FORT LAUDERDALE — Darius Roberts, a student at the Dillard Center for the Arts, won a Cappie Award for Featured Actor in a Play for his role in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.
Darius was among several high school theater students in Palm Beach and Broward who were recognized for their talent at the ninth annual Critics’ Awards Program, or Cappies, gala, sponsored by Publix.
The presentation ceremony took place on May 17 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts — which itself received a Special Award as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
The Broward Center has hosted the awards ceremony since the South Florida chapter was founded in 2002 as part of the national non-profit organization’s recognition of high school theater programs.
Three members of the center’s Teen Ambassadors program, which gives students in-depth exposure to the arts and careers in the field, took home awards. Chandler Morehead, of American Heritage Center for the Arts, was named Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her role in The King and I. Marcus Levine of Coral Springs High School, was named Best Senior Critic and Dakota Demato of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who shared the Best Choreography Award with Jessica Saul for Seussical.
University School sophomore Kali Rosendo, who serves as the Broward Center's ambassador for its education and literacy programs, Princess Reads-a-Lot, was a cast member in How to Succeed in Business, which won for Best Musical.
The Sagemont School won the Cappie Award for Best Play for its production of Dracula.
Besides Darius’ award for Dillard, the Cappies Awards by school went to:
• American Heritage Center for the Arts, The King and I — Lead Actress in a Musical: Chandler Morehead; Freshman Critic: Brandon Marks
• Archbishop McCarthy High School, Lucky Stiff — Supporting Actress in a Musical: Theresa Galindo
• Boca Raton High School, Romeo and Juliet — Featured Actress in a Play: Taylor Thomson; Lighting: Celina Demeo, Rebecca Kane, Samantha Larry, Austin Powers
• Cardinal Gibbons, Footloose — Sound: Danny Morrill
• Coral Springs High School — Senior Critic: Marcus Levine
• Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Seussical — Supporting Actor in a Musical: Vinny Balerlein; Choreography: Jessica Saul and Dakota Demato; Critics Team: Junior Critic, Abigail
Hummel, Sophomore Critic, Skyler Evans
• North Broward Preparatory, Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral — Supporting Actor in a Play: James Edwards; Comic Actress in a Play: Samantha Algaze
• Pompano Beach High School, Much Ado About Nothing — Costumes: Maria Theodosiou, Louie Acosta, Kathryn Johnson, Malka Klein
• Sagemont School, Dracula — Best Play; Lead Actor in a Play: Dean Malahias; Ensemble in a Play: Vixens; Make-up: Isabel Rangel, Cristina Quintero, Pilar Irarrazabal, Emily Maddox; Props & Effects: Tyler Stanley, Isabel Rangel, Christopher Merlino, Laura Hochstein
• South Plantation High School, Hairspray — Female Vocalist: Leah Wilson; Sets: Santiago Carrasquilla, Taylor Hall
• St. Thomas Aquinas, I Remember Mama — Lead Actress in a Play: Dominique Ritvo; Supporting Actress in a Play: Megan McMullen; Comic Actor in a Play: Spencer Robelen; Creativity: Spencer Robelen
• University School, How to Succeed in Business — Best Musical; Best Song: Brotherhood of Man; Lead Actor in a Musical: Tyler Laurence; Male Vocalist: Jared Corak; Featured Actor in a Musical: Stefen Smith; Featured Actress in a Musical: Rachel Brooks; Ensemble in a Musical: Male Ensemble/Businessmen
• West Boca High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels — Comic Actor in a Musical: Joe Anarumo; Comic Actress in a Musical: Danielle Gavish; Male Dancer: Sean Javaherian; Female Dancer: Leah Margolis; Orchestra: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Orchestra; Stage Crew: Brooke Belcher, Caroline Silva, Yasmin Adli.
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