MEDINA, Ohio -- Three Medina High School performers will have an opportunity to shine at the Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square May 18, as Medina has been nominated in a few different categories.
The Dazzle Awards, also known as the National High School Musical Awards Program, recognizes excellent performances and productions by students in 37 participating Northeast Ohio high schools.
This year, Medina High School’s performance of “The Prom” was nominated for Best Scenic Design and Best Choreography Execution.
And MHS senior Livy Douglas was nominated for Best Actress for her role as Emma Nolan.
Winners will be announced at the May 18 ceremony.
“I know there will be about 30 of us going up to the ceremony,” said Ron Douglas, theater director at Medina High School.
“It’s organized kind of like a Tony Awards show, with opening and closing numbers. Then the nominees will also get to do some performances. I think there are 10 musical numbers and 13 award presentations.”
Livy will perform a medley along with the other Best Actress nominees.
“I’m really excited to be doing this,” Livy said. “I really liked playing the character, because I found her to just be very relatable.”
Douglas said each school can choose two students to perform in the opening and closing numbers. Reese Goldmeier and Max Robbins will represent Medina.
“They will get to be working with Connor Gallagher, who is a professional choreographer. He is best known for his choreography in the Broadway musical ‘Beetlejuice,’” Douglas said.
“It’s a really cool experience, plus this takes place at the Key Bank State Theater and they get to perform in front of around 3,000 people, which is a great experience for the students.”
Douglas added that he is excited about the two nominations the Medina productions received.
“Our dance choreographer Karen Colabianchi spent so much time working with our kids,” he said.
“She was not easy on them. They spent about 10 hours a week for four months working on that choreography.
“And on set design, our student leader Sid Frazier really took the lead. He had to do about eight major sets and he put a lot of hard work and dedication into it.”
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