Nyack, Stepinac high school musical stars win Rees Awards, on to Metros

Audiences have stood and cheered them, their schools nominated them and now Tatum Hopkins of Nyack High School and Calvin Lindo of Archbishop Stepinac High School can add another accolade to their theater resumes: They were named outstanding performers at the 13th Annual Roger Rees Awards on May 21.

Hopkins, who played Audrey in Nyack's production of "Little Shop of Horrors" and Lindo, who played Frankie Valli in Stepinac's national high school premiere of "Jersey Boys" were chosen for the honors from among actors from 53 high schools across the greater New York area.

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The nominees — who included Lower Hudson Valley students from Blind Brook, North Rockland, Pleasantville, Ramapo, Rye Neck, Pelham, Carmel, Sleepy Hollow and Suffern high schools — attended two days of workshops and master classes. They learned tricks of the trade and rubbed elbows with fellow triple threats.

Hopkins, a Nyack senior, said: "All of the nominees were super talented and it was really amazing to be around so many focused people my age who are passionate about the same things that I'm passionate about, and we put on a really awesome show. It was really exciting."

Performing for Broadway folks

Hopkins and Lindo were among a dozen finalists to perform for the Rees judges, including director Michael Arden ("Parade"), Kiara Brown Clark (Disney Theatricals), Tony-winning producer Greg Nobile ("A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"), Broadway casting director Merri Sugarman, Tony-winning composer Jeanine Tesori ("Fun Home"), and director-choreographer Cynthia Thole.

Hopkins sang "Somewhere That's Green," in which the put-upon Audrey daydreams of a place with "a fence of real chain link." Lindo sang "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," one of Valli's biggest solo hits, which gets a huge buildup in "Jersey Boys."

The Stepinac junior from Yonkers said his Rees mentor, Jason Gotay, had specific advice for him to consider when singing for the judges.

"He expressed how stillness speaks volumes," Lindo said. "He was saying to be still. With my song, it's kind of in a different context when it comes to doing it in front of judges. I have to really focus my attention in certain places and then change it in other places."

The stillness must have worked.

Next: The Metro Awards

There's another award ceremony in their near future: the 22nd annual Metro Awards June 12 at Tarrytown Music Hall.

Since both Stepinac and Nyack are nominated for outstanding overall production at the Metros — and will perform a song or a medley from their shows — audiences will get to see Lindo as Valli and Hopkins as Audrey again. (The ceremony will be live-streamed on lohud.com, the event's official media sponsor.)

Hopkins is nominated for outstanding performance in a leading female-identified role, which means she'll also take the Metros stage as Audrey, solo, singing 16 bars from "Somewhere That's Green," giving the Metros audience a taste of what the Rees judges liked.

Lindo is twice nominated for Metros, for his duet of "My Eyes Adored You," with Ava Pursel, and for outstanding vocal performance by a male-identifying performer.

Then: The Jimmys, or Chenoweth

Their Rees wins qualify Hopkins and Lindo for yet another award: The Broadway League Foundation’s Jimmy Awards on June 26 at the Minskoff Theatre.

Lindo recalled his Rees-winning moment.

"When my name was announced, I had so much emotion," Lindo said. "I couldn't believe that it was true. I was like, 'What the heck?' It was really cool."

The cherry on top was that Hopkins and Lindo were presented their awards by Rick Elice, the husband of Roger Rees, the award's Tony-winning namesake, who died in 2015. Elice co-wrote "Jersey Boys" with Marshall Brickman.

"When he handed me the award, he was like, 'We'll get Frankie Valli to come see you at The Jimmy Awards.' And it was just so humbling. I couldn't believe what he was saying. I also didn't realize that he was Roger's husband. So it meant even more to me that he shared such kind words with me."

Hopkins can't attend The Jimmys — and will be represented by Lauren Marchand of Jericho High School on Long Island, who played Elsa in "Frozen" — but she has the best of reasons.

She has been cast in a workshop reading of Stephen Schwartz's workshop musical "The Queen of Versailles," based on the 2012 documentary about socialite Jacqueline Siegel, and starring Tony-winner Kristin Chenoweth. The last time Schwartz and Chenoweth teamed up was on a little show called "Wicked."

Hopkins couldn't say what her "Versailles" role is, "but I can say it's really great to work with Kristin, being at some of her camps and seeing her work ethic there and with this show, it's just really great."

Turns out, Hopkins is a three-time attendee at Chenoweth's Broadway Boot Camp, where Hopkins' voice coach Celeste Simone is "a camp favorite."

"Everyone loves Celeste," said Hopkins, who will be back for her fourth and final July boot camp this summer, after her June graduation from Nyack, which is another place that's green.

Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Stepinac, Nyack high school stars win Roger Rees Awards, on to Metros