Playhouse Square hosted thespians from three dozen high schools over the weekend, honoring excellence in student theater with the Dazzle Awards.
Established in 2016, the awards are affiliated with the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, nicknamed the Jimmy Awards for theater producer James M. Nederlander. In Northeast Ohio, they are open to both public and private schools in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties.
Magnificat in Rocky River took home three trophies Saturday, while Hudson High School won four. Hudson Senior Lindsey Ross won Best Actress for her role as the Baker’s Wife in “Into the Woods.”
“I was in a complete state of shock,” she said. “My sister said I was in shell shock. I can’t even remember mostly what happened.”
Ross will represent Northeast Ohio at the Jimmy’s in June in New York City.
“It definitely opens a lot of doors,” she said. “The connections I hear you make at the Jimmys are crazy. And the people you meet, it’s going to be insane.”
Ross will be joined in New York by Kyle McFalls of the Akron School for the Arts at Firestone Community Learning Center, who won Best Actor for playing the lead in "The SpongeBob Musical."
Saturday’s ceremony at the KeyBank State Theatre included performances from the six schools nominated for Best Musical as well as medleys from the Best Actor and Actress nominees. Students selected as apprentices worked backstage or alongside professional musicians during the ceremony.
The 2024 Dazzle Awards recipients are:
Best Student Orchestra: Hudson High School, "Into the Woods”
Best Technical Execution: Lutheran High School West, "Curtains" (school edition)
Best Scenic Design: Hudson High School, "Into the Woods”
Best Costume Design: Avon Lake High School, Disney’s "The Little Mermaid”
Best Choreography Execution: Magnificat High School, “The Addams Family” (school edition)
Best Ensemble/Chorus: Magnificat High School, “The Addams Family” (school edition)
Best Supporting Actor [tie]:
Aidan Moll, University School (Douglas Panch in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”)
Charlie Pinter, Magnificat High School (Lurch in “The Addams Family” (school edition))
Best Supporting Actress: Ananya Yadati, Hathaway Brown School (Glinda in “The Wiz”)
Best Actor: Kyle McFalls, The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC (SpongeBob SquarePants in “The SpongeBob Musical”)
Best Actress: Lindsey Ross, Hudson High School (Baker’s Wife in “Into the Woods”)
Best Musical (Tier 1 – Budget less than $13,000): Lutheran High School West, “Curtains” (school edition)
Best Musical (Tier 2 – Budget $13,000 or more): Hudson High School, “Into the Woods”
The Spirit of the Dazzle Awards: Rylee Horowitz, The Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC
