Metro Awards: 6 Metros moments that linger
The Metro Awards, the equivalent of Broadway's Tony Awards for the high schools of the northern NYC suburbs, returned June 12 after a three-year pandemic pause and bestowed its highest honor, outstanding overall production, to Rye Neck High School's "Anastasia."
While that musical deals with a girl who might or might not be Russian royalty, Monday's sold-out crowd at Tarrytown Music Hall harbored not a single doubt: It was great to be back.
This year's graduating seniors were in eighth grade in 2019, the last time the Metros were held. But here they were, dressed sharp and ready to celebrate their achievements. They'd taken blank stages from Putnam Valley to Nyack to Westwood, New Jersey, and turned them into London or Skid Row or a far-off kingdom.
After a three-year absence, Monday's Metro Awards were all about presence.
About being present for 843 fellow theater-loving kids, families and fans.
About the presence of mind, when handed an award, to thank your cast and crew and parents and your friend with a concussion. (That happened.)
About making the most of your presence on stage, in your moment.
And, in the end, about stage presence. Poise.
6 Metros moments
Honors were handed out in 35 categories, but the night wasn't just about handing out trophies. There were 18 performances by those schools up for overall production and by the six actors and six actresses nominated in leading roles.
There are moments that linger.
Rye Neck's Talia Martelli, as Lily, being hoisted aloft and spun around by her fellow "Anastasia" castmates in the song "Land of Yesterday." Martelli has presence to burn and took her time acting the scene to full effect. It was a dazzling performance. (Watch it, and all the others, again, on lohud.com.)
Pleasantville's Alejandro Martinez, in a gold jumpsuit, as Conrad Birdie in "Bye Bye Birdie," telling the swooning citizens of Sweet Apple, Ohio, that it really pays to be sincere.
North Salem's Gigi LeClair as Velma Kelly in "Chicago," giving the crowd "All That Jazz," full of style, sizzle and attitude.
The giddy glee of three girls representing Pleasantville's stage crew, as they stood at the podium, their arms linked, and thanked the crew "and everyone who helped us get here."
Director Christina Colangelo of Blind Brook High School, the daughter, granddaughter and grand-niece of female directors and theater educators, accepting the award for outstanding direction with these words: "Everything I ever needed to know about life I learned from musical theater: History, music, language, problem-solving strategies, the ability to overcome disappointment, tolerance, teamwork, time management, communication, expression. Most importantly, theater kids grow up to be the most empathetic, well-rounded and worldly adults."
The boundless exhilaration of the kids from Rye Neck when their production was named outstanding overall production, as captured in Seth Harrison's powerful images.
There was no absence of joy. Absence gave way to abundance.
And then it was on to the buses for the trips home. For some, it was a school night.
Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com
The Metros in 102 images
USA Today Network photographer Seth Harrison was all over the Metro Awards at Tarrytown Music Hall on Monday night. See his extensive gallery, 102 images of song, dance and joy, at www.lohud.com.
The Metros went to...
The winners of the 2023 Metropolitan High School Theater Awards on June 12 at Tarrytown Music Hall.
Lobby display: Raegan Sedlarcik, Carmel High School, “Disney’s High School Musical”
Graphic Design: Emma Gelman, Hastings High School, “Something Rotten!”
Comedic Performance – Male: Ian Morris, Mamaroneck, “Footloose”
Comedic Performance – Female: Elianna Carvalho, Hastings, “Something Rotten!”
Student Critic: Maeve Gorham, Dobbs Ferry High School
Student Critic: Maeve Gorham, Dobbs Ferry
Student Pit Musician: Leah Shefferman, New Rochelle High School, “Love’s Labours Lost”
Scenic Design: Zach Dore, Blind Brook High School, “Something Rotten”
Dance Performance – Male: Nate Algor, Ramsey High School, “Crazy for You”
Dance Performance – Female: Nicolette Rivera, Saddle River Day School, “The Addams Family”
Orchestra (a tie): Lakeland's orchestra for “Into the Woods” and White Plains High School's orchestra for “Mamma Mia!”
Small Group Number: “I’m Not A Loser,” Kennedy Catholic, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Acting Performance – Male: Jack Eiff, Harrison High School, “Into the Woods”
Acting Performance – Female: Amelia Perlmutter, Rutherford High School, “Mean Girls: High School Edition
Stage Crew: Pleasantville High School, “Bye Bye Birdie”
Child Performer: Julian Dundie, Pleasantville High School, “Bye Bye Birdie”
Hair and Makeup Design: Merielle Lupfer, Pascack Valley High School, “Chicago: Teen Edition”
Duet: “The Song That Goes Like This,” Tappan Zee High School, “Spamalot”
Technical Merit (4 winners): Julian Silva, Blind Brook, “Something Rotten!”; Kayden Caleca, Abby DiSalvo, and Evelyn Jansen, Pascack Valley, “Chicago: Teen Edition”; Joel Joseph, Ramapo (NY) “Footloose”; Christian Vincenty, Westwood, “Into the Woods”
Lighting Design: Nikki Belenski, Immaculate Heart Academy, “Xanadu”
Choreography: Caitlin Ort, Northern Valley Old Tappan, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
Vocal Performance – Male: Sam Corry, Carmel, “Disney’s High School Musical”
Vocal Performance – Female: Nora Giannantonio, Academy of the Holy Angels, “Twelfth Night”
Production Number: “When You’re an Addams,” Rye Country Day School, “The Addams Family)
Chorus: Bergen County Academies, “Fiddler on the Roof”
Featured Ensemble Group: Tessa Boissonnault and Autumn Takacs, Brewster, “James and the Giant Peach”
Costume Design: Evelyn Varga, Westlake, “The Addams Family”
Cameo: Alexis Ulmer, Ramapo (NJ), “Urinetown”
Cameo: Alexis Ulmer, Ramapo (NJ), “Urinetown”
Featured Ensemble Member: Carolina Doherty, Rye Neck, “Anastasia”
Music Direction: Charles Santoro, Fair Lawn, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Supporting Actor: Alejandro Martinez, Pleasantville, “Bye Bye Birdie”
Supporting Actress (A tie): Chloe Beal, Blind Brook, “Something Rotten!” and Cecelia Valdez, Lyndhurst, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”
Director: Christina Colangelo, Blind Brook, “Something Rotten!”
Lead Actor: Nathaniel Findlay, Rye Neck, “Anastasia”
Lead Actress: Tatum Hopkins, Nyack, “Little Shop of Horrors”
Overall production: Rye Neck, “Anastasia”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Metro Awards 2023: Moments that linger from the HS theater awards show
