By Rebecca Miller,’12, A&E Section Editor
The CCDS Upper School Winter Musical Thoroughly Modern Millie garnered seven Cappies Award nominations for its merits. Out of a stellar cast, five students received recognition: Ali Breneman, ’11, for Female Dancer and Choreography; Gabby Richardson, ’11, for Female Vocalist; Todd Legette, ’10, for Male Dancer; Micaela Mullee, ’10, for Comic Actress in a Musical; and Catherine Smith, ’13, for Costumes and Supporting Actress in a Musical.
Out of the six high school students citywide nominated for each category, one will be announced as a winner at the awards gala on May 30.
Every year, CCDS puts a show up for review by other theatre students in the Cappies program. CCDS belongs to the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area Cappies, which include 28 schools from around the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. The program’s mission is to promote high school theatre across the country. Every school that is a part of Cappies is required to send critics from its school to other schools to review their productions. CCDS’s group consists of Head Cappie Breneman, Sophomores Smith, Anisa Tatini and Rebecca Miller, and Sophomore alternate Petra Palmer. Theatre Director Mark Femia is the team’s mentor and their Booster is Mrs. Debra Smith, mother of Catherine Smith and Maggie Smith ’09. She runs CCDS’s Cappies production, making sure the critics are happy and well fed.
Being a Cappie is a tough job. Each critic is required to submit at least five reviews, which will then be considered for publication on The Kentucky Post’s website. All reviews from a show will be sent to the reviewed school. According to Breneman, the most challenging part is that “sometimes review deadlines can be pressing, combined with everything else that needs to be done out. ” Tatini agrees, saying it can be “hard to get reviews in on time.” Despite the pressure to be punctual, both agree that it is worth the chance to go to shows and provide feedback for other schools.
CCDS was a member of the program when Mr. Femia came to CCDS three years ago, and he has continued the tradition. He feels that “the Cappies gives our students a chance to see what other schools are doing in their drama departments and also fosters support and encouragement between schools in the area.” However, he is firm that if the Cappies makes students too focused on the awards and not the education and fun, he will stop our involvement.
