The Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was filled with applause and joyful noise at the Cappies Gala on Monday night June 12, 2023, as hundreds of young people from throughout the National Capital Area gathered to celebrate the achievements of high school theater.
The Cappies was founded by Bill Strauss and Judy Bowns in 1999 as a Critics Awards Program recognizing High School Theater. The program provides training and writing opportunities to critic teams at participating high schools, equipping them with the critical skills to write reviews about theatrical productions. Those critics then gather at the end of the school year to determine the top nominees in selected categories with the winners announced in a spectacular gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The organization grew from its inception in the National Capital Area to include dozens of programs throughout the United States and Canada.
The annual Cappies Gala is the culmination for thousands of students, teachers, parents, and community leaders who celebrate the many contributions of high school theater programs. The emcees of the 2023 Gala were Jade Jones, star of Olney Theatre’s recent critically acclaimed production of Beauty and the Beast, and Dr. Tara Taylor, the Superintendent of Fairfax Theatre and Dance. The opening number was a piece commissioned for the event called “Here at the Cappies” featuring the Cappie Band, Dancers, Singers, and Spotlight Performers from participating schools.
The ceremony alternates between awards and live performances from nominated schools. Cappies Gala Director Chip Rome was also given a special award in recognition of his dedication and years of service to the program and his time with Fairfax County Public Schools.
The big winners of the night include South Lakes High School’s production of Bright Star, Lake Braddock’s production of Dracula, and the Cappie Critics of Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology. Backstage was bustling with excitement as winners were whisked away to the greenroom for photos and interviews. (Check out our TikTok coverage for some visuals!)
The highlight of the Cappies Gala is the inclusion of songs and scenes from nominated productions. For many attendees, this is the only opportunity to see each other’s work live on stage, and the anticipation was palpable. Many pieces feature graduating seniors in what will be the final performance of their high school careers, resulting in tears of joy and sadness backstage during their well-earned applause. As wonderful as the performances were on stage, it is the moments backstage that were the most moving of the night.
After Hayden Polsky of Quince Orchard High School won the Cappie for Best Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical, he anxiously watched the following category on the monitor backstage, waiting for his co-star’s name. He held his breath as the presenter opened the envelope. “And the Cappie goes to Maren Lewis, Anastasia The Musical, Quince Orchard High School.” The audience erupted in applause and Polsky was overcome with joy for his friend. He later told me, “I’ve known her for years and I’m just so proud of everything she’s done! This is all so amazing!” After the two winners posed for their pictures, they took a beat to fully enjoy the experience of their wins before returning to their seats.
On a personal note, I had the privilege of knowing co-founders Bill Strauss and Judy Bowns when I was involved with Cappies. I saw firsthand the passion and care that goes into the preparation and training of the critics, the coordination to schedule each participating high school, the collaboration of local publications to publish selected reviews, and the immense undertaking to produce a spectacular Awards Gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. To quote the closing number, the Cappies production team and the Cappies Gala were truly “super sensational standing ovational.”
Congratulations to all of the students, teachers, parents, and schools on their recognition and participation in the Cappies.
The 2023 Cappies Gala will be broadcast several times starting on Monday, June 19, 2023, on Red Apple Channel 21 (Verizon FIOS and Cox in Fairfax County, VA). You can also view the Channel 21 Livestream at: fcps.edu/tv.
The full list of Cappie 2023 Nominees is as follows (winners are in bold):
Andy Mays Rising Critic
Ellen Lawton | Herndon High School
Emily Reisman | McLean High School
Clare Shacochis | Oakton High School
Owen Simmons | Osbourn Park High School
Preet Manukonda | Westfield High School
Maryland Theater Guide Returning Critic
Val Altmiller | Herndon High School
McKenzie Phelan | Quince Orchard High School
Ella Greene | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Mayuka Valluri | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Riva Jain | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Bill Strauss Graduating Critic
Hannah Moghadder | Chantilly High School
Arielle Else | McLean High School
Hayley Asai | Quince Orchard High School
Hannah Frieden | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Mira Singh | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Marketing and Publicity
Lauren Allen, Annie Nealon, Isaac Nienaber, Elizabeth D’Souza | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School
Victoria Collins-Jost, Sydney Grossbard, Caroline Vigna, Kaylee Williams | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Hailey Klein, Olivia Prout | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Hayley Asai | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Will Daly, Josh Lewis, Mae Shaw, & Abby Wyland | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Special Effects and/or Technology
Sam Cole, Sam Ryu | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Chantilly High School
Soeun Lee | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Ethan Jones, Alessandro Martinat-Pillhaca, Megan Wright | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Elliot Hettler & the Fly Team | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
Hannah Berger, Ava Harper, and the Bright Star Special Effects Team | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Hair and Make-up
Orli Marshall, Madison Sprites, Kat Vallejo | Once on This Island | Clarksburg High School
Emily Brennan | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Emery Graninger, Addie Harris, Maia Le, Valentina Sedan | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Agustin Anello, Jamie McCormick, Gabby Stutzer | Disney’s Descendants: The Musical | Robinson Secondary School
Anabelle Volpe, The Rotten Hair and Makeup Crew | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Sound
Matias Chase, Owen Maccubbin, Ilona Boehm O’Connor, Elijah Solomon | Sister Act | Alexandria City High School
Dillon Prestidge, Emma Springer, Megan Wright | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Ash Dougherty, Grace Lionato, & the Sound Team | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
Zach Fischer, Arin Langholt, Annabelle Waters | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Michael Pickering, Jasper Reges, Geral Smith, and the Bright Star Sound Technicians | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Props
Zach Dilworth, Atlas Martindale | Argonautika: The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts | Annandale High School
Amelie Aubouin | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Kat Brill | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Eva Greek, Jaden Harris, & Crew | She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition | Mount Vernon High School
Lea Mills, Will Shin, Nico Uy | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School
Lighting
Johanna Carroll,Taehyun Lee, John Mark Perry | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Katie Brusseau, Sungah Kong | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Phil Gigrich, Leah Lewis, Natalie Mitchell | The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | South County High School
Hannah Berger, Ava Harper, and the Bright Star Lighting Team | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
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
Sofia Burkhardt, Leila Rickoff, Molly Ridgeway, Aastha Shrestha | Once on this Island |
Clarksburg High School
Angelia DeJesus | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Mercedes Martinez, Lauren Mignatti | Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! | Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
The Rotten Costume Crew | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Sets
Henry Collins, Jefferson Escobar-Rivera, Andrew Landrum, Charly Olsen | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Talia-Rose Diorio, Killian Korchnak, Mo Rees, Victoria Scarpato | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
Shane Roy & the Set Team | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
The Bright Star Team | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
TJTA Pippin Set Design Team | Pippin | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Orchestra
Sister Act Orchestra | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Bright Star Orchestra & Featured Musicians | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Mamma Mia! Pit Orchestra | Mamma Mia! | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes
Walt Whitman High School Pit Orchestra | Legally Blonde The Musical | Walt Whitman High School
The Rotten Pit | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Choreography
Maren Baisley, Elizabeth D’Souza, Rachael Pulice, Gabriela Ramirez | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School
Naomi Conteh | Once on this Island | Clarksburg High School
Logan Baker, Victoria Collins-Jost | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Alice Reid | Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! | Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
Anna Leo & August Rivers | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Creativity
Abigail Gerstein for Student Director | Sister Act | Alexandria City High School
Emmett Justice, Abdullah Muhammad, Autumn Whetstone, Music Composers | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Jake Bae, Orchestra Conductor | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Jenna Ainge, Student Director | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Carlos Ortiz, Music Composer and Conductor | The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Stage Management
Anna Crowley, Sarah Dodson, Rachel Shear | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Chantilly High School
Alexandra Wyant | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Rebecca Sullivan | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Olivia Baumgartner, Tomas Bocock, Sebastian Harman, & Eliora Janow | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Diya Mohanty | The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) | Westfield High School
Stage Crew
Kiss Me, Kate! Stage Crew | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Madison Eismeier, Kinsey Lin, Leah Rajnik | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Tomas Bocock, Grayson Quigley, and the Bright Star Run Crew and Ensemble | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Maeve Brogan, Anna Rueffer | Legally Blonde The Musical | Walt Whitman High School
Jaylah Bunch, Tyler Crevoisier, Jonathan Duncan, Teresa Seraphin | The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) | Westfield High School
Ensemble in a Play
The Stones | Eurydice | Colgan High School
The Transylvanians | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
The Pirates | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
The Suspects | Clue: Onstage (High School Edition) | Thomas A. Edison High School
Pirates | Peter and the Starcatcher | Woodbridge Senior High
Ensemble in a Musical
Nuns | Sister Act | Alexandria City High School
Farm Animals | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Convent Nuns | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Gangster Ensemble | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Townsfolk | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play
Amina Ahmed | Argonautika: The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts | Annandale High School
Lorna Elizabeth Evans | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
Will Albaugh as Queen | The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Charlotte Willmore | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School
Zoe Brennan | The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) | Westfield High School
Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Play
Brady Kastner | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
Paxton Hebblethwaite | The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Alex Surakov | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
Silas Blocker | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School
Matthew Florian | The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) | Westfield High School
Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Musical
Maria McLemore | Sister Act | Alexandria City High School
Asanti Lubika | Once on This Island | Clarksburg High School
Franny Hemsley | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Sarah Peckham | The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | South County High School
Alexa Norris | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Musical
Brandon Miller | Once on This Island | Clarksburg High School
Sydney Downs | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Patrick Barrett | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Ian Toppall | Disney’s Descendants: The Musical | Robinson Secondary School
Michael Tsougranis | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Dancer in a Female Role
Sierra Flowers | Once on This Island | Clarksburg High School
Pauleen Kabiling | Chicago: Teen Edition | Falls Church High School
Alice Reid | Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! | Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
Keira McLaughlin | The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | South County High School
Angie Sukhee | Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical | Wakefield High School
Dancer in a Male Role
Ethan Hardy | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Nate Kauffman | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Judah Widzer | Disney’s Descendants: The Musical | Robinson Secondary School
August Rivers | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Carson Stadler | Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical | Wakefield High School
Vocalist in a Female Role
Elina Viana | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School
Judy Zam | Chicago: Teen Edition | Falls Church High School
Abby Camp | Disney’s Descendants: The Musical | Robinson Secondary School
Audrey Iglesia | Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! | Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
Yasmin Kudrati-Plummer | Pippin | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Vocalist in a Male Role
Seger Ott-Rudolph | My Favorite Year | Albert Einstein High School
Aidan McNerney | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School
Madelyn Regan | Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka | Centreville High School
Abdullah Muhammad | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Nicholas Brunson | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play
Macy Best | Argonautika: The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts | Annandale High School
Joana Lima Alves Montenegro | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
Isabel Pierce | The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Kaitlyn McCarley | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
Anusha Krishnan | The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition) | Westfield High School
Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play
Dakota Cupples | Eurydice | H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
Jonah Uffelman | Much Ado About Nothing | James Madison High School
Matthew Boehm | She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition | Mount Vernon High School
Peter Gardner | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School
Christina Hayes | Peter and the Starcatcher | Woodbridge Senior High
Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical
Isabelle Phillips | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School
Lauren Williams | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Khailah Schroeter | Mean Girls High School Version | Osbourn Park High School
Ava Turley | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Elana Kirwan | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical
Andrew Landrum | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Idíl Erdogan | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Marcus Martinez | The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | South County High School
Jonathan Villa | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Christopher Seeger | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play
Kaya Thomas | Argonautika: The Voyage of Jason and the Argonauts | Annandale High School
Ella Ostlund | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Chantilly High School
Amelia Campbell-Reidhead | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Sarah Driessen | Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
Emily Ocasio | The Glass Menagerie | The New School of Northern VA
Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play
Noelle Koss | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Hugo Ratheau | The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Porter Bertman | Clue: Onstage (High School Edition) I Thomas A. Edison High School
Farooq Khan I One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School
Audrey Evans I Peter and the Starcatcher I Woodbridge Senior High
Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical
Rainah Taylor | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Maren Lewis | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Kate Wamboldt | Disney’s Descendants: The Musical | Robinson Secondary School
Mia Cummings | Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical | Wakefield High School
Ellie Arenstein | Legally Blonde The Musical | Walt Whitman High School
Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical
Naeem Scott | Sister Act | Alexandria City High School
Eric Curry III | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Hayden Polsky | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Javier Quiroz-Rubi | The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | South County High School
Thomas Seeger | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play
Ainsley McNatt | Eurydice | Colgan High School
Mary Ulses | Much Ado About Nothing | James Madison High School
Lake Rusch | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Sarah Hilton | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
JJ Dunn | She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition | Mount Vernon 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
Alex Perry | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
Conor Farah | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
Matthew Bloss-Baum | The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Diya Selvan | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School
Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical
Isabella Jackson | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
Hope Hill | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Giorgia Dallasta | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Abigail Jamison | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Maddie Belanoff | Legally Blonde The Musical | Walt Whitman High School
Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical
Aidan Furey | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School
Moyo Ifafore | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Josh Wise | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Nathan Bass | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Henry Carter | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Song
Take Me to Heaven (Reprise) | Sister Act | Fairfax High School
I Hate Men | Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Platypus Heart | Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Another Round | Bright Star | South Lakes High School
A Musical | Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
Critic Team
Herndon High School
McLean High School
Quince Orchard High School
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Westfield High School
Play
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Chantilly High School
Much Ado About Nothing | James Madison High School
Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School
The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School
The Love Doctor | Meridian High School
Wendy & Peter Pan | Oakton High School
Musical
Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Kiss Me, Kate | Herndon High School
Claudio Quest | McLean High School
Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School
Bright Star | South Lakes High School
Something Rotten! | West Springfield High School
