Westbrook and Old Saybrook high school theater productions received a total of 37 nominations for the 16th annual Halo Awards, a Connecticut high school awards program sponsored by Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury. The awards ceremonies will take place at Waterbury’s Palace Theater over three nights in late May and early June.

Participating schools are divided into three groups, each of which has its own separate awards night, described by Seven Angels Theatre as a gala red carpet event. This year, Westbrook and Old Saybrook have different awards nights; thus, the schools will not compete against each other.

The awards are open to all Connecticut high schools, both public and private, explained Halo coordinator Melissa Stemmer, and currently 73 are participating (The Morgan School is not a participant). In order to be considered for awards, the high school must fill out a registration form. There is no charge to the school.

“We honor all aspects of theater, including technical awards,” Stemmer said.

All participating high schools are invited to perform at the awards ceremonies, which are structured in a similar way to the Tony Awards, with winners announced that evening.

Westbrook High School

Westbrook High School was nominated for 17 awards:

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Ben Schrek as Max Levene in Heaven Can Wait

Best Comic Female Performance in a Play: Katie Wallace as Mrs. Ames in Heaven Can Wait

Best Costume Design: Katie Wallace, Bree Koplas, Marlee Archer, and Marguerite Bartlett for Heaven Can Wait

Best Hair and/or Makeup Design: Ingrid Bauman, Kendall Orlowski, Maria Dias, Katherine Dahl, Katie Wallace, and Chloe Bugden for Heaven Can Wait

Best Sound Design and/or Execution: Gavin LeBrec for Heaven Can Wait

Best Scenic Design and/or Execution: Madeline Shaw for Spamalot/Heaven Can Wait

Best Props Design and/or Management: Elnora Amenta for Spamalot/Heaven Can Wait

Best Speciality Ensemble: Ben Schreck, Olivia Archer, and ensemble as King Arthur, Patsy, and The Knights in “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” in Spamalot

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play: Finn McGannon as Mr. Jordan in Heaven Can Wait

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical: Garrett Smith as Sir Lancelot in Spamalot

Best Performance by a Couple or Dynamic Duo in a Play: Jack Lyman and Ben Schreck as Joe Pendleton and Max Levene in Heaven Can Wait

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Jack Lyman as Joe Pendleton in Heaven Can Wait

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Classical Play: Elnora Amenta as Messenger 7013 in Heaven Can Wait

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Contemporary Musical: Ben Schreck as King Arthur in Spamalot

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Contemporary Musical: Savannah Marshall as The Lady of The Lake in Spamalot

Best Classical Play: Heaven Can Wait

Best Contemporary Musical: Spamalot

Old Saybrook High School

Old Saybrook High School was nominated for 20 awards:

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Joe Bradley as Don John in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Janae Jeune as Leonata in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Comic Female Peformance in a Play: Penny Amara as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Comic Male Performance in a Musical: Joe Bradley as Judge Pitkin W. Bridgework in On the Town

Best Comic Female Performance in a Musical: Penny Amara as Madame Maude P. Dilly in On the Town

Best Lighting Design and/or Execution: Eva Hirst and Jampel Dorjee for Much Ado About Nothing

Best Sound Design and/or Execution: Saewon Dionne-Jee for Much Ado About Nothing/On the Town

Best Original Program Cover Design or Artwork: Liam Welsh for On the Town

Best Incidental or Original Music in a Play: Joe Bradley for Much Ado About Nothing

Best Choreographer: Margaret Maselli and Mara Kelly for On the Town

Best Specialty Ensemble: Carissa Schilkee, Mara Kelley, Danielle Lapierre, Alice Pond, and Emmy Skiles as The Watch in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play: Ian Mason as Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical: John Gabelmann as Ozzie in On the Town

Best Performance by a Couple Or Dynamic Duo in a Musical: Olivia Gaidry and John Gabelmann as Clare and Ozzie in On the Town

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Classical Play: Liam Welsh as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Classical Play: Olivia Gaidry as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Performance by a leading Actor in a Classical Musical: Tim Jacoboski as Gabey in On the Town

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a classical Musical: Maggie Maselli as Ivy Smith in On the Town

Best Classical Play: Much Ado About Nothing

Best Classical Musical: On the Town

Westbrook High School’s award night will take place on Tuesday, May 28 and Old Saybrook High School’s on Wednesday, May 29 at the Palace Theater in Waterbury. Tickets are $22 if purchased in advance and $25 the night of the awards and may be purchased by calling the Seven Angels Theatre box office at 203-757-4676.