By Ralph Losanno, producer, Morristown High School Theatre
The Morristown High School Theatre finished our season with multiple nominations and wins.
We started the awards season with five nominations and one win, for Best Ensemble in a Drama — in the WHOLE STATE — from The NJ State Theatre Awards for our production of A Christmas Carol.
On Tuesday, the streak continued with three nominations and two wins from Paper Mill Playhouse’s Rising Star Awards for our musical of Once Upon A Mattress.
Morristown High School Theatre took home the “Theatre for Everyone” Inclusion & Access Award, which recognizes excellence in the promotion and practice of creative inclusion of students and adults with disabilities as performers, designers, musicians and production staff.
Additionally, this award also seeks to recognize and reward a school that takes steps to ensure their performances are accessible to audiences with disabilities.
An award of $1,000 was given to a single deserving school – Morristown High School – selected by a panel of Evaluators from Paper Mill Playhouse, VSA – The State Organization on Arts and Disability of New Jersey and the Cultural Access Network of New Jersey.
Morristown High School is deeply honored by this award as we work each and every day to make the theatre a place where every student can find a “home,” acceptance, and a chance to shine.
We are working hard to make the theatre a place where all MHS students are “All In” and celebrated for their dedication, hard work, and determination to put on the best production they can.
This recognition is without a doubt of the best accolades the theatre and school can receive and should feel overwhelming joy and pride to call the school truly an inclusive environment for all.
Morristown was also nominated in a very stiff competition for a student achievement award in Graphic Design for seniors Alexandra Fielding and Julia Halasz.
Allie and Julia were among only 20 nominations in the state, from which 10 winners won awards for aspects of theatre ranging from Hair and Makeup Design to Costume Design to Student Direction and Choreography. Allie and Julia worked tirelessly on their graphic design for this show.
Morristown High School Theatre Senior Stage Manager Sydney Scheer won the Jane Burgio Memorial Scholarship for her theatre studies next fall at Ithaca College.
The senior was selected by the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award committee as one of five students to receive a $1,000 scholarship.
It is with overwhelming happiness, pride, and true joy that the directing team shares this information.
Congratulations to all of the cast, crew, pit, families, faculty, administration, and community supporters who made all of this possible! Wow! What a season! Now onto next year…enjoy your summer and congrats again!
Thanks, it’s been updated.
That’s Sydney Scheer in the photo with Alexandra Fielding, not Julia Halasz.