May 17, 2025
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Matched by Pat & John Chapman
The 10th Anniversary of the Dazzle Awards is generously presented by Pat & John Chapman and supported by PNC
An additional thank you to the donors who have supported with a gift of $500 or more:
John P. Murphy Foundation
Veale Foundation • Aaron & Whitney Weisenberg
The Warren Anderson Family • Dr. & Mrs. Mark Angel • Mr. David Bishop
Paula & Bill Cosgrove • Joseph Ferritto • James Graham & David Dusek • Mary & Gordon Harnett
Alex I.‡ & Donna M. Koler • Heather Lennox & Douglas Krause • James & Susan Ratner
William & Diann Rucki • The Ralph & Lucille Schey Foundation • Deborah Sukey
Mrs. Lori Trehan • Kurt Conrad Treu • Lisa & Jeffrey Weiss
Debbie & Jim Wert • The Zaim Family
7/1/24-5/5/25
Welcome
Welcome and thank you for joining us for the 10th anniversary of the Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman and supported by PNC. Tonight is a celebration of the talent and hard work of the students, directors and staff members from our 38 participating schools — the largest number since the program began.
While this evening’s event is the thrilling culmination of so much hard work, I find it even more rewarding to know that the impact of this program will last long after the final curtain call. We have seen students inspired to go on to make their debut on Broadway or to pursue careers in journalism, arts management or event production. In every case, students leave the program with confidence and skills that aid them in varied careers and fields of study. Friendships formed during the Dazzle Awards have endured. This is what drives us to support arts education as an important facet of our not-for-profit mission at Playhouse Square.
Thank you for sharing this special evening with us. We look forward to seeing you at the theater again soon and watching where the future will take the talented students who will dazzle us tonight!
Craig Hassall AM President and CEO, Playhouse Square
May 17, 2025 – KeyBank State Theatre
Director/ Choreographer
Connor Gallagher
Associate Music Director
Rob Kovacs
Stage Manager
Jack-Anthony Ina
Production Assistant/ Props Master
Kenedy Brooks
Vice President of Education
Daniel Hahn
Associate Choreographer
Elyse Niederee
Lighting Designer
Music Director/ Conductor
Joel Mercier
Michael Boll Sound Designer
Assistant
Stage Manager
Julie C. Okuley
Director of Production
Penny Zaletel
Sr. Manager, Outreach Programs
Amber McIntyre
Angie Hayes
Assistant
Stage Manager
Whitney Miller
Production Manager
Tony Hanf
Community Programs Supervisor
Emily Suman
Thank you to all Playhouse Square trustees, staff members and volunteers for making the Dazzle Awards possible!
DAZZLE AWARDS
Courage and Gratitude
These two words came to mind as we reflected on attending all 38 high school musicals. (Box score: Pat — 34 and John — 4).
Courage of the student actors, orchestras and crew in performing in front of peers, parents, grandparents, teachers and friends — some for the first time while others took on new parts outside their comfort zones. All the students we observed put themselves out there with their hearts and souls, being vulnerable while adding joy to our world.
Gratitude to the teachers, parents, siblings, friends and administrators who supported our students’ efforts. We echo the comments students made in their program biographies: almost all said THANK YOU for the support they received from these incredible, caring people.
While exhausting, attending all these performances added passion and love to our lives. It reinforces our belief in the power of high school musicals to educate, empower and grow our young people while entertaining and enhancing our sense of community. Thank you all for allowing us to be part of your lives through the Dazzle Awards program.
Pat and John Chapman
Apprentices & Student Reporters
Musical Apprenticeship
The Musical Apprenticeship gives five student musicians the chance to play alongside the incredibly talented Cleveland Federation of Musicians in the orchestra during tonight’s ceremony. Earlier this week, these students had a workshop with their union mentor and a chance to practice some of the music you’re hearing tonight.
Bravo to this year’s Musical Apprentices:
Jasmine Buckingham (Clarinet), Midview High School
Sydney Kolpien (Guitar), Rocky River High School
Trey Mallia (Trumpet), Solon High School
Keller Shea (Woodwinds), Bay High School
Lovelia Solarte (Violin), Solon High School
Technical Apprenticeship
This year’s Technical Apprenticeship gave three lucky high school technicians the opportunity to shadow the Dazzle Awards Production Team and observe the technical process of presenting the Dazzle Awards Ceremony at Playhouse Square. The students spent the week of rehearsals leading up to tonight’s ceremony learning what it takes for the “show to go on” from a unique backstage perspective — shadowing the lighting and sound designers, observing the creative process with our Director/Choreographer and Music Director, and applying their skills with our stage management team.
Congratulations to this year’s Technical Apprentices:
Carmen Chen, Independence High School
Elisha Chuey, Mayfield High School
Monica Horschler, Medina High School
Student Reporter Program
The Dazzle Awards Student Reporter Program provides students with the opportunity to build interview skills and learn from media professionals through workshops and practical learning. The program focuses on building interview skills and covering events, and culminates regionally with coverage of tonight’s PNC Red Carpet and our backstage “Social Station.” There were four students in the program this year, and you can see some of their great work on the Dazzle Awards Instagram page!
A round of applause for this year’s Student Reporters:
Abriana Heinz, Lakewood High School
Robert Kalman, Independence High School
Hailey Tramonte, Highland High School
Lola Weston, Rocky River High School
Opening Number
Tonight’s Program
ACT I
“Welcome to the Dazzle Awards” music by Marc Shaiman, original lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, revised lyrics and arrangement by Joel Mercier Featuring representatives from each participating school, Best Actor and Actress nominees, Best Supporting Actor and Actress nominees
Welcome Natalie Herbick
Best Scenic Design ...................................................... Brent Ballard & Morgan Coffee
Best Costume Design.................................................... Brent Ballard & Morgan Coffee
Best Musical Nominee Performance
From Godspell (2012 Revised), “We Beseech Thee” .......... Chagrin Falls High School
Best Choreography Execution Todd Leombruno & Amy Lily Ali
Best Musical Nominee Performance
From Hello, Dolly!, “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” ..............................Lutheran West
Best Student Orchestra ............................................ Bob Helmer & Emmanuel Stewart
Best Technical Execution ......................................... Bob Helmer & Emmanuel Stewart
Best Musical Nominee Performance
From Something Rotten!, “A Musical” .........................................Solon High School
Best Ensemble/Chorus Erin Deimling & Wilson Ha
Special Thanks ................................................................................. Craig Hassall AM
Best Musical Nominee Performance
From Les Misérables (School Edition), “One Day More” Lakewood High School
Intermission
Alumni Performance
Tonight’s Program
ACT II
“Everybody Rejoice (Brand New Day)” from The Wiz; “Just Be” from Kinky Boots; “On Broadway” from Smokey Joe’s Cafe / adapted arrangement by Joel Mercier; “There’s No Business Like Show Business” from Annie Get Your Gun / adapted arrangement from Ethel Merman recording; “Out of the Darkness” from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Featuring .................................. Daniel Blum, Savon Harris, J.R. Heckman, Gabi Ilg, Charles Kadair, Hannah Kulawiak, Lindsey Ross and Calista Zajac.
Best Musical Nominee Performance
From Hadestown: Teen Edition, “Wait For Me (Reprise)” Hudson High School
Special Recognition................................................................................ Daniel Hahn
Best Supporting Actor ......................................Warren Anderson & Alexandra Newman
Best Supporting Actress....................................Warren Anderson & Alexandra Newman
Best Musical Nominee Performance
From Shrek The Musical, “Freak Flag” Saint Ignatius High School
The Spirit of The Dazzle Awards Connor Gallagher
The Jimmy Awards® Program Natalie Herbick
Best Actor/Best Actress Medley 1
Featuring Owen Hill, Christian Lee, Kyle McFalls, Anthony Fritzgerald, Clare Bohan, Madeline Yankowski, Anderson Rambler, Sarah Bahr and Skyler Ramsey
Best Actor/Best Actress Medley 2
Featuring .................... Tommy Kim, JohnPaul Zorc, Samantha Vogel, Mira Cahalane, Heath Thompson, Symone Bibb, Katherine Thiele, Larissa Freas and Isaac Lewis
Best Actor Pat & John Chapman
Best Actress Pat & John Chapman
Best Musical Tier 1 ....................................................................Pat & John Chapman
Best Musical Tier 2 ....................................................................Pat & John Chapman
Closing Number
“A Chance to Shine” written by Joel Mercier ........ Featuring representatives from each participating school, Best Actor and Actress nominees, Best Supporting Actor and Actress nominees
AWARDS
Participating Schools
Tier 1 (Budgets less than $14,000)
The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC .......................... Merrily We Roll Along
Andrews Osborne Academy ...................................... Mean Girls (High School Version)
Archbishop Hoban High School Disney’s High School Musical
Aurora High School The Addams Family
Chagrin Falls High School .................................................... Godspell (2012 Revised)
Eastlake North High School ......................................................... The Addams Family
Hathaway Brown School .................................................... The Prom (School Edition)
Highland High School Disney’s Newsies
Lakewood High School .............................................. Les Misérables (School Edition)
Lutheran West........................................................................................ Hello, Dolly!
Midview High School ............................................... Mean Girls (High School Version)
Oberlin High School Little Women
Orange High School.................................................................. Little Shop of Horrors
Padua Franciscan High School .............................................. The Wind in the Willows
Shaker Heights High School................. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Strongsville High School Back to the 80’s
Theodore Roosevelt High School........................................................... Anything Goes
Wadsworth High School ................................................... Legally Blonde The Musical Walsh Jesuit High School..................................................... Godspell (2012 Revised)
Western Reserve Academy High Fidelity (High School Edition)
Tier
2 (Budgets more than $14,000)
Avon High School ...................................................... Les Misérables (School Edition)
Avon Lake High School ........................................................... Anastasia: The Musical
Bay High School ............................................................................... The Music Man
Brunswick High School Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Buckeye High School Anastasia: The Musical
CMSD All-City Musical.............................................................. Chicago: Teen Edition
Hawken School ........................................................................... The Addams Family
Hudson High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Independence High School The Sound of Music
Magnificat High School ..................................................................... Elf The Musical
Mayfield High School ........................................................................ The Music Man
Medina High School Curtains (School Edition)
Nordonia High School The Addams Family (School Edition)
Rocky River High School............................................................. Matilda The Musical
Saint Ignatius High School ........................................................... Shrek The Musical
Solon High School Something Rotten!
Thomas W. Harvey High School Legally Blonde The Musical
Willoughby South High School ...................................... Footloose (90-minute version)
Special Thanks
Materials from the productions listed below are presented through special arrangements with:
Broadway Licensing Global, broadwaylicensing.com
High Fidelity (High School Edition)
Concord Theatricals, concordtheatricals.com
Anastasia: The Musical
Anything Goes
Chicago: Teen Edition
Footloose (90-minute version)
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Hello, Dolly!
Little Shop of Horrors
Merrily We Roll Along
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
The Sound of Music
Music Theatre International, mtishows.com Back to the 80’s
Disney’s High School Musical
Disney’s Newsies
Elf The Musical
Godspell (2012 Revised)
Legally Blonde The Musical
Les Misérables (School Edition)
Matilda The Musical
Mean Girls (High School Version)
Shrek The Musical
Something Rotten!
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Music Man
Theatrical Rights Worldwide, theatricalrights.com
Curtains (School Edition)
Little Women
The Addams Family
The Addams Family (School Edition)
The Prom (School Edition)
The Wind in the Willows
Amy Lily Ali
2019 Lutheran West Graduate 2019 Dazzle Awards
Amy Lily Ali is so excited to return to Playhouse Square for this year’s Dazzle Awards ceremony! Amy is a University of Mount Union graduate with a BFA in Theatre and is currently working toward her MFA in Acting from Ohio University. She is an acting and dance teacher and an actor with Northeast Ohio Creatives. Favorite stage experiences: Wendla in Spring Awakening (MAD* Factory Theatre Co), Emma in The Prom (Carnation City Players Theatre), and Reza in Once (Ashtabula Arts Center). Amy thanks Amber Michalak for unconditionally believing in her!
Daniel Blum
2022 Mayfield High School
Graduate 2019, 2021 and 2022 Dazzle Awards
Daniel Blum is a local, awardwinning singer, actor and performer. Born in Gates Mills, Daniel has been involved in music and musical theater since childhood. You may have seen him play the titular role in The Who’s Tommy at the Fine Arts Association in Mentor. Other recent roles: Roger in Rent at the Academy for Performing Arts in Chagrin Falls and Bobby Strong in Urinetown at Mayfield High School, a role which won him the 2022 Best Actor Dazzle Award, after which he went on to participate in the Jimmy Awards.
Morgan Coffee
2024 Thomas W. Harvey High School Graduate 2023 and 2024 Dazzle Awards
Morgan Coffee is a proud alumnus of Thomas W. Harvey High School and the Dazzle Awards!
Calling it one of the best things she’s ever been a part of, Morgan says the joy that every person has to be at the Dazzle Awards is amazing. She is grateful for the opportunities from workshops to being on the
big stage and will forever look forward to seeing this program develop and get bigger.
Wilson Ha
2021 Hawken School Graduate
2021 Dazzle Awards
Wilson Ha is honored to return to Playhouse Square for this meaningful program. In 2021, he was awarded Best Actor at the Dazzle Awards for his performance in Songs for a New World at Hawken School. He continued his education at John Carroll University, majoring in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience. During college, Wilson was a dedicated member of the university’s a cappella group, serving as musical director for two years. He currently works in childcare at Laurel School and assists in biomedical engineering research at the Cleveland Clinic, and will begin medical school at Ohio University this fall.
Savon Harris
2024 Mayfield High School Graduate
2023 and 2024 Dazzle Awards
Savon Harris is a rising sophomore at Kent State University majoring in Musical Theatre. Savon loves singing and has a passion for the stage. You may have seen him in the 2023 Dazzle Awards; he won the award for Best Actor for his portrayal of CoalHouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime at Mayfield High School and was also a Best Actor nominee in 2024. He gives a big shout out to his family for always supporting him and loving him, but also to all of you who show up and support the beautiful talented performers on stage. He wants to remind everyone to be patient and remember that “Everything Happens for a Reason.”
Kayla Haskins
2024 Avon Lake High School Graduate
2022 and 2024 Dazzle Awards
Kayla Haskins (2022 and 2024 Best Actress nominee) is a graduate of Avon Lake High School and
currently a rising sophomore at Kent State University pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre. Favorite roles: Kitty Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (Kent State), Ariel in The Little Mermaid (Avon Lake High School), and Lorraine in All Shook Up (French Creek Theater). She thanks her mom, Playhouse Square, her professors, and family and friends for their constant love and support.
J.R. Heckman
2019 Solon High School Graduate 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Dazzle Awards
J.R. Heckman is a multi-awardwinning singer and actor, born and raised in Cleveland. A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, he holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and Screen Acting with a minor in Producing. J.R. has produced two benefit concerts for Josh Groban’s Find Your Light Foundation. He was a Jimmy Awards finalist and three-time Dazzle Awards Best Actor winner. J.R. has performed solo shows at Broadway’s 54 Below and The Green Room 42. Additionally, he has served as the Jimmy Awards Directing Assistant for the past three years. J.R. recently won MCC Theater’s MISCASTME vocal competition and has assisted on the Broadway productions of SMASH, Sunset Blvd., Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club, An Enemy of the People, Othello, and Suffs. His latest live album Timeless — a tribute to the American songbook — will be released on all streaming platforms this summer. J.R. is a proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA. @jrheckmanmusic jrheckman.com
Gabi Ilg
2021 Medina High School
Graduate
2019 and 2021 Dazzle Awards
Gabi Ilg won the 2022 Best Actress Dazzle Award and has wrapped up their third year studying musical theater at Baldwin Wallace University. You may have seen them playing Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar there in the fall. Previous credits: Fun Home (Medium
Alison), Rent (Mark’s Mom) and Measure for Measure (understudy Lucio/Pompey/Thomas). They look forward to continuing their theatrical education and career and are forever thankful for Playhouse Square and the Dazzle Awards for their continuous support.
Mason Kackmer
2021 Aurora High School
Graduate
2021 Dazzle Awards
Mason Kacmar (2021 Dazzle Awards Best Actor nominee) just finished his junior year as a Film, Television & Theatre major at the University of Notre Dame. Favorite college credits: Mr. Cladwell u/s in Urinetown, Bobby Mills in A Chorus Line and participating in New Works Labs at Notre Dame. Mason works as a Notre Dame campus tour guide and performs as a member of the Humor Artists improv troupe. He thanks Playhouse Square, the Aurora Drama Club program, and Rob Albrecht for all the performance and training opportunities he had in high school.
Charles Kadair
2020 Walsh Jesuit High School
Graduate
2019 Dazzle Awards
Charles Kadair (2019 Best Actor nominee) is ecstatic to be back here at the 10th Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards! Charlie is from Bath and recently graduated from Kent State University with his BFA in Musical Theatre Performance. Favorite regional credits: Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages (Clinton Showboat), Telly/“All Good Gifts” Soloist in Godspell (Porthouse Theatre) and King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar (Akron Civic Theatre). When he is not belting his face off, he can be found sifting through endless racks at a local thrift store or petting his dogs, Cannoli, Gelato, and Meatball. Charlie thanks his parents, Mike and Laurie, his Uncle John, his agents, and his family/friends for their endless love and support. @charlie.kadair @tpgagency charleskadair.com
DAZZLE AWARDS
Hannah Kulawiak
2019 Aurora High School
Graduate
2018 and 2019 Dazzle Awards
Hannah Kulawiak (she/her; 2018 and 2019 Best Actress nominee) is excited to be back in Cleveland to celebrate 10 years of the Dazzle Awards! Hannah is a NYC based actor, singer, musician and arts educator with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Indiana University. She has performed at The Green Room 42 and The Cutting Room (Duets with Natalie Weiss). She also recently worked on Sweeney Todd at Columbia University, performing in the ensemble, understudying Johanna, and serving as vocal captain. She has been featured in Forbes for her Taylor Swift Hotspots walking tour, is a teaching artist with Inside Broadway and a certified chess tutor with Chess at Three, and runs her own coaching studio. hannahkulawiak.com @hannah.kulawiak
Alexandra Newman 2024 Western Reserve Academy Graduate 2024 Dazzle Awards
Alexandra Newman, a graduate of Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, is a two-time recipient of the Corinne Van Dame Davis Award and the 2024 John W. Hallowell Award for overall outstanding student. She brought home her high school’s very first Dazzle Award nomination last year for Best Actress. Alexandra placed in the top 10 of Shining Star CLE, including a first and third place, for three consecutive years. Winner of the 2024 Cleveland Pops Orchestra Gordon and Jean L. Petitt music scholarship competition, she has been a guest singer multiple times with The Cleveland Pops Orchestra and Firelands Symphony. She is studying musical theater at the Manhattan School of Music and, in her spare time, is involved with Rosie O’Donnell’s “Rosie’s Kids.” This summer, she will teach musical theater and choreography for Rubber City Theatre at The University of Akron.
Lindsey Ross
2024 Hudson High School Graduate 2022, 2023 and 2024 Dazzle Awards
Lindsey Ross is excited to be back at Playhouse Square for the Dazzle Awards! She is a rising sophomore at Oberlin College working towards her BM in Music Theatre. Previous credits: Minskoff Theatre: The 15th Annual Jimmy Awards semi-finalist; Playhouse Square: 2024 Dazzle Award Best Actress winner, 2023 Dazzle Award Best Actress nominee, 2023 Shining Star CLE second place winner, 2022 Shining Star CLE second place winner; Kleist Mainstage: Jesus Christ Superstar (Priest 1/ understudy Mary Magdalene); Hudson High School: Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), The Addams Family (Morticia Addams); Rubber City Theater: Mean Girls (Regina George). Lindsey thanks her family and friends for all of their support. She also gives a HUGE thank you to the Dazzle Awards for having her back!
Emmanuel Stewart
2022 Thomas W. Harvey High School Graduate 2021 and 2022 Dazzle Awards
Emmanuel Stewart (2021 and 2022 Best Actor nominee) is thrilled to be participating in this year’s Dazzle Awards! He is honored and grateful to have been asked to join Playhouse Square and some of his peers on this stage once again. “The Dazzle Awards was such a ‘jaw dropping’ experience for me, and it really helped me in more ways than one,” he claims. Some of the main experiences he takes with him are the memories of long drives to downtown blasting Hamilton with his friends, the confidence gained throughout the experience, and above all the new friends and connections he made. Emmanuel is currently a content creator; he is still pursuing acting and now modeling. When asked what he is doing next he answers simply, “I am allowing the Lord to order my steps.”
Calista Zajac
2023 Magnificat High School
Graduate 2021, 2022 and 2023
Dazzle Awards
Calista Zajac is thrilled to return to the Dazzle Awards in celebration of its 10th Anniversary! She was honored to receive the 2023 Best Actress Dazzle Award, a moment that continues to inspire her journey in musical theater. Calista is a rising junior at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts pursuing a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. Collegiate credits: Six The Musical in Concert
(Catherine Parr), Bat Boy: The Musical (Shelley Parker), and She Loves Me (Ensemble/Amalia U/S). She is also a proud member of USC’s premier a cappella group, the SoCal VoCals. A graduate of Magnificat High School, favorite high school roles include Roxie Hart in Chicago: Teen Edition, Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins the Musical, and Matilda in Matilda the Musical. Regional credits: Sofia in Dance Nation and Iris in The Nether at Dobama Theatre, as well as Something Rotten! (Ensemble) at the Beck Center for the Arts. Calista gives special thanks to Pat and John Chapman, as well as her family and friends, for their constant love and support. CalistaZajac.com
Proud to be a part of the Dazzle
Send a shout out or share a favorite memory using #DazzleAwards
DAZZLE AWARDS
Tonight’s Performers
Bailey Adkins
Sedona Aiello
Noe Alarcon
Veronica Allie
Lilah Anders
Parker Anders
Frankie Ashkettle
Oldrine Baeni
Sarah Bahr
Cecelia Bailey
Josette Ballou
Cora Barcelona
Finley Barron
Aiden Bees
Amelia Beinecke
Phoebe Belle Glesius
Zohar Ben-Yosef
AJ Biascochea
Symone Bibb
Charlie Bird
Evelyn Bischel
Evangeline Blanks
Clare Bohan
Caeden Bolling
Ella Bozan
Henry Bradt
Allie Brewer
Hayden Brown
Lydia Browning
Anna Burchard
Hadley Burnett
Georgia Burtnett
Mira Cahalane
Marie Cain
Tyler Cameron
Max Canonico
Adriana Carcioppolo
Allegra Carcioppolo
Josh Carter
Sam Caruso
Logan Cerrito
Katelyn Chadwick
Xander Chen
Juli Chuey
Kaleb Cirilo
Timothy Clark
Molly Cleis
Maggie Coggin
Brooke Coldsnow
Kate Coleman
Wanda Collins
Simone Conde
Mariana Condon
Jimmy Cooney
Tessa Crouch
Owen Dailey
Maximus Deaton
Tori Deaton
Sundae Delarm
Peyton Diemert
Jocelyn Droes
Abby Emerson
Nicholas Fiorilli
Cadence Fountain
Connor Frankenberger
Larissa Freas
Anthony Fritzgerald
Mariana Fuery
Aiden Galati
Roselyn Garcia-Rentas
Sammie Geneva
Lorice George
Bridget Gerba
Ella Gifford
Ellison Gillispie
Gavin Ginther
Louanna Goldrick
Ryan Golob
Eliza Gonzales
Ethan Grabianowski
Colin Graham
Gage Gray
Moira Green
Eliana Greenberg
Claire Guddy
Sabrya Halmaoui
Addison Hanna
Joey Herman
Owen Hill
Claire Hoelzel
Caelyn Holbert
Tatiaunna Hope
Lucy Hopkins
Rosie Horvath
Chloe Iafigiola
Andrew Jeschelnig
Adrianna Johnson
Averi Johnson
Makenna Johnson
Rowan Johnson
Daten Jones
Miles Juhasz
Tristan Kahrl
Colette Karklin
Gregory Karulin
Bridget Katzenberger
Lilian Kearns
Laura Kelley
Rebecca Kelley
Jackson Kenny
Molly Kessler
Tommy Kim
Camy Klein
Roman Kline-Bossman
Millie Knapp
Owen Knight
Evie Koger
Italia Kolar
Woohyuk Kong
Riley Kruzer
Eden Lake
Nathan Lamb
Christian Lee
Isaac Lewis
Zach Littlejohn
Solaina Lopez
Daniel Luce
Miriam Lugo Patton
Maggie Luoma
Emma Maiure
Leo Mamotlivi
Aubree Marchant
Guinevere Marsh
Miguel Martinez
Rachel Marzullo
Maela Mazzone
Kyle McFalls
Sophia Mende
Logan Miles
Ella Miller
Greer Miller
Logan Miller
Grace Moore
Anthony Moree
Noah Morehouse
Abigail Moreno
Ashlyn Mouse
Natalie Muni
Conor Murtaugh
Julia Myers
Mai Nagano
Lizzy Noall
Tonight’s Performers
Frankie Nocente
Piper Noda
Jordan Novak
Noah Oblena
Olivia Osborne
Jack Ottaviano
Anna Pastirik
Lyla Patrick
Tessa Patton
JohnPaul Zorc
Adeline Pelletier
Katherine Perkins
Samantha Perry
Emily Petrella
Matthew Piatak
Milo Quintin
Westley Quintin
Juliana Rael
Anderson Rambler
Isabella Ramirez
Skyler Ramsey
Eire Ratcliffe
Will Read
Nathan Redmon
Tessa Ritchie
Carmen Robinson
Charlotte Rogalski
Holly Rogalski
Charlotte Rohr
MaKendree Rollins
Daria Rulle
Bryce Sandoval
Jalynn Saunders
William Schompert
Elizabeth Schuldt
Axel Scott
Charles Scott
Margaret Seamen
Russell Shelton
Isabel Siegel
Tessa Silverberg
Jack Simon
Kathleen Smith
Demiel Snyder
Ella Solyntjes
Alexa Soranno
Maizie Spremulli
Ava Stockmaster
Kayla Streem
Audrey Szwec
Kamryn Taylor
David Telban
Katherine Thiele
Heath Thompson
Kayla Timic
Taylor Torres
Madi Twining
Avery Vilcheck
Samantha Vogel
Maggie Vollman
Jonathan Vonhof
Josie Wall
Drew Wallen
Shiyuan Wang
Alex Watts
Sarah Wegrzyn
Adele Wentzel
Ceci Whiteamire
Sophia Williams
Zachary Wilson
Eva Wischhusen
Isaac Woofter
Madeline Yankowski
2025 Nominees
Best Student Orchestra
Avon High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Bay High School, The Music Man
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Lakewood High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Medina High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Orange High School, Little Shop of Horrors
Rocky River High School, Matilda The Musical
Shaker Heights High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Solon High School, Something Rotten!
Best Technical Execution
Avon High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Avon Lake High School, Anastasia: The Musical
Chagrin Falls High School, Godspell (2012 Revised)
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Lutheran West, Hello, Dolly!
Medina High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Nordonia High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Saint Ignatius High School, Shrek The Musical
Shaker Heights High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Best Scenic Design
Avon High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Avon Lake High School, Anastasia: The Musical
Bay High School, The Music Man
Chagrin Falls High School, Godspell (2012 Revised)
CMSD All-City Musical, Chicago: Teen Edition
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Lakewood High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Lutheran West, Hello, Dolly!
Saint Ignatius High School, Shrek The Musical
Best Costume Design
The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC, Merrily We Roll Along
Avon High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Avon Lake High School, Anastasia: The Musical
Bay High School, The Music Man
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Lakewood High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Lutheran West, Hello, Dolly!
Nordonia High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Padua Franciscan High School, The Wind in the Willows
Best Choreography Execution
Bay High School, The Music Man
Chagrin Falls High School, Godspell (2012 Revised)
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Magnificat High School, Elf The Musical
Medina High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Nordonia High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Saint Ignatius High School, Shrek The Musical
Shaker Heights High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Solon High School, Something Rotten!
Best Ensemble/Chorus
Avon Lake High School, Anastasia: The Musical
Bay High School, The Music Man
Chagrin Falls High School, Godspell (2012 Revised)
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Medina High School, Curtains (School Edition)
Nordonia High School, The Addams Family (School Edition)
Saint Ignatius High School, Shrek The Musical
Shaker Heights High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Solon High School, Something Rotten!
Best Supporting Actor
Ben Bixby, Western Reserve Academy (‘Ian’ in High Fidelity (High School Edition))
Logan Cerrito, Bay High School (‘Mayor Shinn’ in The Music Man)
Colin Graham, Medina High School (‘Oscar Shapiro’ in Curtains (School Edition))
Gage Gray, Rocky River High School (‘Big Kid / Escapologist’ in Matilda The Musical)
Woohyuk Kong, Andrews Osborne Academy (‘Kevin G.’ in Mean Girls (High School Version))
Sam McPherson, Highland High School (‘Race’ in Disney’s Newsies)
Anthony Moree, Thomas W. Harvey High School (‘Grandmaster Chad / Nikos’ in Legally Blonde The Musical)
Nathan Redmon, Strongsville High School (‘Huey’ in Back to the 80’s)
Zachary Wilson, Lutheran West (‘Barnaby Tucker’ in Hello, Dolly!)
Best Supporting Actress
Brooke Coldsnow, Independence High School (‘Elsa Schraeder’ in The Sound of Music)
Bridget Gerba, Saint Ignatius High School (‘Pinocchio / Dancing Rat’ in Shrek The Musical)
Claire Hoelzel, Chagrin Falls High School (‘By My Side’ in Godspell (2012 Revised))
Molly Kessler, Saint Ignatius High School (‘Dragon / Witch’ in Shrek The Musical)
Rachel Marzullo, Aurora High School (‘Grandma’ in The Addams Family)
Greer Miller, Hudson High School (‘Fate 2’ in Hadestown: Teen Edition)
Miriam Patton, Orange High School (‘Crystal’ in Little Shop of Horrors)
Makendree Rollins, Hudson High School (‘Fate 1’ in Hadestown: Teen Edition)
Danielle Sperber, Orange High School (‘The Plant (Audrey II)’ in Little Shop of Horrors)
Best Actor
Anthony Fritzgerald, Saint Ignatius High School (‘Donkey’ in Shrek The Musical)
Owen Hill, Lakewood High School (‘Jean Valjean’ in Les Misérables (School Edition))
Tommy Kim, Andrews Osborne Academy (‘Damian’ in Mean Girls (High School Version))
Christian Lee, Avon High School (‘Jean Valjean’ in Les Misérables (School Edition))
Isaac Lewis, Solon High School (‘Nick Bottom’ in Something Rotten!)
Kyle McFalls, The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC (‘Franklin’ in Merrily We Roll Along)
Anderson Rambler, The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC (‘Charley’ in Merrily We Roll Along)
Heath Thompson, Shaker Heights High School (‘William Barfee’ in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)
JohnPaul Zorc, Saint Ignatius High School (‘Lord Farquaad’ in Shrek The Musical)
Best Actress
Sarah Bahr, Avon High School (‘Madame Thenardier’ in Les Misérables (School Edition))
Symone Bibb, Thomas W. Harvey High School (‘Paulette Bonafonte’ in Legally Blonde The Musical)
Clare Bohan, Buckeye High School (‘Anya / Princess Anastasia’ in Anastasia: The Musical)
Mira Cahalane, Hudson High School (‘Hermes’ in Hadestown: Teen Edition)
Larissa Freas, Oberlin High School (‘Jo March’ in Little Women)
Skyler Ramsey, Andrews Osborne Academy (‘Janis’ in Mean Girls (High School Version))
Katherine Thiele, Hudson High School (‘Persephone’ in Hadestown: Teen Edition)
Samantha Vogel, Lutheran West (‘Mrs. Dolly Levi Gallagher’ in Hello, Dolly!)
Madeline Yankowski, Aurora High School (‘Morticia Addams’ in The Addams Family)
Best Musical (Tier 1)
Chagrin Falls High School, Godspell (2012 Revised)
Lakewood High School, Les Misérables (School Edition)
Lutheran West, Hello, Dolly!
Best Musical (Tier 2)
Hudson High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Saint Ignatius High School, Shrek The Musical
Solon High School, Something Rotten!
Natalie Herbick
Our Host
FOX 8’s Natalie Herbick is back and honored to be the host for this year’s 10th anniversary Dazzle Awards! Natalie is co-host of New Day Cleveland, the No. 1 locally produced talk show in the country. You can catch her from 10 a.m.–noon weekdays, and as anchor of the 4 p.m. newscast. Natalie’s love for musical theater and the chance to work with our talented students is the reason she is always so thrilled to be part of this grand evening, having been involved with the Dazzle Awards since the beginning. She grew up performing in her high school musicals and recognizes the importance of musical theater and arts education in Northeast Ohio. Natalie feels that she is part of something extremely special as we witness today’s youth embark on a journey that will ultimately transform them into the stars of tomorrow. She wishes luck to all the participants! Also, a big thank you to the parents and families of these students for their love and support. Natalie says success is a team effort, and this is one team she is humbled to join.
DAZZLE AWARDS
Adjudicator and Artist Recognition
Hannah Armenta
Douglas Bailey
Laurie Barron
Andrea Belser McCormick
Victoria Bussert
Erin Cameron Miller
Mateus Cardoso
Patrick Carpenter
Lucas Clark
Samantha Cocco
Kristy Cruz
Maya Curtis
Jason Falkofsky
Vonetta Flowers
Robin Gavan
Colin Briskey
Bridie Carroll Srsen
Amy Fritsche
Natalie Green
Adjudicators
Julie Gilliland
Heidi Glynias
Jonathan Gordon
Amani Green
Janet Herman Barlow
Courtney Horne
Ann Huebner
Therese Kent
Jennifer Korecki
Bryce Lewis
Anna Lowrey Clark
Jeanne Madison
David Malinowski
Lauren Marousek
Shannon McManus
Teaching Artists & Accompanists
Rob Kovacs
Colleen Longshaw Jackson
Nancy Maier
Michelle Makhlouf
Ben Malkevitch
Special Thanks
Bruce Nist Jr.
Cynthia O’Connell
David Petrovic
Derdriu Ring
Heather Sakai
Emily Schon
Tony Sias
Sandra Simon
Victoria Sullinger
Bret Tassone
Jeanine Tesch
SaraMarie Thellman
Alexander Ulle
Gina Valle
Mariama Whyte
Kathie Nejman
Sara Smith
Eugene Sumlin
Nicole Sumlin
Erin Coffey, Rachel Reiner and The Broadway League The Weisenberg Family Broadway National High School Musical Theater Awards Fund
cacgrants.org
Production Team and Orchestra
Molly Andrews-Hinders
Leigh Ann Andreani
Mike Bacanu
Lynsey Bachman
Dennis Boddy
Ronald Bradley
Jason Brown
James Burlingame
Mike Carissimi
Taylor Caruso
Morgan Chilton
Liana Dennison
Ananias Dixon
Meganne Evans
Ben Giulivo
Brian Glazen
Production Team
Seth Goldhamer
Kayla Haskins
Natalie Herbick
Kristen Jantonio
Bryce Johnson
Mason Kacmar
Kelly Kraus
Antoinette Kula
Kevin Lavelle
Dylan Lijana
Violeta Maurer
Naomi Mays
Joan Meggitt
Katelyn Merold
Suzanna Mingus
PJ Mozingo
Treva Offutt
Orchestra
Joel Mercier, Conductor
Linda Atherton, Cello
Justin Hart, Drums
Callista Koh, Violin
Rob Kovacs, Piano
Mark Mauldin, Trombone
Michael McCann, Reed 1
Dave McHenry, Guitars
Joe Miller, Trumpet
Tim Powell, Bass
Bettyjeane Quimby, Reed 2
A-1 Mr. Limo
Spindrift Management Group
Jordan Ostrowski
Lester Parker
Sarah Rounds
Bob Ruggeri
Michael Sinclair
Eddie Smith
Anthony Stewart
Marc Streem
Steve Stuckert
Grace Swank
Cindi Szymanski
Owen Towns
Julia Tuma
David Turner
Geoff Yaw
Brett Young
Video Production and Live Event Services
Think Media Studios
Our Creative Team
CONNOR GALLAGHER
(
Director/Choreographer)
Connor is a New Yorkbased director, choreographer and dance educator. Most recently, he directed and choreographed The Big Gay Jamboree at the Orpheum Theatre in NYC, as well as the world-premiere stage adaptation of Moana. He is also known for choreographing the worldwide musical phenomenon Beetlejuice, with productions on Broadway and in Australia, London, South Korea and the currently running North American Tour. Connor received the Astaire Award for his work on The Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of The Robber Bridegroom, directed by Alex Timbers. Other notable recent work includes a new adaptation of Beauty and the Beast for Disney Creative Entertainment running aboard the Disney Dream; the world-premiere stage adaptation of Disney’s Tangled; Robert Schenkkan and Neil Berg’s The Twelve (Denver Center); the HIFA Festival in Zimbabwe; Found (Philadelphia Theatre Company), 13 North American companies of Elf; and pieces for Goodspeed Musicals, The Public Theatre, Theatreworks USA, Bucks County Playhouse, Lincoln Center, Papermill Playhouse, Westport Country Playhouse, ACT, Playhouse Square and Shakespeare Theatre Company in D.C. Last year, he choreographed the world-premiere of Will Aronson and Hue Park’s Il Tenore at the Seoul Arts Center in South Korea. Next up, Connor will direct and choreograph the new musical Miss Step, by Melissa Li and Kit Yan. He graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory and was honored with the 2021 Young Alumni Award. He is a former competitive gymnast and made his Broadway debut as a performer in the final company of Beauty and the Beast. IG: @connorga. connorgallagher.com
ELYSE NIEDEREE
(Associate Choreographer)
Elyse is thrilled to be working with so many amazing young artists at The Dazzle Awards! As a performer, Elyse has performed on Broadway, in national tours, on television and cruise ships, and regionally around the country and the world. Some favorite credits include King Kong on Broadway, Saturday Night Live and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She is currently touring with the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge. As a choreographer and teacher, Elyse has been the associate choreographer for Elf the Musical, Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today regional debut at La Mirada Theater, and with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has also been on faculty at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and Broadway Plus.
JOEL MERCIER
(Music Director/Conductor)
Joel is a New Englandbased director, music director and composer. No stranger to Cleveland, Mercier spent four years with Great Lakes Theater, musically directing their productions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, My Fair Lady, The Secret Garden and Les Misérables, which won the Cleveland Critics and Broadway World Cleveland Award for Best Music Director. Past orchestration, arrangement and music-direction credits include nationally recognized theaters all over the country, including the New London Barn Playhouse (NH), Northern Stage (VT), Goodspeed Opera House (CT), Center for the Arts (PA), Idaho Shakespeare Festival (ID), the Palace Theatre (NH), American Music Theatre (PA) and NYC’s Duplex, Westbeth Off-Broadway and Nokia Theatre Times Square. An award-winning composer,
Mercier’s original productions and adaptations include Ghost Hunting and Lost in Wonderland (NH Theatre Factory), The Magic of Fairytales Series (Palace Theatre), Tom Sawyer (Winnipesauke Playhouse) and A Christmas Carol: A Sparkling New Musical which toured across the country in 2013. Mercier, a graduate of the Hartt School, was the resident music director and artistic associate at the New London Barn Playhouse for six years, a guest artist at Dartmouth College for three years, and is currently the producing artistic director at North Country Center for the Arts Jean’s Playhouse in NH. He is very excited to be back in Cleveland, having musically directed all the Dazzle Awards shows since their very beginning. joelmercier.com
ROB KOVACS
(Associate Music Director)
Rob Kovacs, also known by his stage name 88bit, is a multi-award-winning video game composer, concert pianist, synthwave producer, singer-songwriter and partnered Twitch streamer. He made history as the first person to perform a solo version of Steve Reich’s Piano Phase, playing both piano parts on two pianos simultaneously. Kovacs composed the acclaimed soundtrack for the award-winning virtual reality game STRAYLIGHT, which was nominated for a 2024 Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) Award for Best Video Game Soundtrack Album. In collaboration with producer Save Point, Kovacs released Video Game LoFi: Super Mario 64, a collection of lo-fi, jazz-inspired arrangements of music from Super Mario 64. Their track “Dire Dire Docks” won the 2023 G.A.N.G. Award for Best Game Music Cover. Through his 88bit project, Kovacs brings iconic video game music to life with intricate and innovative piano arrangements, often focusing on the 8-bit era. His arrangements include tracks from Marble Madness, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, R.C. Pro-Am, The Adventures of Lolo and more.
Kovacs has performed with several national touring Broadway productions, including Mamma Mia! MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical, White Christmas and Wicked. Kovacs is also a performing member of the No Exit New Music Ensemble, a contemporary classical group that commissions and presents new works. He serves as a professor of composition and songwriting at Baldwin Wallace University.
MICHAEL BOLL (Lighting Designer)
Michael’s Cleveland lighting design work includes Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Karamu House, Cain Park, Cleveland Museum of Art, Piano Cleveland, Dobama Theatre and Beck Center for the Arts. New York credits include The Moliere Cycle (Classic Stage Company), Dog Sees God (SoHo Playhouse) and The Moonlight Room (associate lighting designer, Beckett Theatre). His work has also been seen at the N.Y. Fringe Festival, La MaMa E.T.C., HERE Arts Center and Yale Cabaret. Michael has taught lighting design and lighting technology courses, classes, and/or workshops at Baldwin Wallace University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Cincinnati – CCM, Barnard College and Yale School of Drama.
ANGIE HAYES (Sound Designer)
Angie Hayes has designed and mixed sound for productions at many area theaters. Recent design credits include Peter/Wendy at Dobama, Pride and Prejudice at CPH, Fun Home at Cain Park, and Something Rotten! at The Beck Center. She is the resident sound designer for Dobama Theatre, and has also recorded and sound- designed for several podcasts, including “Beyond the Habit,” “Sidewalk” and “Munchen, MN.” She has a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, with an emphasis in recording technology and music business.
JACK-ANTHONY INA
(Stage Manager)
Jack-Anthony Ina is a director, designer and stage/production manager with 400 credits across the United States, most recently in New York City, Atlanta and Northeast Ohio. His recent stage management credits include Waitress, Ordinary Days, Ride the Cyclone, Ghost the Musical, The Wild Party and The Sound of Music. Recent designs include [title of show] (scenic/lighting), Season’s Greetings (lighting), The Cotton Club Revue (lighting), Cabaret (lighting), Ride the Cyclone (Projections, Cleveland Critics Circle Award Winner), The Prom (lighting), A Soulful Christmas (lighting) and The Lightning Thief (scenic/lighting). In addition to his production work, Jack has been mentoring student stage managers and lighting designers for several years, and continues to serve as a director and audition coach for the Weathervane Musical Theatre Company. This summer, Jack will start a new position as Music Theatre Coordinator and Production Stage Manager at Oberlin College & Conservatory. Jack holds a BA in Theatre: Stage Management and Arts Management & Entrepreneurship from Baldwin Wallace University, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. @jackanthonyina
JULIE C. OKULEY
(Assistant Stage Manager)
Julie received her Bachelor of Arts in musical theater from Siena Heights University in 2011. Back to reprise her role as ASM for the Dazzle Awards, other stage management credits include The River Bride, Breakout Session and The Outstretched Hand (Cleveland Public Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire and Bright Ideas (The Brecksville Theatre), Bloody, Little Pieces (Blank Canvas Theatre), Disney Musicals in Schools Student Share (Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square 2016-18) and others. Julie has also most recently returned to the
stage with appearances in Lakeland Theatre’s If/Then (u/s Kate) and Blank Canvas Theatre’s productions of We Will Rock You (ensemble). Favorite roles include Hannah in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, Nancy D. in A New Brain and Lavinia in the two-part production of Mourning Becomes Electra. She has been seen on the Croswell Opera House stage in multiple productions, including A Chorus Line (u/s Kristine, Connie) and Titanic. Julie is currently employed full-time for the Education Department at Playhouse Square.
WHITNEY MILLER
(Assistant Stage Manager)
Whitney Miller is a Cleveland-based, freelance stage manager and a fulltime project manager, with a background in technical design. She is thrilled to be part of the Dazzle Awards team. Whitney attended Case Western Reserve University for chemical engineering and film studies, where she spent most of her time with the CWRU Footlighters. Some of her favorite past shows include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Blank Canvas Theatre), Evil Dead the Musical (Blank Canvas Theatre), The Last Five Years (Players’ Theatre Group), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Blank Canvas Theatre) and her most recent work in Little Shop of Horrors (Near West Theatre). She’s happiest in the theater, writing or taking photos with Shiny Penny Studios. You’re all very talented!
KENEDY BROOKS
(Production Assistant/ Props Master) Kenedy Brooks (she/they) is a graduate of Kent State University. After graduating in 2023, they have been working in the Cleveland area at theaters including Dobama (Make Believe, Marilyn Bianchi Kid’s Playwriting Festival), Near West Theatre (BKLYN, The Prom, Legally Blonde) and Playhouse Square (Shrek, Velveteen: A New Musical). Kenedy is excited to continue their work and grow as a stage manager!
DAZZLE AWARDS
Officers
Chair
Playhouse Square Trustees
Brent D. Ballard*
President & CEO
Craig Hassall AM*
Vice Chair, Brand & Marketing
Andrea Hogben*
Vice Chair, Engagement
Rick Buoncore*
Vice Chair, Education
Bob Helmer*
Vice Chair, Finance
Mark D. Ross*
Vice Chair, Governance & Nominating
Amy G. Brady*
Vice Chair, Government Affairs
Paul J. Dolan*
Vice Chair, Real Estate Development
Bill Cosgrove*
Vice Chair, Strategic Planning Advisor
Jim Merlino*
Secretary/Treasurer
Heather Lennox*
Terry Adelman
Thomas W. Adler*
Himanshu Amin
Steven M. Auvil
Ken Babby
Michael Baston
Teresa Metcalf Beasley
Gina Beredo
Jodi Berg
Laura Bloomberg
Jim Boland
Paul Carleton
Scott Chaikin*
John G. Chapman, Sr.*
James Graham
Lawrence H. Hatch
J. David Heller
Jason Hillman
David Jacobs*
Michael Jeans
Louis G. Joseph
Patrice (Patsy) Kouvas
Edward J. Largent
Todd Leombruno
Joe Matuszewski
Heath Monesmith
Beth Mooney
Jon H. Outcalt*
Patrick M. Pastore
James A. Ratner*
Sean Richardson
Luci Schey
William R. Seelbach
David B. Sewell
Doug Spiker
Sara Ellen Stashower
J.D. Sullivan, Jr.
Alex Szilvas
Kurt C. Treu
Leila L. Vespoli
Tracy Vigh
Molly Walsh
Frances Cudjoe Waters
Neil C. Weinberger
Denise G. Wells
Debra A. Wert
Trustee for Life
Warren Anderson
Oliver C. Henkel, Jr.
William B. Lawrence
James R. Pender
K.K. Sullivan
Lawrence J. Wilker
National Trustee
Thomas C. Stevens
Chairs Emeritus
Oliver C. Henkel, Jr.
John F. Lewis‡
Julien L. McCall‡
Forrest D. Hayes‡
Glenn R. Brown‡
Jon H. Outcalt
Henry F. Eaton‡
K.K. Sullivan
Thomas W. Adler
Thomas C. Stevens
David S. Goodman
James Ratner
Amy G. Brady
*Executive Committee ‡Deceased as of 4/4/25
To be a leader in placemaking, the advancement of arts education, and the presentation and production of performing arts experiences.
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Image Credit: Art Central Foundation, Art Buffet
A look back at the Jimmy Awards
Following an exciting year of growth through master classes, workshops, and performances in Cleveland, Playhouse Square is proud to send its Dazzle Awards Best Actor and Best Actress winners to New York City each year to participate in the prestigious Jimmy Awards — the National High School Musical Theatre Awards®
This national celebration of high school musical theater brings together more than 100 of the nation’s most talented student performers for ten days of intensive training and mentorship with Broadway’s leading actors, directors, choreographers, and casting professionals. The program challenges and elevates young artists, helping them develop both personally and professionally, and culminates in their Broadway debut on the iconic Minskoff Theatre stage, home to The Lion King
Last year’s Dazzle Awards winners, Lindsey Ross and Kyle McFalls, described
the experience as transformative, highlighting the rigorous rehearsals and invaluable opportunity to collaborate with peers from across the country. In addition to their time on stage, they were inspired by conversations with Broadway legends including Josh Groban, Christopher Wheeldon, and Rich + Tone Talauega. As an unforgettable bonus, they were surprised with tickets to both the Tony Awards rehearsal and the ceremony itself, offering a front-row glimpse into the pinnacle of Broadway excellence. Their performance on the Minskoff stage marked a defining moment in their artistic journeys and left them with memories and friendships to last a lifetime.
You can follow this year’s Dazzle Awards winners as they embark on their Broadway journey via the Dazzle Awards Instagram account. Don’t miss the livestream of the 2025 Jimmy Awards on Monday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m., streaming at JimmyAwards.com.
Lindsey Ross (L) and Kyle McFalls (R) performing at the 15th Annual Jimmy Awards on the Minskoff Stage.
Nominees’ headshots in the New York Times.
The Tony Awards rehearsal and ceremony .
Alumni on Broadway
FROM THE PLAYHOUSE SQUARE STAGE TO THE GREAT WHITE WAY, THREE DAZZLE AWARDS ALUMNI ARE MAKING THEIR BROADWAY DEBUTS THIS SEASON.
Actors Steven Huynh and Colin Trudell are taking to the stage, and musician Sophie Manoloff is playing in the orchestra.
All three alumni participated in the inaugural Dazzle Awards in the 201516 school year. Colin and Sophie attended Rocky River High School, and Steven Huynh attended Marion L. Steele High School. Both Colin and Steven were nominated for Best Actor in 2016, while Sophie performed in her school’s Best Musical number. All three credit their experience in the Dazzle Awards program as a starting point for their careers in the theater industry.
To learn more about each of their journeys to Broadway, please visit playhousesquare.org/blog. We can’t wait to see our stars continue to shine!
Sophie Manoloff is playing trumpet in the incredible orchestra in the revival of Gypsy starring Audra McDonald.
Steven Huynh is a member of the cast of the new musical Maybe Happy Ending starring Darren Criss, who Huynh is a standby for.
Colin Trudell is a member of the cast of Lincoln Center’s Floyd Collins, which stars Jeremy Jordan.
BROADWAY’S NEXT GENERATION!
Two students from our program will join teens from across the U.S. to compete for top honors in a one-night-only showcase at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards®.
JUNE
23, 2025
