Spotlight shines on Monmouth County high school students at annual Basie Awards

RED BANK —  Do you hear the people sing?

Middletown High School North made sure a crowd of 1,500 did Wednesday night during the 18th annual Basie Awards at the Count Basie Center for the Arts. Honoring the best in Monmouth County high school theater, the event gave students a chance to show off their skills, performing numbers from some of the top productions.

Middletown North took home one of the night's top honors, Outstanding Production of a Musical, for their spring performance of "Les Misérables," while Trinity Hall's "These Shining Lives" took home the award for Outstanding Production of a Play.

“This year’s Basie Awards ceremony was an electrifying celebration of the performing arts,” said Anthony Greco, Basie Center Arts Education and Outreach Manager and co-producer of this year’s show, in a news release. “Every year, the Basie Center gathers hundreds of students, actors, teachers, administrators and families to celebrate high school theater, and seemingly, the energy and excitement manages to get stronger.”

During the ceremony, a Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on actor, director and educator Darrell Lawrence Willis Sr.

Willis is a retired Brookdale Community College faculty member who has served as a member of the Count Basie Center Board of Trustees since 2005. He is the artistic director of the Dunbar Repertory Company, which produces shows throughout the Jersey Shore. “I want to thank the Basie Center, the board, and all those involved in presenting me with this award,” Willis said in the release. “I’ve been doing professional theater for 53 years now, and it warms my heart to receive an award of this magnitude.”

More: How can Red Bank's Count Basie find a bigger audience? Finding groups who have been ignored

Full list of 2023 Basie Awards winners

Dramas & Comedies

CAROLE MALIK AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Emma Freeman (Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives")

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN OF A PLAY: Sukhraj Goraya, Ian Hoffman (Christian Brothers Academy, "Rumors")

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Grace Sullivan (Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Kate Morin (Collier High School, "Tartuffe")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Joshua Ricatti (Colts Neck High School, "Don’t Tell Mother")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Jessica Heitmann (Middletown High School North, "The Crucible")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Sealth Grover (Middletown High School North, "The Crucible")

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Racheal O’Neill (St. John Vianney High School, "Clue")

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE (Tie): Jay Fielding (Middletown High School South, "Then One Foggy Christmas Eve"); Nico Ware (Collier High School, "Tartuffe")

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Kendall Thorner (Red Bank Regional High School, "A Christmas Carol")

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Nate Blodgett (Red Bank Regional High School, "A Christmas Carol")

2023 Basie Awards: See the full list of nominees

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Julia Weiss (Collier High School, "Tartuffe")

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Evan Callas (Rumson-Fair Haven High School, "The Canterville Ghost")

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Bridget Johnston (Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives")

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Tyler Izzo (Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives")

OUTSTANDING COMPANY IN A COMEDY: Christian Brothers Academy, "Rumors"

OUTSTANDING COMPANY IN A DRAMA:Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives"

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY:Ellen Phillips (Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives")

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY:Trinity Hall, "These Shining Lives"

Musicals

EVALUATORS SPECIAL AWARD: THE FUTURE OF HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE: Marshall Tappan (as Gavroche in Middletown High School North’s "Les Misérables"); Ella Mangano (as Annie in Raritan High School’s"Annie")

EVALUATORS SPECIAL AWARD: SEWING AND GROWING CREATIVITY:  Paul Buresh (Keansburg High School, "Little Shop of Horrors")

CAROLE MALIK AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:Laura Mazza (Middletown High School South, "Chicago")

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN OF A MUSICAL (Tie): Kerry McBride (Manasquan High School, "Mamma Mia"); Carla Valentino (Red Bank Catholic High School, "Anything Goes")

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL:Tom Smith (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING SMALL MUSIC ENSEMBLE:Christian Lopez & Sam Ferro (Christian Brothers Academy, "Godspell")

OUTSTANDING MIXED STUDENT + ADULT ORCHESTRA:Andrew Macirowski (Red Bank Catholic High School, "Anything Goes")

OUTSTANDING ALL STUDENT ORCHESTRA (Tie):Anthony Limaldi (Howell High School, "Matilda"); Michael Raguseo (Middletown High School South, "Chicago")

AMY GIINTHER FREDERICKS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION:Peter Isherwood (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ENSEMBLE GROUP:Merry Murderesses (Middletown High School South, "Chicago")

OUTSTANDING CHORUS IN A MUSICAL:Howell High School, "Matilda"

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY:Brittany Cohen (Howell High School, "Matilda")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Rebecca Grodek (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Bryan Reimertz (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Ava Giglia (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Sealth Grover (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL – FEMALE IDENTIFIED ROLE:Mia Suarez (Howell High School, "Matilda")

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL – MALE IDENTIFIED ROLE: Samuel Cusson (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL:Amanda Faria (Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables")

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL:Middletown High School North, "Les Misérables"

Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; ikeller@gannettnj.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Basie Awards honor best Monmouth County high school theater