High school students win 2013 Henry Mancini Musical Theatre Awards

The 19th annual Geneva College Henry Mancini Musical Theatre Awards were held on the evening of May 15, 2013.

The winners of the coveted “Henries” were announced in front of a packed audience of student performers along with their friends and family. Geneva College presents the awards to honor excellence in high school musical theater in Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties. The event is also supported by the McCarl Family Foundation.

In addition to awarding the "Henries," the competition selected a male and female winner to represent the region at the National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City. Auditions were open for all students nominated in the categories of Outstanding Male in a Leading Role and Outstanding Female in a Leading Role. The two high school students who earned the trip to the national competition are Zach Malinak from Freedom Area High School and Francesca Nardone from the Ellwood City Area School District.

Throughout the evening, each of the nominated schools performed a selection from its musical. At the end of the ceremony, three judges who had not previously seen any of the performances awarded Central Valley High School "Best Performance of the Evening."

The winners are:

Outstanding Sets & Scenery

New Brighton Area High School, for The Drowsy Chaperone
Freedom Area High School, for Fiddler on the Roof
Beaver Area High School, for Me and My Girl

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Riverside High School, for The Wizard of Oz
Freedom Area High School, for Fiddler on the Roof
New Brighton Area High School, for The Drowsy Chaperone

Outstanding Costumes

Beaver County Christian School, for Annie
Central Valley High School, for The Wiz
Riverside High School, for The Wizard of Oz

Outstanding Student Orchestra

Beaver Area High School, for Me and My Girl
Big Beaver Falls Area School District, for The Wiz
Blackhawk High School, for Beauty and the Beast
Freedom Area High School, for Fiddler on the Roof

Outstanding Dance Performance

Ambridge Area High School, for Curtains
New Brighton Area High School, for The Drowsy Chaperone
Beaver Area High School, for Me and my Girl

Outstanding Vocal Ensemble

Hopewell High School, for Guys and Dolls
Freedom Area High School, for Fiddler on the Roof
Beaver Area High School, for Me and My Girl

Noteworthy Performance by a Group

Jenna Rosenfeld and Hunter Large, as the "I Am Adolpho" duet, in The Drowsy Chaperone, New Brighton Area High School
Alena Kucan and Michael Cannistraci, as The Thenardiers in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area High School
Alex Barna, Danny Watts and Ty Richardson, as the "Fugue for Tinhorns" Trio in Guys and Dolls, Hopewell High School
Julie Pflug and Elijah Smith, for "Love is Always Lovely" duet, in The Drowsy Chaperone, New Brighton Area High School

Noteworthy Performance by an Individual

Michael Cannistraci, as Thenardier, in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area School District
Elijah Smith, as Underling, in The Drowsy Chaperone, New Brighton Area High School
Joey Cortez, as Enjolras, in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area School District
Alex Barna, as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Hopewell High School
Tim Pfister, as Lefou in Beauty and the Beast, Blackhawk High School
Ricky Cavaliere, as Parchester in Me and My Girl, Beaver Area High School

Outstanding Female in a Supporting Role

Carly Koza as Lady Jaqueline in Me and My Girl, Beaver Area High School
Marina Thetford as Cosette in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area School District
Amber Leitsch as Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Blackhawk High School

Outstanding Male in a Supporting Role

Iain McCormick as Javert in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area School District
Anthony Aloisi as Tin Man in The Wiz, Central Valley High School
Calvin Hitchcock as Sir John in Me and My Girl, Beaver Area High School

Outstanding Female in a Lead Role

Brianna D'Itri as Sally in Me and My Girl, Beaver Area High School
Alyssa DeMarco as Janet Van de Graff in The Drowsy Chaperone, New Brighton Area High School
Francesca Nardone as Eponine in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area School District

Outstanding Male in a Lead Role

John Kusnir as Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone, New Brighton Area High School
Zach Malinak as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Freedom Area High School
Matthew Barnes, as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Ellwood City Area School District

Outstanding Overall Performance

Freedom Area High School, for Fiddler on the Roof
Beaver Area High School, for Me and My Girl
Ellwood City Area School District, for Les Miserables