CNY Arts brought together more than 150 students and adults from four Central New York high schools and two community theater groups at Cayuga Community College in Auburn for the 2013 Michael Harms Theater Festival on April 13.
This annual celebration of youths in theater is a combination of musical and dramatic theater performances, feedback, and professionally-led workshops for both young performers and behind the scenes artists and crew.
Auburn High School, Jamesville-DeWitt High School, the Media Unit, Nottingham High School, Oswego Children’s Theater, and Skaneateles High School Drama participated in this year’s Festival.
CNY Arts presented awards and scholarship for notable performances and technical work.
Those awards were:
Festival Awards:
The Award of Excellence-High School was presented to Jamesville-DeWitt High School for their production of The Trial, written and directed by Joe Goldberg The Award of Excellence-Community Theater was presented to The Media Unit for their production of Lost Parade, directed by Walt Shepperd The Technical Achievement Award was presented to Auburn High School for their production of The Suessification of A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, directed by Allison Fennessy
Scholarships:
Michael Harms Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Brittany Fayle – Jamesville-DeWitt High School
The Redhouse Summer Intensive Scholarship was awarded to Lucano Petrocci – Skaneateles High School
Certificates of Achievement:
• Fierce Guitar Award: Chrissy Gerace (The Media Unit)
• Honorable Mention for Best Stage Kiss: Brittany Fayle & Patrick LaRussa (Jamesville-DeWitt High School)
• Honorable Mention for Best Stage Kiss: Josh Gutmaker & Owen Williams (Jamesville-DeWitt High School)
• Honorable Mention for Individual Performance as a Non-Human Character: Hailey Thompson (Oswego Children’s Theater)
• Honorable Mention for Individual Female Performance in a Comedy: Molly Burdick (Nottingham High School)
• Honorable Mention for Individual Male Performance in a Comedy: Robert Edwards (Nottingham High School)
• Excellence in Costumes & Makeup: Winnie the Pooh (Oswego Children’s Theater)
• Technical Excellence in Lighting & Sound: George Stroman III (The Media Unit)
• Technical Excellence in Stage Managing: Jake Reagan & Julianna Augustine (Skaneateles High School Drama)
• Best Stage Kiss: Alexandra Hagen & Matt Payne (Skaneateles High School Drama)
• Triple Threat Award: Patrick LaRussa (Jamesville-DeWitt High School)
• Best Individual Performance as a Non-Human Character: Ryan Smith (Oswego Children’s Theater)
• Best Individual Female Dramatic Performance: Ana-rachel Richardson (The Media Unit)
• Best Individual Male Dramatic Performance: Nicholas Cocks (The Media Unit)
• Best Individual Female Comedic Performance: Chelsea Colton (Jamesville-DeWitt High School)
• Best Individual Male Comedic Performance: Zane Carnes (Auburn High School)
• Best Individual Female Performance in a Comedy: Meghan McConnell (Nottingham High School)
• Best Individual Male Performance in a Comedy: Marquan Shaw (Jamesville-DeWitt High School)
• Excellence in Musical Performance: Alexandra Hagen (Skaneateles High School Drama)
• Excellence in Ensemble Performance: The Cast of Beauty and the Beast (Skaneateles High School Drama)
CNY Arts (then the Cultural Resources Council) created the Michael Harms Theater Festival in 1976 to foster greater interest in theater work by students and teachers in secondary schools.
The program has gained wide recognition as a theater experience of great educational value as well as creative fun.
Students participate in skill-building workshops such as Dance Auditioning, Improvisation, the Meisner Acting Technique, Lighting, Scenic Painting, Stage Combat, and Special Effects Stage Makeup.
Rose Bonczek from Brooklyn College, Maria Marrero from Syracuse University, and Mark Cole from SUNY Oswego were the theater educators who provided constructive feedback to the student performances.
The Michael Harms Theater Festival is supported by the Harms Family in honor of Michael Harms through the F. Michael Harms Memorial Fund, administered by the Central New York Community Foundation.
