Extra! Summit Receives Slew Of Awards From Paper Mill Playhouse

SUMMIT, NJ — Extra! Extra! Summit High School's theater program was among only a few in the state to receive multiple honors in a prestigious program for New Jersey's most theatrically talented thespians.

Thanks to the recent performances of "Newsies," the school took home several Rising Star awards from the Paper Mill Playhouse, based in Millburn, this week.

The impressive performances that received nominations and awards can be viewed in a YouTube video here.

Sydney Veloso, Hope Pierotti, Avery Johnson, Anna Sullivan, Theo Errig, and Ethan Engmann sing and tapdance at 8:20 in the video, and look for a longer clip from the entire cast later in the video.

The winners were:

• Outstanding Performance by a Large Ensemble: Summit High School “Seize The Day” from "Newsies"
• Student Achievement Award: Emma MacPherson, Costume Crew Head, Summit High School
• Inaugural Rising Star Outstanding Educator Awards of $1,000 for their school’s theater programs: Anne Poyner of Summit High School (Other winning educators: John Giresi of Fair Lawn High School and Cindy Dwyer of Mater Dei High School)

Summit was also nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Small Ensemble or the performance of "King of New York” from Newsies.

Other winners in Union County included:

• Student Achievement Award: Ben Zakharenko, Sound Designer, Westfield High School
• Douglas Michael Krueger Scholarship: Khadija Sankoh, Union High School

The full list of winners and nominees is here.

The Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater have been given each year starting in 1996.

They were presented virtually on Monday via Paper Mill’s YouTube and Facebook pages where they can still be viewed on demand.

Paper Mill organizers praised the participants for their creativity and resilience in being able to teach and participate in theater amid COVID restrictions.

Approximately 100 schools entered this year, according to New Jersey Stage.

Early nominees in the program have included Anne Hathaway, Laura Benanti, Nikki M. James, Rob McClure, Shanice Williams, and Jared Gertner.

Paper Mill noted, "Students receiving final nominations and honorable mentions in the solo performance categories receive a scholarship to Paper Mill Playhouse's competitive Summer Musical Theater Conservatory, a professional training program, which, along with advanced classes in singing, acting and dance, offers the nominees an opportunity to perform in the season finale presentation, 'New Voices of 2021: Stand By Me' which will be filmed this summer and premiere on Paper Mill social media outlets in September."

About 'Newsies'

Newsies opened last Wednesday night in the Summit High School Performing Arts Garden and ran through Sunday, June 6. Performances were held live in the garden outside the high school, and were also streamed for audiences in the auditorium and at home.

In the Disney musical, newsboys go on strike in 1899 in New York City.

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