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The Thespies: Celebrating St. Luke’s Theatre
Students, families, and faculty gathered to look back at this year's St. Luke's theatre performances and look ahead to the next year's productions. Many 2017-2018 theatre accolades were presented.
May 23 was filled with dramatic flair as St. Luke’s community of theater artists gathered in the Fireplace Commons to celebrate the annual Thespian Awards (known as “The Thespies”) to honor theatrical accomplishments of the past school year.
Jason Peck, Director of Theatre Arts, addressed the gathering before announcing the awards: “You have entertained, you have excited, and you have enlightened. But, beyond that, you have served to provoke thought and inspire change. Theatre, when done well, truly has the power to change hearts and minds.”
After a video retrospective of the year in performances, Peck announced the winners of this year’s Thespies. The 2017–2018 Thespian Awards included:
Rising Star (Upper)
Leila Pearson
Rising Star (Middle)
Jessica Heine (Wizard of Oz, Comedy of Errors)
The Rookie (Upper)
Aisha Memon
The Rookie (Middle)
Charlotte Berliet
Technical Excellence (Upper)
Jacqui Holzberger
Technical Excellence (Middle)
Calvin Strothenke
Best Stage Manager (Upper)
Gabby Mitchell
Best Stage Manager (Middle)
Kendall Bayliss (Wizard of Oz)
Master Craftsman (Upper)
Conner Rosow
Master Craftsman (Middle)
Jacob Waldman
Design and Visual Creativity (Upper)
Chloe Kekedjian
Design and Visual Creativity (Middle)
Jack Silverman
Ensemble Stand Out (Upper)
Kate Stamoulis (Boeing-Boeing, Urinetown, Take Ten)
Golden Wrench (Student Tech Director)
Conner Rosow
Ensemble Stand Out (Middle)
Ali DeFilippo (The Wizard of Oz, Comedy of Errors)
Best Comedic Performance (Upper)
Katie Libman (Boeing-Boeing, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress)
Henry Jodka (Boeing-Boeing)
Best Comedic Performance (Middle)
McLain Boege (The Wizard of Oz)
Best Supporting Performance Play or Musical (Upper)
Sarah Powless (Boeing-Boeing, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress)
Best Supporting Performance Play or Musical (Middle)
Shannon Rust (The Wizard of Oz)
Best Character Actor (Upper)
Amelia Wyckoff (Urinetown, Boeing-Boeing)
Best Character Actor (Middle)
Alex Arnold (The Wizard of Oz)
Best Performance in a Play (Upper)
Michael Crispi (Boeing-Boeing)
Best Performance in a Play (Middle)
Ava Waldman (Life in the Middle)
Best Performance in a Musical (Upper)
Kayleigh Bowler (Urinetown)
Best Performance in a Musical (Middle)
Cessa Lewis (The Wizard of Oz)
Thespian Award
(Students who have participated in all three seasons of St. Luke’s Theatre)
(US) Alex Awad, Alex Insoft, Amelia Wyckoff, Chloe Kekedjian, Jacqui Holzberger, Kate Stamoulis, Henry Jodka, Conner Rosow, Will Chuhta, Victor Sarrazin, Paige Berta, Archer Goodwyn, Jack Laibe
(MS) Kendall Bayliss, Ryan DeFilippo, Sally Picon, Nailah Profit
Senior Achievement Award
(Reserved for seniors who performed or served on Tech for all four years of their time at St. Luke’s)
Alex Insoft, Chloe Kekedjian, Gabby Mitchell, Amelia Wyckoff, Harry Wyckoff, Jacqui Holzberger, Kate Stamoulis, Kristen Beaumonte, Sarah Powless, Logan Diliberto
Drama Mama/Papa Award (Upper)
Alicia Wyckoff
Drama Mama/Papa Award (Middle)
Liz DeFilippo
After awards were announced, Peck shared a video of this year’s Halo Awards nominations. For the second year in a row, St. Luke’s Theatre received the most nominations in what is considered the Tony Awards for high school theatre in Connecticut. That ceremony will take place on May 29, at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury.
The ceremony wrapped with a surprise announcement about next year’s season. "We are incredibly excited about our upcoming theatrical season, the highlight being an All-School Musical (grades 5 to 12), The School of Rock,” said Peck. “An All-School hasn't been done since the pioneer days of the SLS Theatre program and we are thrilled to be bringing it back. So many incredible parts, so many chances to grow and learn, and so many opportunities to rock!”
View the 2018 Thespies Awards photo gallery.
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Jason Peck, Director of Theatre Arts, addressed the gathering before announcing the awards: “You have entertained, you have excited, and you have enlightened. But, beyond that, you have served to provoke thought and inspire change. Theatre, when done well, truly has the power to change hearts and minds.”
After a video retrospective of the year in performances, Peck announced the winners of this year’s Thespies. The 2017–2018 Thespian Awards included:
Rising Star (Upper)
Leila Pearson
Rising Star (Middle)
Jessica Heine (Wizard of Oz, Comedy of Errors)
The Rookie (Upper)
Aisha Memon
The Rookie (Middle)
Charlotte Berliet
Technical Excellence (Upper)
Jacqui Holzberger
Technical Excellence (Middle)
Calvin Strothenke
Best Stage Manager (Upper)
Gabby Mitchell
Best Stage Manager (Middle)
Kendall Bayliss (Wizard of Oz)
Master Craftsman (Upper)
Conner Rosow
Master Craftsman (Middle)
Jacob Waldman
Design and Visual Creativity (Upper)
Chloe Kekedjian
Design and Visual Creativity (Middle)
Jack Silverman
Ensemble Stand Out (Upper)
Kate Stamoulis (Boeing-Boeing, Urinetown, Take Ten)
Golden Wrench (Student Tech Director)
Conner Rosow
Ensemble Stand Out (Middle)
Ali DeFilippo (The Wizard of Oz, Comedy of Errors)
Best Comedic Performance (Upper)
Katie Libman (Boeing-Boeing, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress)
Henry Jodka (Boeing-Boeing)
Best Comedic Performance (Middle)
McLain Boege (The Wizard of Oz)
Best Supporting Performance Play or Musical (Upper)
Sarah Powless (Boeing-Boeing, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress)
Best Supporting Performance Play or Musical (Middle)
Shannon Rust (The Wizard of Oz)
Best Character Actor (Upper)
Amelia Wyckoff (Urinetown, Boeing-Boeing)
Best Character Actor (Middle)
Alex Arnold (The Wizard of Oz)
Best Performance in a Play (Upper)
Michael Crispi (Boeing-Boeing)
Best Performance in a Play (Middle)
Ava Waldman (Life in the Middle)
Best Performance in a Musical (Upper)
Kayleigh Bowler (Urinetown)
Best Performance in a Musical (Middle)
Cessa Lewis (The Wizard of Oz)
Thespian Award
(Students who have participated in all three seasons of St. Luke’s Theatre)
(US) Alex Awad, Alex Insoft, Amelia Wyckoff, Chloe Kekedjian, Jacqui Holzberger, Kate Stamoulis, Henry Jodka, Conner Rosow, Will Chuhta, Victor Sarrazin, Paige Berta, Archer Goodwyn, Jack Laibe
(MS) Kendall Bayliss, Ryan DeFilippo, Sally Picon, Nailah Profit
Senior Achievement Award
(Reserved for seniors who performed or served on Tech for all four years of their time at St. Luke’s)
Alex Insoft, Chloe Kekedjian, Gabby Mitchell, Amelia Wyckoff, Harry Wyckoff, Jacqui Holzberger, Kate Stamoulis, Kristen Beaumonte, Sarah Powless, Logan Diliberto
Drama Mama/Papa Award (Upper)
Alicia Wyckoff
Drama Mama/Papa Award (Middle)
Liz DeFilippo
After awards were announced, Peck shared a video of this year’s Halo Awards nominations. For the second year in a row, St. Luke’s Theatre received the most nominations in what is considered the Tony Awards for high school theatre in Connecticut. That ceremony will take place on May 29, at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury.
The ceremony wrapped with a surprise announcement about next year’s season. "We are incredibly excited about our upcoming theatrical season, the highlight being an All-School Musical (grades 5 to 12), The School of Rock,” said Peck. “An All-School hasn't been done since the pioneer days of the SLS Theatre program and we are thrilled to be bringing it back. So many incredible parts, so many chances to grow and learn, and so many opportunities to rock!”
View the 2018 Thespies Awards photo gallery.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
