AYAA Awards: We have some WINNERS!

Hello, everyone! I am so excited to announce the winners of the first annual AYAA Awards! We had nominees from a bunch of high schools and theaters this year; I hope to increase the number next year! We had almost 550 voting forms submitted over the past two weeks which is beyond crazy! So thank you to everyone who voted. You made this whole project unbelievably cool for me.

I have included the winners (and the runner ups!) in each category below. First, congratulations are in order to all of the nominees; you're all amazing. What a cool, talented group represented this year.

Now, it is time for me to announce the winners!

Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Jessie Jo Pauley as Maria in West Side Story at Hale Centre Theatre
(Runner up: Tatumn Zale as Veronica Sawyer in Heathers at Greasepaint)

Best Leading Actress in a Play
Sarah Pansing as Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank at Hale Centre Theatre
(Runner up: Rachel Lundgreen as Bertie in The Haunted at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Nathan Sheppard as JD in Heathers at Greasepaint
(Runner up: Josh Weisler as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Best Leading Actor in a Play
Jack Rose as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at Trophy/Xavier College Preparatory
(Runner up: Hale Stewart as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing at Greasepaint)

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Tatum Zale as Ursula in The Little Mermaid at Valley Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Johnna Watson as Natalie Goodman in next to normal at Nearly Naked Theatre)

Best Supporting Actress in a Play (tie)
Mackenna Goodrich as Frau Bern in The Merry Murders at Montmarie at Hamilton High School
Katie Rodin as Hero in Much Ado About Nothing

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Sam Primack as Moritz in Spring Awakening at Spotlight Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Austin Porter as Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd at Actor's Youth Theatre)


Best Supporting Actor in a Play
David Samson as Dr. Scott Rhodes in John Lennon and Me at Spotlight Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Patrick Steward as Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing at Greasepaint)

Best Vocalist
Tatumn Zale as Veronica Sawyer in Heathers at Greasepaint
(Runner up: Lina Cappellano as Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Studio 3)

Best Dancer
Kate Nienstedt as Tammy in Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Hep Witzel as Ensemble in The Little Mermaid at Valley Youth Theatre)

Best Direction of a Musical
Maureen Watson for Heathers at Greasepaint
(Runner up: Zack Diepstraten for Sweeney Todd at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Best Direction of a Play
Marcus Ellsworth for The Haunted at Actor's Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Kenny Grossman for John Lennon and Me at Spotlight Youth Theatre)

Best Music Direction (tie)
Curtin Moeller for Heathers at Greasepaint
Tracie Jones for Bonnie and Clyde at Actor's Youth Theatre

Best Choreography
Emily Starrett for Heathers at Greasepaint
(Runner up: Corrinne Mann, Kristen Malarkey and Marcus Ellsworth for Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Best Set Design
Chris Burke for Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Dori Brown for The Little Mermaid at Valley Youth Theatre)

Best Lighting Design
Josh Lindblom for Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Jeff Davis for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Studio 3)

Best Sound Design
Josh Hontz for Spring Awakening at Spotlight Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Peter Bish for The Producers at Greasepaint)

Best Costume Design
Karol Cooper for The Little Mermaid at Valley Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Jennifer Rosson and Chris Burke for Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Best Hair and Makeup Design
Cheri Lundgreen for The Haunted at Actor's Youth Theatre
(Runner up: DeAndrea Vaughn for Twilight's Quest at Theater Works)

Best Stage Management
Tiffany Owens for The Little Mermaid at Valley Youth Theatre
(Runner up: Courtney Stevens for The Secret Garden at Theater Works)

The Tuck Everlasting Award: Most Likely to Be Immortal
Mackenna Goodrich
(Runner up: Sam Primack)


The Hamilton Award: Most Likely to be the Reincarnation of a Founding Father
Mason Reeves
(Runner up: Joey J Grado)

The Rock of Ages Award: Most Likely to Become the Lead Singer of a Rock Band)
Tatumn Sale
(Runner up: Devon Policci)

The Beau Jest Award: Most Likely to Hire a Fake Fiancee to Impress His Parents)
Kale Burr
(Runner up: Julian Mendoza)

The Legally Blonde Award: Most Likely to Fake Her Way through Harvard Law School
Jessica Sinodis
(Runner up: Addison Bowman)

The Les Miserables Award: Most Likely to Start a Revolution (and Fail)
Vincent Pugliese
(Runner up: India Chudnow)

The Wizard of Oz "Ruby Slippers" Award: Best Dressed
Jessie Jo Pauley
(Runner up: Rebecca Galcik)

The Spamalot Award: Most Likely to Have a Diva Moment
Jessica Sinodis
(Runner up: Julian Mendoza)

Best Play - High School
Romeo and Juliet at Chaparral High School
(Runner up: The Merry Murders at Montmarie at Hamilton High School)

Best Musical - High School
The Addams Family at Hamilton High School
(Runner up: Little Shop of Horrors at Arizona School for the Arts)

Best Play - Community
Much Ado About Nothing at Greasepaint
(Runner up: The Haunted at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Best Musical - Community
Heathers at Greasepaint
(Runner up: Hairspray at Actor's Youth Theatre)

Thank you to everyone who voted for the awards this year! And congrats again to the winners!