Douglas Anderson School of the Arts sweeps Applause Awards
In its first year of participating in the Applause Awards, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts (DA) received 17 Applause Award wins for its production of A Chorus Line. The awards recognize everyone from set and costume designers to lead actors and actresses. It is a true celebration of all facets of musical theater. DA submitted through Orlando’s chapter of National High School Musical Theatre Awards at the Dr. Phillips Center, because there is not a chapter of the in Northeast Florida area.
The school’s production ran for six performances in November on the Dubow Stage. It was directed by Joe Kemper, choreographed by Ellie Potts Barrett, with Orchestra preparation by Dr. Kenneth Williams, and Music Direction by Jeffrey Clayton. Curtis Powell conducted the performances. Set design was by new DA Theatre faculty member Paul Denayer, with Sound Design by Rick Painter, Lighting Design by Jennifer Kilgore, Scenic Painting by Susan Peters, and Costume Design by Tammy Lynch. The Production Manager was Susan Peters.
Because of the uncertainty of COVID, Kemper and Barrett decided to double cast the entire production, a first for DA. This not only gave more DA students a chance to perform what is originally a smaller cast, it also served as built-in understudies in the event of quarantining.
Casts were listed as CAST A and CAST B and were mixed each night. Representatives from The Applause Awards came and adjudicated both casts and scored them as two separate productions.
The winners of the Applause Awards were announced on May 6. Awards included Outstanding Musical; Outstanding Director: Joe Kemper; Outstanding Musical Director: Jeffrey Clayton; Outstanding Choreographer: Ellie Potts Barrett; Outstanding Orchestra; Outstanding Stage Managers: Jaylin Cotton and Emilee Hall; Outstanding Lead Performers: Samantha Nelson, Christina Dyches, Nina Simone Diaz and Sirena de la Rosa; Outstanding Supporting Performer: Auggie Pulliam, Abigail Douglas and Alanna Carter; Outstanding Actor: Catherine Tetzlaff; Outstanding Sound Design: Rick Painter and Roland Murwin; Outstanding Lighting Design: Maya Vazquez and Jennifer Kilgore; and Outstanding Ensemble.
Both casts from Douglas Anderson are performing an excerpt of the show on the Walt Disney Stage on June 4.
“It feels surreal. You never think you’ll perform your work again after it closes. It is so flattering and such an honor to know that the work you did was impactful enough to be performed again on such a huge stage,” said Nina-Simone Diaz, who played, Diana, in A Chorus Line.
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