Streem, Solon High School (‘Bambi Bernet’ in Curtains (School Edition))
Kaitlyn Tanski, Aurora High School (‘Serena’ in Legally Blonde The Musical)
Ceci Whiteamire, Lakewood High School (‘Beggar Woman’ in Sweeney Todd (School Edition))
Ananya Yadati, Hathaway Brown School (‘Glinda’ in The Wiz)
Best Actor
Sam Brown, Bay High School (‘Nick Bottom’ in Something Rotten!)
Micah Cabot, Avon Lake High School (‘Sebastian’ in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Savon Harris, Mayfield High School (‘Roger’ in Rent (School Edition))
Owen Hill, Lakewood High School (‘Sweeney Todd’ in Sweeney Todd (School Edition))
Kyle McFalls, The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC (‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ in The SpongeBob Musical)
Stanley Niekamp, The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC (‘Squidward Q. Tentacles’ in The SpongeBob Musical)
AJ Wansack, Avon Lake High School (‘Prince Eric’ in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Colin Willett, Magnificat High School (‘Gomez Addams’ in The Addams Family (School Edition))
Best Actress
Maggie Coggin, Solon High School (‘Georgia Hendricks’ in Curtains (School Edition))
Parker Dansizen, Avon Lake High School (‘Ursula’ in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Olivia Douglas, Medina High School (‘Emma Nolan’ in The Prom (School Edition))
Liv Erickson, Eastlake North High School (‘Elle Woods’ in Legally Blonde The Musical)
Kayla Haskins, Avon Lake High School (‘Ariel’ in Disney's The Little Mermaid)
Alexandra Newman, Western Reserve Academy (‘Belle’ in Disney's Beauty and the Beast)
Lindsey Ross, Hudson High School (‘Baker's Wife’ in Into the Woods)
Nora Stipanovich, Magnificat High School (‘Morticia Addams’ in The Addams Family (School Edition))
Best Musical (Tier 1 – school musical budget less than $13,000)
Aurora High School, Legally Blonde The Musical
Lutheran High School West, Curtains (School Edition)
Mayfield High School, Rent (School Edition)
Best Musical (Tier 2 – school musical budget greater than $13,000)
Avon Lake High School, Disney's The Little Mermaid
Hudson High School, Into the Woods
Magnificat High School, The Addams Family (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 2025 Dazzle Awards will be available online at playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards in August.