The Union High School Performing Arts Company (UHSPAC) added to their accolades three Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star (PMPRS) Awards for their spring production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The show had been nominated for ten PMPRS Awards. Since their inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for excellence in high school musical theatre have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey.
The award ceremony was broadcast live on HomeTowne TV and featured a performance by the seven nominated schools for Outstanding Overall Production. The UHSPAC performed a medley of songs from Cinderella including “The Prince is Giving a Ball,” and “Ten Minutes Ago.” The beautifully executed performance featured Rising Star Nominee Jason Yanto as Lord Pinkleton, Crystal Wright as Cinderella, and an ensemble of dancers including Joseph Laurino as Prince Topher, who waltzed into the audience’s hearts.
“Last night was a wonderful reminder of the importance of arts education,” shared Laura Muller, the Co-Music Director and Orchestra Conductor. “Every student from every school showed their passion, humility and determination while performing at the Rising Star Awards. I am so incredibly humbled to have been honored and so proud of the creative team, cast, crew and especially the orchestra of Cinderella. To be honored for their outstanding performance is icing on the cake of a wonderful production process with these student performers.”
Director James Mosser added, “The Rising Star Awards presented by the Tony Award Winning Paper Mill Playhouse are one of the premier programs for theatre recognition in the country. It is always a pleasure to be recognized as one of top programs in the state. The highlight is watching our students perform on the Paper Mill stage. I could not be more proud of our students.”
Weeks before, the UHSPAC boasted participation in another television broadcast. The world had the opportunity to watch the UHSPAC in the PBS documentary “I Can’t… I Have Rehearsal,” which aired on Wednesday, May 17th at 8:00pm. They had been selected as one of six schools to be featured for excellence in theater education. Last year, camera crews followed them around as they mounted their production of Disney’s Mary Poppins.
The documentary featured rehearsal and performance footage from the show, as well as exclusive interviews with Director James Mosser and UHSPAC Alumni, Jonathan Duvelson who starred as Bert.
Duvelson currently is a BFA Musical Theater major at Montclair State University and shared, “I am so fortunate that I am able to be featured in this documentary, and that I can show people just how hard we, as theater people, work to make the shows great. Being in the Performing Arts Department at Union High School allowed me to transition into college with ease, and to excel past what is expected, and challenge myself to be better every day.”
“It was a very fun experience for all of us to have a camera crew follow us around,” added Director Mosser. “The documentary gives a nice insight into how hard our students work, and how much it means to them. I’m incredibly proud of how we are represented in this film.”
UHSPAC’s Cinderella wins included:
• Outstanding Orchestra
• Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction
• Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
UHSPAC nominations included:
• Outstanding Costume Design- Leslie Laurino, James Mosser, Jennifer Williams
• Outstanding Lighting Design – Christopher Annas-Lee
• Outstanding Scenic Design – Diane Esquivel & James Mosser
• Outstanding Music Direction – Laura Muller & James Mosser
• Outstanding Orchestra
• Outstanding Chorus
• Featured Actor- Jason Yanto as Lord Pinkleton
• Outstanding Choreography- Jennifer Williams
• Outstanding Direction- James Mosser
• Outstanding Overall Production
(above) The Orchestra members of Cinderella.
(above) UHSPAC’s 2017 Production Cinderella.
