Icing on the Cake for Huntington Actors
Actors know better than anyone when they've nailed a scene. The Huntington High School drama club is delirious after learning it's received 15 nominations in the inaugural Hunting-Tony Awards, which will be presented at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport on Tuesday, May 17.
The Huntington actors are vying for the awards against drama clubs from every high school in the town. There are separate nominations for drama productions and musicals. Huntington High School produced two strong shows this year, "The Skin of Our Teeth" last November and "Carousel" in April.
Michael Schwendemann, Huntington's drama club advisor, is thrilled with the avalanche of nominations. "I initially thought this year would be one of transition for the drama club," Mr. Schwendemann said. "In June 2010 I watched 14 four-year members of the club graduate. The torch was passed. The Class of 2011 took that torch that had burned so bright and turned it into a bonfire, with some help from a terrific group of underclassmen. I didn't make it easy for them."
Mr. Schwendemann, who teaches English during the day, is known as a demanding director who works hard with the cast and crew to perfect every aspect of a show. The members of this year's drama club have earned his respect.
"They took "The Skin of Our Teeth," a 1943 Pulitzer Prize winning play, and brought to life all of its nuance and meaning – how do we rise above the seeming futility of life," Mr. Schwendemann said. "Then 'Carousel;' Rodgers and Hammerstein can be daunting both musically and emotionally and once more they rose to the task, dealing with the complexity of love, death and domestic violence. Then to get 15 out of a possible 24 nominations for the initial Hunting-Tony Awards is just the icing on the cake!"
A panel of judges from local theater and art organizations attended plays across the town and drew up the list of nominations. Individual high schools are being given 40 tickets to the May 17 awards show, which is not open to the general public. The evening, which sponsored by the Engeman Theater and Town Board members Susan Berland and Mark Cuthbertson, will include a set of select performances by some of the nominees.
Huntington's nominees in the drama category include:
• Lead Actor: Jonah Kramer (Mr. Antrobus) – The Skin of Our Teeth
• Lead Actress: Ally Kiley (Sabina) – The Skin of Our Teeth
• Supporting Actress: Mary-Liz O'Neill (Fortune Teller) – The Skin of Our Teeth
• Best Playbill/Marketing: The Skin of Our Teeth
• Best Scenery/Props: The Skin of Our Teeth
Huntington's nominees in the musical category include:
• Lead Actor: Jonah Kramer (Billy Bigelow) – Carousel
• Supporting Actress: Rebecca Deegan (Carrie Pipperidge) – Carousel
• Best Male Vocalist: Jonah Kramer (Billy Bigelow) – Carousel
• Best Female Vocalist: Chelsea Holmes (Julie Jordan) – Carousel
• Best Featured Male Performer: Richard Gray (Enoch Snow) – Carousel
• Best Featured Female Performer: Anna Harris (Nettie Fowler) - Carousel
• Best Musical: Carousel
• Best Playbill & Marketing in a Musical: Carousel
• Best Scenery/Props in a Musical: Carousel
• Best Choreography: Carousel