Blind Brook's 'Something Rotten!' leads Metro nominees: See the full list
It might be called "Something Rotten!," but judges for the 2023 Metro Awards found plenty to like about Blind Brook High School's musical, honoring it with a dozen nominations for the high school theater awards to be bestowed June 12 in a ceremony at Tarrytown Music Hall.
The musical, about the playwrighting Bottom brothers who are fated to be working at the time of Shakespeare, earned Blind Brook the most Metro nominations this year, including a nod for overall production of a musical, the Metros top honor.
Blind Brook was also nominated for direction, music direction, choreography, scenic and lighting design, for chorus, featured performer, dance performance by a female-identifying performer and performance in a supporting female-identified role. There were also nominations for student critic and for technical achievement, a teacher-nominated honor.
The nominations were announced via a livestream Monday from the Music Hall stage, by producers Blake Spence and Jordan Singer. Also announced were this year's Metros hosts: Kerry Butler and David Josefsberg, last seen on Broadway in "Beetlejuice."
'Jersey Boys,' 'Birdie,' 'Anastasia'
Other schools nominated for outstanding overall production are Archbishop Stepinac's "Jersey Boys," Immaculate Heart Academy's "Xanadu," Nyack's "Little Shop of Horrors," Pleasantville's "Bye Bye Birdie," and Rye Neck High School's "Anastasia."
Schools nominated for overall production will perform during the June ceremony, as will the nominees in the leading performer categories. Those categories have been renamed in 2023 to be inclusive.
Pleasantville's "Birdie" and Rye Neck's "Anastasia" were nominated for 11 Metros. Nyack's "Little Shop" for 9; Immaculate Heart Academy's "Xanadu" for 8, and Stepinac's "Jersey Boys" for 7.
Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains is also nominated for outstanding overall production, for its national high school premiere of "Jersey Boys." Other Stepinac nominations are for performer in a leading male-identified role, performer in a featured role, cameo role, direction, duet, and vocal performance by a male-identifying performer.
In addition to overall production, Rye Neck's "Anastasia" is nominated for performance in a leading female-identified role, performance in a leading male-identified role, performance in a supporting female-identified role, performance in a featured role, chorus, direction, music direction, duet, acting performance by a male-identifying performer, and student technical achievement, an award nominated by a teacher.
"Birdie" at Pleasantville is nominated for overall production, performance in a leading female-identified role, performance in a supporting male-identified role, music direction, costume design, hair and makeup design, stage crew, small group number, comedic performance by a female-identifying performer, child performer and technical achievement.
'Little Shop' and 'Xanadu'
Nyack's production of "Little Shop of Horrors" is nominated nine times. In addition to overall production, it is nominated for performances in leading male- and female-identified roles, for ensemble group, direction, scenic design, lighting design, comedic performance by a male-identified performer, and student technical achievement.
Immaculate Heart Academy, an all-girls Catholic High School in Township of Washington, New Jersey, is up for eight Metros, the most-nominated school in Bergen County. Its production of "Xanadu" is up for overall production, performer in a leading female-identified role, ensemble group, direction, lighting design, hair and makeup design, acting performance by a male-identifying performer, and dance performance by a male-identifying performer.
Hosts from Broadway
Broadway's Butler and Josefsberg, who played Barbara and Adam (the Gina Davis-Alec Baldwin characters) in "Beetlejuice," will host the Metros on June 12.
Butler's Broadway career includes "Beetlejuice," before and after the pandemic, "Mean Girls," "Catch Me If You Can," and "Rock of Ages." She also created the role of Clio/Kira in the original Broadway production of "Xanadu."
She played Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors" and Penny in "Hairspray," Belle in "Beauty and the Beast," and Eponine in "Les Miserables." Off-Broadway, she created the role of Shelley in "Bat Boy: The Musical."
Josefsberg's Broadway credits range from "Beetlejuice" to "The Prom" (understudy and swing) and "Waitress" (where he played Ogie).
He was in Sean Hayes' "An Act of God," "Honeymoon in Vegas" and "The Wedding Singer" and was a replacement in "Grease" and "Les Miserables."
Back from a pause
The Metropolitan High School Theatre Awards, which return for a 22nd turn after a three-year pandemic pause, evaluate participating school musicals from Westchester, Bergen, Rockland and Putnam counties. This year, judges fanned out to 56 musicals from February to May, rating each in a wide range of criteria in 35 categories, from child actor and lobby display to overall production of a musical.
The awards ceremony gathers hundreds of showtune-loving theater kids in a single room to celebrate the work they did and the friendships they formed in the course of staging their musicals.
It is an ear-shattering evening, as each nominee's name is met with a crescendo of screams and applause. Winners rush breathlessly to the stage (some from the upper reaches of the balcony) to thank their casts, their directors and their parents. There are sometimes promposals.
The Metros have been held at a host of different venues through the years. They began in Nyack, then were held jointly in Nyack and White Plains Performing Arts Center (linked by a satellite feed), then at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, then Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, last at the massive Concert Hall at Purchase College Performing Arts Center.
This year's venue, the 843-seat Tarrytown Music Hall, has 529 fewer seats than Purchase's Concert Hall, making the Metros a tougher ticket this year. (Lohud.com and northjersey.com, the official media sponsor of the Metro Awards, plan to livestream the June 12 ceremony.)
Here's the full list of 2023 Metro Award nominees
Here's the complete list of nominees for the 2023 Metropolitan High School Theatre Awards, presented by Nyack's Helen Hayes Youth Theatre. The awards ceremony will be held June 12 at Tarrytown Music Hall.
Overall production of a musical
Archbishop Stepinac: “Jersey Boys”
Blind Brook: “Something Rotten!”
Immaculate Heart Academy: “Xanadu”
Nyack: “Little Shop of Horrors”
Pleasantville: “Bye Bye Birdie”
Rye Neck: “Anastasia”
Outstanding performance in a leading female-identified role
Immaculate Heart Academy: Kate Ryan as Kyra in “Xanadu”
North Salem: Gigi LeClair as Velma Kelly in “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Nyack: Tatum Hopkins as Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Pleasantville: Alice Cabral as Rosie Alvarez in “Bye Bye Birdie”
Rye Neck: Lulu Tagger as Anya in “Anastasia”
St. Joseph’s Regional: Hannah Schinder as The Baker’s Wife in “Into the Woods”
Outstanding performance in a leading male-identified role
Archbishop Stepinac: Ryan Diaz as Tommy DeVito in “Jersey Boys”
Northern Valley Old Tappan: Roman Gatti as Freddie Benson in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Nyack: Angus McLary as Seymour Krelborn in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Ossining: Frank Carl Marrero as J. Pierrepont Finch in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Ramapo (NJ): Bryan Fortunato as Bobby Strong in “Urinetown”
Rye Neck: Nathaniel Findlay as Dmitry in “Anastasia”
Outstanding performance in a supporting female-identified role
Blind Brook: Chloe Beal as Portia in “Something Rotten!”
Harrison: Jadyn Schwartz as Little Red in “Into the Woods”
Lyndhurst: Cecelia Valdez as Ursula in “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”
Mamaroneck: Sofia Martinez as Vi Moore in “Footloose”
Putnam Valley: Hayley Craane as Portia in “Something Rotten!”
Rye Neck: Talia Martelli as Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch in “Anastasia”
Outstanding performance in a supporting male-identified role
Academy of the Holy Angels: Thomas Snyder as Sir Toby Belch in “Twelfth Night”
Clarkstown South: Patrick O’Shea as Kenickie in “Grease”
Hastings: Sander Sheehy Markley as William Shakespeare in “Something Rotten!”
Ossining: Saniyah Fisher as Bud Frump in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Pascack Hills: Jacob Levin as Harry Bright in “Mamma Mia!”
Pleasantville: Alejandro Martinez as Conrad Birdie in “Bye Bye Birdie”
Outstanding performance in a featured role
Archbishop Stepinac: Ava Pursel as Mary in “Jersey Boys”
Blind Brook: Abby Meron as The Minstrel in “Something Rotten!”
Eastchester: Caitlyn Kops as Patsy in “Spamalot”
Kennedy Catholic: Penelope Parker as Pearl Crabs in “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Rye Neck: Carolina Doherty as Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in “Anastasia”
Tuckahoe: Olivia Nealis as Cogsworth “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
Outstanding performance in a cameo role
Archbishop Stepinac: Jonathan Guzman as Bob Crewe in “Jersey Boys”
New Rochelle: Andrew Cohen as Moth in “Love’s Labours Lost”
North Rockland: Vincent Verzi as Piragua Guy in “In the Heights”
Putnam Valley: Reece Emery as Lady Clapham in “Something Rotten!”
Ramapo (NJ): Alexis Ulmer as Little Becky Two Shoes in “Urinetown”
Westlake: Alejandro Gomez as Lurch in “The Addams Family”
Outstanding performance by an ensemble group
Brewster: Tessa Boissonnault and Autumn Takacs as Aunt Spiker and AuntSponge in “James and the Giant Peach”
Fair Lawn: Jacey Angerson, Katie Bazela, Allison Castillo, Madison Haug, Giana Ingrati, Amber Mouzone and Rebecca Rosen as The Urchins in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Immaculate Heart Academy: Kate Ryan, Maddie Heinimann, Maeve Murray, Tara McCarthy, Kara Ignacio, Mary Hahn and Isabella Falletta as The Muses in “Xanadu”
Nyack: Molly Brown, Tela Kopacz and Lyra Fontanilla as The Urchins in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Pascack Valley: Olivia Carpenter, Kayla Klas, Wendy Muska, Maya Teckwani and AlexandraWells as The Merry Murderesses in “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Rye: Sydnee Brown, Karis Repetto and Zoe Loizeaux as Rusty, Wendy Jo and Urleen in “Footloose”
Outstanding performance by a chorus
Academy of the Holy Angels: “Twelfth Night”
Bergen County Academies: “Fiddler on the Roof”
Blind Brook High School: “Something Rotten!”
Northern Valley Old Tappan: “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
North Rockland High School: “In the Heights”
Rye Neck High School: “Anastasia”
Outstanding performance by a student orchestra
Bergen County Academies: “Fiddler on the Roof”
Lakeland: “Into the Woods”
Mamaroneck: “Footloose”
North Rockland: “In the Heights”
Tuckahoe: “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
White Plains: “Mamma Mia”
Outstanding performance by a student pit musician
Bergen County Academies: Chloe Cho, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Don Bosco: Liam Nye, “Shrek”
Mahwah: Mia Salzman, “Shrek”
New Rochelle: Leah Shefferman, “Love’s Labours Lost”
The Leffell School: Ethan Stein, “Legally Blonde”
White Plains: Kei Wantanabe, “Mamma Mia!”
Outstanding achievement in direction
Archbishop Stepinac: Frank Portanova, “Jersey Boys”
Blind Brook: Christina Colangelo, “Something Rotten!”
Fair Lawn: John Giresi, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Immaculate Heart Academy: Jodi Capeless, “Xanadu”
Nyack: August Abatecola, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Rye Neck: Cyndi Feinman, “Anastasia”
Outstanding achievement in music direction
Academy of the Holy Angels: George Croom, “Twelfth Night”
Blind Brook: Jessica Cerisoli and Stephen Ferri, “Something Rotten!”
Fair Lawn: Charles Santoro, “Little Shop of Horrors”
New Rochelle: Regina Talbot, Sarah Mae Lagasca and Kirk Ehrenrich, “Love’s Labours Lost”
Pleasantville: Jon Vercesi and Nadia Rizzo, “Bye Bye Birdie”
Rye Neck: Kathryn Krull, “Anastasia”
Outstanding achievement in choreography
Blind Brook: Lauren Guivas, “Something Rotten!”
Eastchester: Mara Davi, “Spamalot”
Mamaroneck: Allison Parsley “Footloose”
New Rochelle: Julie McGough, “Love’s Labours Lost”
Northern Valley Old Tappan: Caitlin Ort, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Ramapo (NY): Natalie Nova, “Footloose”
Outstanding achievement in scenic design
Blind Brook: Zach Dore, “Something Rotten!”
Briarcliff: Jim Britt, “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical”
Fair Lawn: John Giresi, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Nyack: Kevin Gleeson, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Ossining: Steve Loftus, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Rye Country Day: Jac-que Robinson and Steve Loftus, “The Addams Family”
Outstanding achievement in lighting design
Blind Brook: Zach Dore, “Something Rotten!”
Immaculate Heart Academy: Nikki Belenski, “Xanadu”
Nyack: Andrew Gmoser, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Ramapo (NJ): Adam Nemeth, “Urinetown”
Rye Country Day: Jac-que Robinson, “The Addams Family”
Tuckahoe: Andrew Gmoser, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
Outstanding achievement in costume design
Brewster: Rose Bisogno, “James and the Giant Peach”
Glen Rock: Anna Lilikas, Olivia Childs and Lila Storey, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Kennedy Catholic: Annette DiGrandi, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Pascack Valley: Merielle Lupfer, “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Pleasantville: Eileen Cerrati, “Bye Bye Birdie”
Westlake: Evelyn Varga, “The Addams Family”
Outstanding achievement in hair and makeup design
Bergen County Academies: James Huelbig, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Immaculate Heart Academy: Katelyn Coughlan, “Xanadu”
Pascack Valley: Merielle Lupfer, “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Pleasantville: Fiona Brennan, Jane Murphy and Amy Pedulla, “Bye Bye Birdie”
Rye Country Day: Casey Hallen, “The Addams Family”
Westlake: Sabrina Galletti, “The Addams Family”
Outstanding performance by a stage crew
Briarcliff: “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical”
Pleasantville: “Bye Bye Birdie”
Putnam Valley: “Something Rotten!”
Rye: “Footloose”
Valhalla: “Roald Dahl’s Matilda”
Westwood: “Into the Woods”
Outstanding achievement in graphic design
Bergen County Academies: Daniel Lukatsky, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Glen Rock: Anthony Zapotosky, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Hastings: Emma Gelman, “Something Rotten!”
Mahwah: Mia Salzman, Melissa Ficarro and Eddie Shortway, “Shrek”
Saddle Brook: Anna Heireth, “Oliver!”
Tappan Zee: Ava Bourne and Maryn McCracken, “Spamalot”
Outstanding achievement in lobby display
Carmel: Mary Grgecic, “Disney’s High School Musical”
Clarkstown South: Payton Horan, Julia Halpert and Ella Bonvissuto, “Grease”
Dobbs Ferry: Lauren Baird, “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Don Bosco: Sheri Dennehy, “Shrek”
Northern Highlands: Jen Winkler, Krista Carpino, Sarah Franchi and Lana Hoffert, “Bright Star”
Sleepy Hollow: Ann Neilsen and Christina Papadopoulos, “Bye Bye Birdie”
St. Joseph’s Regional: Kim Buscher, “Into the Woods”
Outstanding performance of a duet
Academy of the Holy Angels: Eva Zazzali as Viola and Valentina Gonzalez as Olivia singing “I Am She” in “Twelfth Night”
Archbishop Stepinac: Calvin Lindo as Frankie Valli and Ava Pursel as Mary Delgado singing “My Eyes Adored You” in “Jersey Boys”
Carmel: Maureen Henshaw as Gabriella and Sam Corry as Troy singing “When There Was Me and You” in “Disney’s High School Musical”
Ramapo (NJ): Marissa Colangelo as Hope Cladwell and Bryan Fortunato as Bobby Strong singing “Follow Your Heart” in “Urinetown”
Rye Neck: Lulu Tagger as Anya/Anastasia and Nathaniel Findlay as Dmitry singing “Crowd of Thousands” in “Anastasia”
Tappan Zee: Daniel Lipari as Sir Galahad and Kiki Zervoudis as The Lady of the Lake singing “The Song That Goes Like This” in “Spamalot”
Outstanding performance of a small group number
Brewster: “Everywhere That You Are,” “James and the Giant Peach”
Clarkstown South: “Greased Lightning,” “Grease”
Glen Rock: “Git It,” “Little Shop of Horrors”
Hackensack: “Cell Block Tango,” “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Harrison: “Hello, Little Girl,” “Into the Woods”
Kennedy Catholic: “I’m Not A Loser,” “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Pleasantville: “Hymn for a Sunday Evening,” “Bye Bye Birdie”
Outstanding performance of a production number
Hastings: “We See the Light,” “Something Rotten!”
Midland Park: “Land of Yesterday,” “Anastasia”
Northern Valley Old Tappan: “The More We Dance,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Putnam Valley: “Will Power,” “Something Rotten!”
Ramsey: “I’ve Got Rhythm,” “Crazy for You”
Rye Country Day: “When You’re an Addams,” “The Addams Family”
Outstanding vocal performance by a female-identifying performer
Academy of the Holy Angels: Nora Giannantonio as Feste in “Twelfth Night”
Dobbs Ferry: Mika Wurf as Velma Kelly in “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Fair Lawn: Ariel Alania as Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Ramsey: Madison Sovak as Polly Baker in “Crazy for You”
Tappan Zee: Kiki Zervoudis as Lady of the Lake in “Spamalot”
White Plains: Zoe Gopoian as Sophie Sheridan in “Mamma Mia!”
Outstanding vocal performance by a male-identifying performer
Archbishop Stepinac: Calvin Lindo as Franki Valli in “Jersey Boys”
Briarcliff: Zach Hoyer as Percy Jackson in “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical”
Carmel: Sam Corry as Troy Bolton in “Disney’s High School Musical”
Lakeland: Philip Santini as The Baker in “Into the Woods”
Mamaroneck: Domenick Bierman as Ren McCormack in “Footloose”
Westwood: Matthew Ryan as The Baker in “Into the Woods”
Outstanding acting performance by a female-identifying performer
Academy of the Holy Angels: Eva Zazzali as Viola in “Twelfth Night”
Brewster: Ivelisse Arocho as Ladhalord in “James and the Giant Peach”
Fair Lawn: Juliana Foster as Mr. Mushnik in “Little Shop of Horrors”
New Milford: McKenzie Forte as Pugsley Addams in “The Addams Family”
Northern Highlands: Stephanie Contreras as Alice Murphy in “Bright Star”
Rutherford: Amelia Perlmutter as Cady Heron in “Mean Girls: High School Edition”
Outstanding acting performance by a male-identifying performer
Academy of the Holy Angels: Jack Laux as Malvolio in “Twelfth Night”
Harrison: Jack Eiff as The Baker in “Into the Woods”
Immaculate Heart Academy: Liam Fahey as Sonny Malone in “Xanadu”
North Rockland: Jordan Baez as Usnavi in “In The Heights”
Rye Country Day: Adé Larsen as Gomez Addams in “The Addams Family”
Rye Neck: Riley Taylor as Gleb Vaganov in “Anastasia”
Outstanding dance performance by a female-identifying performer
Bergen County Academies: Emily Levitis as Fiddler in “Fiddler on the Roof”
Blind Brook: Cassidy Wohl as Snug in “Something Rotten!”
Mahwah: Riley Coplin in the ensemble in “Shrek”
Northern Valley Old Tappan: Kyra Baily in the ensemble in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Saddle River Day: Nicolette Riera as The Moon in “The Addams Family”
Tappan Zee: Meline Kalishian as Not-Dead-Fred in “Spamalot”
Outstanding dance performance by a male-identifying performer
Immaculate Heart Academy: Hayden Bernstein as Young Danny in “Xanadu”
Lyndhurst: Joseph Brennan as Scuttle in “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”
Port Chester: Demetrius Haddock as Troy Bolton in “Disney’s High School Musical”
Ramapo (NY): Benjamin Mejia as Ren McCormack in “Footloose”
Ramsey: Nate Algor as Bobby Child in “Crazy for You”
White Plains: Lance Anthony as Sky in “Mamma Mia!”
Outstanding comedic performance by a female-identifying performer
Edgemont: Elena Korman as Karen in “Mean Girls: High School Edition”
Hastings: Elianna Carvalho as Portia in “Something Rotten!”
Pleasantville: Elsie Sabol as Ursula Merkle in “Bye Bye Birdie”
Ramapo (NY): Destiny Schoenleber as Rusty in “Footloose”
The Leffell School: Abby Farca as Paulette in “Legally Blonde”
Westwood: Samantha Arturo as Little Red in “Into the Woods”
Outstanding comedic performance by a male-identifying performer
Lakeland: Lionis Mani as The Mysterious Man in “Into the Woods”
Lodi: Michael Schirrmacher as Lord Farquaad in “Shrek”
Mamaroneck: Ian Morris as Willard Hewitt in “Footloose”
Nyack: Matt Petricone as Audrey II in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Putnam Valley: Jonah Shields as Thomas Nostradamus in “Something Rotten!”
Tuckahoe: Justin DiFucci as LeFou in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
Outstanding performance by a child performer
Don Bosco: Lyla Sosa as Young Fiona in “Shrek”
Glen Rock: Pemma Krumholtz as Little Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors”
Lodi: Jalani Clark as Young Fiona/Angel in “Shrek”
Pleasantville: Julian Dundie as Randolph MacAfee in “Bye Bye Birdie”
Saddle Brook: Christopher Cantarella as Oliver in “Oliver!”
Sleepy Hollow: Kieran Raghavan as Harvey Johnson in “Bye Bye Birdie”
Tuckahoe: Gabriella Berkman as Chip in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
Outstanding performance by a student critic
Blind Brook: Thomas Wemm
Dobbs Ferry: Maeve Gorham
Harrison: Simona Forgione
North Salem: Kara Paulsen
Westlake: Henry Sliss
Outstanding student technical achievement (teacher-nominated)
Bergen County Academies: Sisley Carretas, Daniel Lukatsky, Hannah Shinder and Daniel Simpson, Marketing Team, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Blind Brook: Julian Silva Assistant Technical Director and Sound Console Operator, “Something Rotten!”
Don Bosco: Lauren Gray and Bruno Snyder, Costume Design Assistants, “Shrek”
Harrison: Alondra Nolasco Rojas, Sound Designer, “Into the Woods”
Hastings: Vivian Smith, Costume Head, “Something Rotten!”
Lakeland: Jack Curran, Sound Designer, “Into the Woods”
Northern Valley Old Tappan: Sophia Ashbahian and Ella Perez, Student Music Directors, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Nyack: Daniel Anton, Production Stage Manager, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Pascack Valley, Kayden Caleca, Abby DiSalvo and Evelyn Jansen, Stage Management Team, “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Pleasantville: Elizabeth Hoadley, Technical Director “Bye Bye Birdie”Ramapo (NY): Joel Joseph, Head of Publicity, “Footloose”
Rye: Cameron Slocumb, Production Stage Manager, “Footloose”
Rye Country Day: Olivia Craig, Tati Leonard and Sydney Merrill, Stage Management Team, “The Addams Family”
Rye Neck: Mia Cooper, Production Stage Manager, “Anastasia”
Saddle Brook: Natalia Chahine, Student Director, “Oliver!”
Westlake: Sean Gray, Student Technical Director, “The Addams Family”
Westwood: Christian Vincenty, Stage Manager and Set Construction Chief, “Into the Woods”
This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Metro Awards: Every category, every nominee - see the full list
