By MICHAEL NUNES
Staff Writer
RED BANK- Nominees have been put forward to the 11th annual Basie Awards, which seeks to put high school actors, actresses and production crew staff in the lime light.
“For the 11th straight year, we’re honored to host The Basie Awards and recognize excellence in Monmouth County high school dramas and musicals,” said Count Basie Theatre President and CEO Adam Philipson. “The theater community in Monmouth County encompasses some of the most supportive and talented people we know, and the quality of work that comes from our schools deserves regional recognition. This is truly one of our favorite nights of the year.”
The theater’s evaluation committee screened 21 dramas and 28 musical performances. Awards are broken down into those two genres and are available for categories including lead actor/actress, supporting actor and set design.
Winners of the Count Basie Theatre’s Arts Impacts Scholarships, which is a program that recognizes high school seniors whose life, academic, and career choice have been impacted by the arts, will also be recognized at the awards.
Those scholarship winners are Paulina Homiak of Middletown High School South, who won the Siciliano Landscape Company Arts Impact Scholarship; Jacob Wahba of Ranney School, who claimed the Moser Taboada Arts Impact Scholarship;
Shannon Corsi Rumson-Fair Haven High School, who won the Monmouth Medical Center – Barnabas Health Arts Impact Scholarship; and Cassi Zappala of Middletown High School North, who was the recipient of the Monmouth County Freeholders Basie Scholarship for Continuing Education.
The theater will also be awarding its Basies’ Lifetime Achievement Award to Yvonne Lamb-Scudiery, director of the Count Basie Theatre’s Education department and founder of its Performing Arts Academy. This award is given to those who have dedicated their lives to making art that matters in their community.
Winners are set to be chosen May 18 at the theater’s location on Monmouth Street.The Basie Awards are sponsored by Barnabas Health-Monmouth Medical Center for the fourth consecutive year.
Contact Michael Nunes at mnunes@gmnews.com.
