And the Winner Is …

23rd gala for Cappies of the National Capital Area

The Cappies of the National Capital Area held its twenty-third Gala recognizing excellence in High School theatre. The sold-out event was held in the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center. Hundreds of student nominees were celebrated. Eleven schools who were nominated for best play and musical performed at the event. Community dignitaries and Cappies alums presented awards to the finalists in forty-two technical and performance categories.   

Cappies is a unique collaborative program for journalism and theatre students. Trained student critics review Cappies designated high school shows throughout the year. The best written reviews are published in the local press. At the end of the season, the student critics vote for who of their peers should be recognized for awards. The Cappies critics are ambassadors for high school theatre and spread the word about the value and fun of participating in theatre.   

Here are this year’s Cappies award winners. 
 

Category  

Winner  

Show Name  

School Name  

Andy Mays Rising Critic 

Ellen Lawton 

 

Herndon High School 

Maryland Theatre Guide Returning Critic 

McKenzie Phelan 

 

Quince Orchard High School 

Bill Strauss Graduating Critic 

Hannah Frieden 

 

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 

Marketing and Publicity 

Victoria Collins-Jost, Sydney Grossbard, Caroline Vigna, Kaylee Williams 

Sister Act 

Fairfax High School 

Special Effects and or Technology 

Soeun Lee 

Dracula 

Lake Braddock Secondary School 

Hair and Makeup 

Emily Brennan 

Dracula 

Lake Braddock Secondary School 

Sound 

Dillon Prestidge, Emma Springer, Megan Wright 

Claudio Quest 

McLean High School 

Props 

Eva Greek, Jaden Harris, & Crew 

She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition 

Mount Vernon High School 

Lighting 

Charles Bucher, Ella Clarke, Cullan Kelley 

Pippin 

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 

Costumes 

Michelle Dorman, Claire Gibbons, and the Bishop Ireton Costume Team 

The Music Man 

Bishop Ireton High School 

Sets 

The Bright Star Set Team 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Orchestra 

The Bright Star Orchestra & Featured Musicians 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Choreography 

Anna Leo & August Rivers 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Creativity 

Emmett Justice, Abdullah Muhammad, Autumn Whetstone, Music Composers 

Animal Farm 

Duke Ellington School of the Arts 

Stage Management 

Olivia Baumgartner, Tomas Bocock, Sebastian Harman, & Eliora Janow 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Stage Crew 

Tomas Bocock, Grayson Quigley, and the Bright Star Run Crew and Ensemble 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Ensemble in a Play 

The Transylvanians 

Dracula 

Lake Braddock Secondary School 

Ensemble in a Musical 

Farm Animals 

Animal Farm 

Duke Ellington School of the Arts 

Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play 

Charlotte Willmore 

One Man, Two Guvnors 

W.T. Woodson High School 

Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Play 

Silas Blocker 

One Man, Two Guvnors 

W.T. Woodson High School 

Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Musical 

Alexa Norris 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Featured Role in a Male Role in a Musical 

Brandon Miller 

Once on This Island 

Clarksburg High School 

Dancer in a Female Role 

Angie Sukhee 

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical 

Wakefield High School 

Dancer in a Male Role 

August Rivers 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Vocalist in a Female Role 

Elina Viana 

The Music Man 

Bishop Ireton High School 

Vocalist in a Male Role 

Seger Ott-Rudolph 

My Favorite Year 

Albert Einstein High School 

Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play 

Joana Lima Alves Montenegro 

The Man Who Came to Dinner 

Langley High School 

Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play 

Jonah Uffelman 

Much Ado About Nothing 

James Madison High School 

Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical 

Khailah Schroeter 

Mean Girls High School Version 

Osbourn Park High School 

Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical 

Idil Erdoğan 

Claudio Quest 

McLean High School 

Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play 

Amelia Campbell-Reidhead 

Dracula 

Lake Braddock Secondary School 

Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play 

Audrey Evans 

Peter and the Starcatcher 

Woodbridge Senior High School 

Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical 

Maren Lewis 

Anastasia: The Musical 

Quince Orchard High School 

Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical 

Hayden Polsky 

Anastasia: The Musical 

Quince Orchard High School 

Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play 

Sarah Hilton 

The Man Who Came to Dinner 

Langley High School 

Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play 

Jack Wolff 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 

Chantilly High School 

Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical 

Abigail Jamison 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical 

Henry Carter 

Bright Star 

South Lakes High School 

Song 

Platypus Heart 

Claudio Quest 

McLean High School 

Critic Team 

 

 

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 

Play 

Dracula 

 

Lake Braddock Secondary School 

Musical 

Bright Star 

 

South Lakes High School