Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

RFH Tower Players Applauded with Awards

RFH Tower Players 2017-18
Photo/RFH
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Players are taking a bow for a successful awards season.

The RFH performers earned recognition for their fall 2017 production of Sherlock Holmes, and the spring 2018 production of The Secret Garden, Spring Edition.
In April, the RFH Tower Players participated in the 50th Student Theatre Festival at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The Student Theatre Festival is a two-week competition featuring 65 performances from Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The Secret Garden, Spring Edition was selected as one of the five best performances, and the Tower Players earned several awards:
·       Best Overall Musical – The Secret Garden, Spring Edition
·       Best Actor in a Musical – Eli Sannelli
·       Best Featured Actress in a Musical – Lisa Sandoli
·       Best Actress in a Musical – Isabella Sciortino
Based on their success in the Student Theatre Festival competition, the RFH troupe earned the opportunity to move on to the Best of Fest.
At “Best of Fest” on May 6, the RFH students showcased their talents for a special guest panel of professional theater artists as well as their families and friends.
The RFH Tower Players performance excerpted from The Secret Garden, Spring Edition earned high praise from Alex Fraser, producer of Best of Fest. Fraser shared his feedback with Suzanne Sweeney, Director of The Secret Garden, Spring Edition.
“Our goal is to showcase the finest theatrical work being done by our region’s high schools, and this year you and everyone at Rumson-Fair Haven helped us hit it out of the park,” Fraser said. “I worked on the original production of The Secret Garden, and this was the first time I’ve seen the show since 1991. You did a beautiful job … needless to say I was in tears!”
At the Mainstage Awards in May, The Tower Players earned more awards:
·       Best Ensemble in a Play – Sherlock Holmes
·       Best Actor in a Musical – Eli Sannelli, The Secret Garden, Spring Edition
·       Best Actor in a Play – Lukas Tucker, Sherlock Holmes
·       Best Overall Musical – The Secret Garden, Spring Edition
 
Also in May, at the 13th Annual Basie Awards, the Tower Players earned an award for Best Featured Ensemble Group. This award was given to “The Snakecharmers” in The Secret Garden, Spring Edition.
— Edited press release from RFH