By. Jessica Neu
On April 24, the Prime Stage Theatre Company will host its third annual High School Drama Awards at the New Hazlett Theater. This unique event recognizes excellence in High School fall plays produced across Western Pennsylvania. Prime Stage Theatre Drama Awards’ Director John Dolphin stated that the company’s goal with the awards this year and in coming years is to “create an event that all of the local High Schools will look forward to attending.”
Although this is the third year for this inaugural event, because of Covid–19 related restrictions in years past, this is the first year that this event will be held in person. Dolphin contacted High Schools in the Western Pennsylvania region that staged a Fall Play in the 2022/23 school year and notified them of the opportunity to participate in this awards program. Nine schools have chosen to participate this year, with some having participated prior and many new entries, which excited Dolphin and his team. They hope this event grows in popularity and participation each year.
Schools participating in this year’s event are:
- Avonworth High School
- Carlynton High School
- Deer Lakes High School
- Fox Chapel Area High School
- North Allegheny Intermediate High School
- Penn Hills High School
- Pine-Richland High School
- Shady Side Academy Senior School
- Thomas Jefferson High School
There are 26 possible categories included in the awards program, with nominees and awards being presented in 12 of these categories this year. These categories comprehensively recognize all students’ hard work and dedication to the theater, with awards recognizing actors, backstage crews, and design students/teams. Dolphin stressed the importance of acknowledging the entire cast and crew’s hard work, not just the actors’ performances.
Another unique aspect of this awards program is that nominees are not delineated by budget. Dolphin and his team stressed the importance of the judges recognizing the effort and production that students produce regardless of their school’s Drama Department budget. This approach “alleviates socioeconomic discrepancies” in the awards process.
To be considered for a nomination, students must complete a form explaining their work and achievements that make them a nominee contender. Furthermore, students who serve in behind-the-scenes roles such as stage managers, student directors, and design students submit portfolios, videos, and binders, including such things as the script with blocking notes and still photos of their work to show that they spearheaded that department instead of parents or staff. Students also highlight that they work closely with the director and provide feedback as an integral part of the drama department.
This year, six judges who are all theater professionals, two of whom are equity actors, attended each participating school’s Fall Play. They know who would like to be in consideration for nomination in a given category before attending the event and come prepared to adjudicate based on criteria and a scoring rubric that the judges developed along with Prime Stage Productions. Judges also receive a handbook from each school that describes each student’s roles and responsibilities. Of course, judges also take into account firsthand observations into their adjudications as they look for elements such as properly timed lighting and sound cues and whether or not scenic design demonstrates a cohesive or unified vision of the production, and whether or not the set pieces were accurate to the time period portrayed in the show.
Dolphin expressed his excitement over the ceremony being in person for the first time, explaining that attendees can anticipate a “glitzy lobby,” with lighting effects. Inside the theater, winners will accept their awards by walking the red carpet up to the podium, where they can give an acceptance speech. Also, up to 4 actors from each school have the opportunity, although not mandatory, to perform up to a 5-minute scene from their production. The students will perform the show snippets throughout the event to give them a way to present their talents, hard work, and love for theater to a new audience.
Each school has been granted 35 tickets this year so nominees, parents, teachers, and castmates can attend the ceremony. Prime Stage also extended invitations to local universities so they can see firsthand the local HS talent as prospective recruits in the coming years. Dolphin hopes that this will be a professional and beautiful event that honors kids and the event becomes something that Western PA HS Drama Departments are proud to be involved with.
Brian Ceponis has served as the ceremony’s emcee for the past two years. This year multi-hyphenate and current co-artistic director of the City Theater, Monteze Freeland, will serve as this year’s ceremony host as Prime Stage wanted someone who was “well-rounded” in all aspects of the theater to represent the ceremony.
Dolphin and Prime Stage Theater have dynamic and exciting dreams for this awards process and ceremony. They would love to someday grow this event to a point where they can move the ceremony to a larger venue where the general public can purchase tickets. Prime Stage has largely self-funded this event, as fundraisers and sponsorship have been minimal. Dolphin hopes that they will be more willing to contribute to the event’s future once local stakeholders see what the Awards ceremony encapsulates. He postulates that greater visibility around the awards show would help to encourage more community members to go and see local Fall Plays, as HS drama productions are not as highly attended as Spring Musicals, but equally as important. Dolphin believes that High School theater should be a “learning experience that builds kids into who they will eventually become as adults and that those involved in this experience of High School Drama that is equal parts learning and performing should be recognized, awarded, and celebrated.
See the full list of nominees here
onStage Pittsburgh will publish this years award recipients following the ceremony, so please check back for our update.
Categories: Feature Stories
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