Young actors shone in the spotlight on Sunday as the 10th annual Teeny Awards were presented at Eastport-South Manor High School.
East Hampton High School students took home top honors, including Lead Actress in a Drama, which went to Kathryn Ryan, Supporting Actor in a Drama, which went to Yori Johnson, and Supporting Actress in a Drama, which went to Allison Charde, all for It’s a Wonderful Life.
The Teeny Awards event, which featured a pre-show red carpet, was modeled after Broadway's Tony awards -- which also aired on Sunday night -- and celebrate excellence in high school theater across the East End. Onhand were emcee Bonnie Grice and New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele, who presented a proclamation in honor of the event's tenth annivesary.
"I've loved being part of the tenth anniversary," said Morgan Vaughan, Teeny Awards coordinator. "When I took this job, I knew I'd get involved with the process, I just didn't know how much. I really started to root for the students and get sort of addicted to seeing them really grow, change and stretch themselves."
Vaughan said one presenter, Matthew Libassi, who won for best actor the first year of the Teenys, is now a television producer at Fox News, "and can't say enough good things about what theatre taught him."
Pat Snyder, executive director of East End Arts, the group that organizes the Teenys, said the event was organized to call attention to the value of theatre in developing well-rounded and confident young adults. "East End Arts is proud to have introduced this very special program that recognizes and applauds our talented students of the East End.”
The 2012 Teeny Awards winners are:
DRAMA
Lead Actor in a Drama
Nick Motlenski, McGann-Mercy, The Glass Menagerie
Lead Actress in a Drama
Kathryn Ryan, East Hampton, It’s a Wonderful Life
Supporting Actor in a Drama
Yori Johnson, East Hampton, It’s a Wonderful Life
Supporting Actress in a Drama
Allison Charde, East Hampton, It’s a Wonderful Life
COMEDY
Lead Actor in a Comedy
Nick Motlenski, McGann-Mercy, Arsenic and Old Lace
Lead Actress in a Comedy
Nicole Chiuchiolo, McGann-Mercy, Arsenic and Old Lace
Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Beau Riva, Pierson, Pygmalion
Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Kristen Suarez, Shoreham-Wading River, Brighton Beach Memoirs
MUSICAL
Lead Actor in a Musical
Sam Kortchmar, Southold, Curtains
Lead Actress in a Musical - A Tie
Emily Hinz, Pierson, Anything Goes
Veronica Reitz, Mattituck, Leader of the Pack
Supporting Actor in a Musical
Francesco Logozzo, Westhampton Beach, A Chorus Line
Supporting Actress in a Musical
Catherine Fioriello, East Hampton, Anything Goes
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
This category was created to recognize a student who “shines brightly” in a role that is not eligible for adjudication in the leading or supporting categories.
Jonathan Troiano, Riverhead, “Action” in West Side Story
JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD
This award is chosen by vote for a particular scene, musical number, dance number, or group that the judges feel stands out enough to warrant special recognition. This year, the recipient is the cast and crew of Mattituck High School’s “Check, Please.”
CHOREOGRAPHY
Marisa Fedele, Gayle Gammon, Winter Wilcenski, Southold, Curtains
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
Westhampton Beach, A Chorus Line
STAGE MANAGER RECOGNITION
Center Moriches, Scott McVetty, Jessica Oswalt and Carolyn Turkington, All Shook Up
East Hampton, Nicole Miksinski and Ouutong Phooprasert, It’s a Wonderful Life and Anything Goes
Eastport-South Manor, Paige Moeller and Jessica Sauerwald, West Side Story
Greenport, Sean Walden, archy & mehitabel
Hampton Bays, Amy Stangasser and Babette Paul, Bye Bye Birdie
Mattituck, Kaylee Bergen and Kimberly Olsen, Leader of the Pack
Mattituck, Maria Peroni and Julia Gaines, One Acts: The Rehearsal and Check, Please!
McGann-Mercy, Stephanie Strippoli, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Glass Menagerie and Jekyll & Hyde
Pierson, Emily Verneuille, Pygmalion
Pierson, Emma Brannen, Shelly Matthers and Nick Dwoskin, Anything Goes
Riverhead, Abigail Beodeker, Working and West Side Story
Ross, Victoria Batista, One Acts
Shoreham-Wading River, Mariah Brengel, Beauty and the Beast and Brighton Beach Memoirs
Southampton, Skylar Borucke, West Side Story
Southold, Jaclyn Conway, Curtains
Westhampton Beach, Jenna Arcuri, Fools
SET DESIGN
Beau Riva, Pierson, Anything Goes
PLAYBILL/POSTER ART
Emily Gandalfo, Westhampton Beach, Fools
INNOVATIONS IN THEATRE EDUCATION
This award recognizes the efforts of a school that goes above and beyond to support exceptional theatre arts education. This year, McGann-Mercy High School is being recognized for its addition of a third production during the school year devoted to serious drama by such playwrights as Tennessee Williams, Thornton Wilder, Edward Albee and Eugene O’Neill.
