High School Winners of the 2019 Basie Awards!
The Basie Awards last night honored excellence and achievement in Monmouth County high school theatre. Here are all the students who won:
This year’s ceremony drew a sold-out crowd of 1,500+ to the historic Basie performing arts center!
The Count Basie Center for the Arts spends months evaluating high school productions and Yvonne Lamb-Scudiery, the Vice President of Education for The Basie, says they are continuously amazed at how the bar is raised each and every year and that this year’s nominees are a testimony to the hard work teachers, schools, and students put into this important art form.
The President and CEO of The Basie says that this year’s winners and nominees were the cream of the crop in Monmouth County.
The BASIE AWARDS began in 2005 as a way to honor and recognize high school-level actors, actresses and productions in the Monmouth County area. This year, a record 22 dramas and 29 musical performances were evaluated by the BASIE AWARDS nomination committee, which produced nominations for students, productions and schools in various acting and production categories.
This year’s Basie Awards winners, by category:
Dramatic Presentations:
Musical Productions:
This year’s opening number was dedicated in memory of Amy Giinther Fredericks, musical director of the first 13 Basie Awards shows, who passed away unexpectedly last July. Yvonne says that for Amy, the theatre was her home. She made everyone feel at home.
Also honored at the ceremony were recipients of the Basie’s Arts Impact Scholarships and awards: Claire Taylor of Red Bank Regional High School received the Bank of America Arts Matter Impact Award; Jack Powers of Raritan High School received the Siciliano Landscape Company Arts Impact Scholarship; Charlotte Vickers-Hymowitz from Matawan Regional High School was awarded the Monmouth County Freeholders Scholarship for Continuing Education; Maxwell Connery of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School received the Amy Giinther Fredericks Music Education Scholarship; Riley Martin of Freehold Township High School received the Steven and Jaime Schultz Arts Impact Scholarship; and Caitlin Garrett from Middletown High School South was awarded the Moser Taboada Arts Impact Scholarship.
In addition to celebrating local talent, the Basie presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Dale Franzen, a lead producer of Broadway smash Hadestown, which is up for 14 TONY awards!
Congratulations to all!!!