Scene Around: RFH Tower Players Playing & Winning

It’s been a dramatically fun, winning time for the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Players.

“On the heels of their 15 Basie Award nominations, the Tower Players took home seven awards at the Bucks County Playhouse Student Theater Festival today, including one for Outstanding Ensemble,” a social media post from RFH PAS read.

The stage successes were capped with the trip among troupers to Bucks County and some dancing — or just plain frolicking — in the streets.

Take a look at the photo gallery above (click on one photo to enlarge and scroll) to get a glimpse into the culmination at Bucks a few days ago.

The 2023 Basie Awards nominations came out on April 25. Here’s the RFH Tower Players list and the all-high school list, by category.

Here’s the edited press release from Basie …

Nominees have been announced for the 2023 Basie Awards, the annual celebration of Monmouth County high school theatre, presented by Bank of America, taking place on Wednesday, May 24, at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank.

Now in its 18^th year, the Basie Awards program is modeled after the TONY™ Awards, and evaluates musical and drama productions in high schools throughout Monmouth County. A rubric is used to assess performance in 25+ categories, recognizing excellence in everything from acting and directing to set and costume design, choreography, lighting, and orchestra.

“Every year, our team of evaluators go out to participating schools and are blown away at the level of talent and excellence on high school stages throughout Monmouth County,” said Samantha Giustiniani, Senior Director of Education and Outreach, Count Basie Center for the Arts. “That trend continued this year, and we’re looking forward to celebrating all the nominees,
their families and educators on May 24.”

The 15 awards garnered for RFH, by category, are:

MUSICALS / RFH’s SPAMALOT

• outstanding production

• outstanding direction of a musical, Kasiann Sweeney

• outstanding supporting performance in a musical — female-identified role, Hailey Blum

• outstanding featured performance in a musical — male-identified role, Gemma Formisano

• outstanding featured performance in a musical — male-identified role, Connor Olson

• outstanding choreography, Donna Battaliga

• outstanding chorus in a musical

• outstanding musical direction, Amanda Gorfain

• outstanding mixed student and adult orchestra

• Carole Malik Award — outstanding costume design in a musical, Catherine Cleary

• outstanding lighting design in a musical, Matthew Leddin

DRAMAS & COMEDIES / RFH’s THE CANTERVIELLE GHOST

• outstanding lead performance in a comedy — male-identified role, Evan Callas

• outstanding supporting performance in a comedy — male-identified role, Christian Stone

• outstanding featured performance in a comedy — female-identified role, Lainie Lombardo

• outstanding supporting performance in a comedy — female identified role, Ava Bruno

ALL HIGH SCHOOLS / DRAMAS & COMEDIES and MUSICALS

This year, 20 plays and 22 musical performances were evaluated by the BASIE AWARDS nomination committee, producing nominations in the following categories:

DRAMAS & COMEDIES

CAROLE MALIK AWARD OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN IN A PLAY
Emma Freeman (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Kelly Gemellaro (Red Bank Catholic High School, Clue)
Julie McKurth / Susan Tackus (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)
Kathryn Maslak (Ranney School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Noah Shimkus / Ella Skelton (Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors)

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN IN A PLAY
Katherine Calamusa (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Sukhraj Goraya / Ian Hoffman (Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors)
Michael W. Wells II (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)
Robert Rutt (Red Bank Catholic High School, Clue)
Alex Dohan (Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy)

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN IN A PLAY
Grace Sullivan (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Kyle Santopadre (Raritan High School, Almost, Maine)
Robert Rutt (Red Bank Catholic High School, Clue)
Tom Smith & Pete Cusick (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Connor Nardiello (Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors)

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY — FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Sophieann Estrella (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)
Ria Karam (Colts Neck High School, Don’t Tell Mother)
Lainie Lombardo (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, The Canterville Ghost)
Kate Morin (Collier High School, Tartuffe)
Charles Wieczorek (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY — MALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Philip Glen (Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy)
Connor Ormsby (Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy)
Andrew Parisi (Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy)
Andrew Poggi (St. John Vianney High School, Clue)
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)
Sienna Hook (Monmouth Regional High School, Night Of The Living Dead)
Annie Kissinger (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Nevaeh Vazquez (Monmouth Regional High School, Night Of The Living Dead)
Colleen Yurcisin (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA — MALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Ben Amstislavsky (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Cole Bartolotti (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Sealth Grover (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Emily Rae (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Elizabeth Matthews (Monmouth Regional High School, Night Of The Living Dead)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY —FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Ava Bruno (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, The Canterville Ghost
Adriana Ceciliano (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)
Bella Moitoso (Holmdel High School, Empowered: How One Girl Scout Nearly destroyed The World’s Economy)
Racheal O’Neill (St. John Vianney High School, Clue)
Anya Tumbleson (Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY — MALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Jay Fielding (Middletown High School South, Then One Foggy Christmas Eve)
Kirin Patient (Ranney School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Christian Stone (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, The Canterville Ghost)
Nico Ware (Collier High School, Tartuffe)
Noah Zalika (Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA – FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Logan Connor (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Rebecca Grodek (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Leah Marchetti (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Fiona O’Brien (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
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
Sean Busk (Red Bank Regional High School, A Christmas Carol)
Jake Fredericks (Red Bank Regional High School, A Christmas Carol)
John Martin (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Shane Schuster (Monmouth Regional High School, Night Of The Living Dead)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY — FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Nim Boudreau (Middletown High School South, Then One Foggy Christmas Eve)
Nora Collard (Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors)
Esther Fosu (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)
Anastasiya Vasilenko (Colts Neck High School, Don’t Tell Mother)
Julia Weiss (Collier High School, Tartuffe)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY — MALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Evan Callas (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, The Canterville Ghost
Danny King (St. John Vianney High School, Clue)
James Nardiello (Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors)
Brandon Stobie (Ranney School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Jack Youncofski (Matawan Regional High School, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA — FEMALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Delaney Byrne (Howell High School, A Murder Is Announced)
Victoria Dillon (Howell High School, A Murder Is Announced)
Giada Garcia (Howell High School, A Murder Is Announced)
Ava Giglia (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Bridget Johnston (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA — MALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Samuel Cusson (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Tyler Izzo (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Elliot Maher (Howell High School, A Murder Is Announced)
Dominick Sena (Red Bank Regional High School, A Christmas Carol)
Theodore Vaysberg (Howell High School, A Murder Is Announced)

OUTSTANDING COMPANY IN A COMEDY
Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors
Colts Neck High School, Don’t Tell Mother
Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy
Ranney School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Red Bank Catholic High School, Clue

OUTSTANDING COMPANY IN A DRAMA
Howell High School, A Murder Is Announced
Middletown High School North, The Crucible
Monmouth Regional High School, Night Of The Living Dead
Red Bank Regional High School, A Christmas Carol
Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Amanda Faria (Middletown High School North, The Crucible)
Kathryn Maslak (Ranney School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Jeanne Montano (Red Bank Catholic High School, Clue)
Ellen Phillips (Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives)
Kimberly Givanna & Richards Robinson (Freehold Township High School, The Gods Of Comedy)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Christian Brothers Academy, Rumors
Middletown High School North, The Crucible
Ranney School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Red Bank Catholic High School, Clue
Trinity Hall, These Shining Lives

MUSICALS

CAROLE MALIK AWARD OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
Jacquie Revier & Beck Nisenboym (Howell High School, Matilda)
Catherine Cleary (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Tara Mahoney (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Laura Mazza (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Jacquie Revier (Monmouth Regional High School, Chicago)

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
John Cholowinski (Howell High School, Matilda)
Kerry McBride (Manasquan High School, Mamma Mia)
Izzy Mingino (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Tom Smith (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Carla Valentino (Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes)

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
Georgina Hicks (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Matthew Leddin (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Connor Nardiello (Christian Brothers Academy, Godspell)
Robert Rutt (Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes)
Tom Smith (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)

OUTSTANDING SMALL MUSIC ENSEMBLE
Eric Gross (Freehold High School, Little Shop Of Horrors
Michael Kabash (Trinity Hall, Ranked)
Barbara Klemp (Manasquan High School, Mamma Mia)
Jose Maunez (Manalapan High School, Little Shop Of Horrors)
Christian Lopez & Sam Ferro (Christian Brothers Academy, Godspell)

OUTSTANDING MIXED STUDENT + ADULT ORCHESTRA
David Buckle, Jr (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Amanda Gorfain (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Brian Krajcik (Red Bank Regional High School, Shrek)
Andrew Macirowski (Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes)
Chris Sabol (Monmouth Regional High School, Chicago)

OUTSTANDING ALL STUDENT ORCHESTRA
Emma Fretz (Colts Neck High School, Grease)
Edward Gattsek (Freehold Township High School, Mean Girls)
Anthony Limaldi (Howell High School, Matilda)
Michael Raguseo (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Christie Riso (Holmdel High School, The Addams Family)

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION
Christian Lopez (Christian Brothers Academy, Godspell)
Joseph Cantaffa & Cassandra Shields (Howell High School, Matilda)
Amanda Gorfain (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Peter Isherwood (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Madison Schille (Manasquan High School, Mamma Mia)

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ENSEMBLE GROUP
The Urchins (Freehold High School, Little Shop Of Horrors)
The Bard Boys (High Technology High School, Something Rotten)
Merry Murderesses (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
FDR’s Cabinet (Raritan High School, Annie)
The Stepfamily (St. John Vianney High School, Cinderella)

OUTSTANDING CHORUS IN A MUSICAL
Christian Brothers Academy, Godspell
Howell High School, Matilda
Middletown High School North, Les Misérables
Middletown High School South, Chicago
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Doinna Battaliga (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Brittany Cohen (Howell High School, Matilda)
Kelly Gemellaro (Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes)
Gina Morrello (Christian Brothers Academy, Godspell)
Liza Perna (Middletown High School South, Chicago)

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL — FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Jessica Ardolina (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Rebecca Grodek (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Juliana Magarelli (Colts Neck High School, Grease)
Alyssa Pray (Howell High School, Matilda)
Sophia Rivera (Howell High School, Matilda)

OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL — MALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Gemma Formisano (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Connor Naspo (Howell High School, Matilda)
Connor Olson (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Bryan Reimertz (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Cooper Stahl (Howell High School, Matilda)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL — FEMALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Hailey Blum (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)
Mads Fernandez (Neptune High School, Mean Girls)
Ava Giglia (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Jessica Heitman (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Shain Stanley (Freehold Township High School, Mean Girls)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL — MALE-IDENTIFIED ROLE
Sealth Grover (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Aedan Liranzo (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Kei Mallano (Howell High School, Matilda)
Saverio Renda (Colts Neck High School, Grease)
Daniel Stefanski (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL — FEMALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Julie Deltuvia (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Caitlyn Picone (Howell High School, Matilda)
Henriette Pons (Matawan Regional High School, Sister Act)
Julia Senna (Howell High School, Matilda)
Mia Suarez (Howell High School, Matilda)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL — MALE- IDENTIFIED ROLE
Samuel Cusson (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Michael Makar (Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes)
John Martin (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Charlie Patton (High Technology High School, Something Rotten)
Jack Sisk (Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Rachel Ciani (Howell High School, Matilda)
Amanda Faria (Middletown High School North, Les Misérables)
Alexis Kozak (Middletown High School South, Chicago)
Marcos Orozco (Christian Brothers Academy, Godspell)
Kasiann Sweeney (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Howell High School, Matilda
Middletown High School North, Les Misérables
Middletown High School South, Chicago
Red Bank Catholic High School, Anything Goes
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Spamalot

Tickets for this year’s presentation are on sale now through theBASIE.org, the Basie Center box office or via phone at 732-842-9000.