2009 Teeny Awards Winners!

The East End Arts Council, founder of the groundbreaking high school theatre recognition program fondly known as the Teeny Awards© (modeled after the Tony Awards) has announced its 2009 winners.

All participating East End high school theatre productions have been attended by a select panel of judges, who evaluated students based on specific dramatic skills criteria, which the schools were provided with in early Fall.

A formal awards ceremony took place on Sunday, June 7th at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. With support from the East End business community, award winners were recognized for their hard work and dedication to theatre arts.

And the winners (designed with an *)and nominees were:

Lead Actress in a Comedy
Marie Sweet, Shoreham Wading River, Arsenic and Old Lace
Alice Shanklin, Shoreham Wading River, Arsenic and Old Lace *
Taylor Sorice, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off

Lead Actor in a Comedy
Joseph Cataldo, McGann Mercy, Oh, Promise Me
Brian Stanco, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off *
Kyle Kollegger, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off

Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Hope Andrejack, McGann Mercy, Oh, Promise Me
Maria Tavella, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off *
Paula Roby, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off

Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Nick Casaula, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off
Joseph Sergio, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off *
George Welge, Eastport/South Manor, Noises Off

Lead Actor in a Drama
Dan Bruno, Mattituck, Jane Eyre
Rob Tureski, Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers *
Vincent Cinque, Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers

Lead Actress in a Drama
Casey Sheren, Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers *
Francesca Carter, Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers
Kayla Mattola, Mattituck, Jane Eyre

Supporting Actor in a Drama
Luke Sisson, Mattituck, Jane Eyre
Christian Thienel, Westhampton Beach, Lost inYonkers *
Luke Nilsson,Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers

Supporting Actress in a Drama
Bea Markovaite, Mattituck, Jane Eyre
Meghan "Moggy" Vinciguerra, Mattituck, Jane Eyre *
Alexa Keegan, Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers

Lead Actor in a Musical
Nicolas Casaula, Eastport/South Manor, Les Miserables
Chris Murphy, Center Moriches, Footloose
Colin Palmer, Riverhead, Les Miserables *

Lead Actress in a Musical
Alexa Keegan, Westhampton Beach, Jane Eyre
Nicolette Clark, Shelter Island, Bye Bye Birdie
Michele Card, Shelter Island, Bye Bye Birdie
Kaitlin Farrel, Riverhead, Les Miserables *
Beth Richter, Greenport, Peter Pan

Supporting Actor in a Musical
Stephen D’Amico, Southold, Beauty and the Beast
David Graham, Center Moriches, Footloose *
Brian Niggles, East Hampton, Annie Get Your Gun

Supporting Actress in a Musical
Mia Mulvey, Westhampton Beach, Jane Eyre
Jessica Benitez, Riverhead, Pippin *
Liz Oldak, Pierson, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

This category was created to recognize a student who “shines brightly” in a role that is not eligible for adjudication in the leading or supporting categories.

Outstanding Performance in a Drama
Megan Ross, Mattituck, Jane Eyre
Outstanding Performance in a Musical
Laura Lynn Duffy, McGann Mercy, The Boyfriend *
Shelby Willumsen, Shelter Island, Bye Bye Birdie

JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD

The judges choose a particular scene, musical number, dance number, ensemble effort, or group that they feel stands out enough to warrant special merit. This year, the recipient of the Judges’ Choice Award is the ensemble work of the ‘enchanteds’ from Southold’s Beauty and the Beast: Jake Boergesson, Sam Kortchmar, Christina Stankewicz, Gayle Gammon, Ivy Croteau, and Jackie Solo. *

STAGE MANAGER

Jeanette Traslavina, East Hampton High School *
Rachel Dickhoff, McGann-Mercy High School *
Hannah Cook and Laura Rinaldi, Pierson High School *
Gabriel Galifianakis, Riverhead High School *

CHOREOGRAPHY

Maddie Virga, East Hampton, Big
Jessica Benitez, Riverhead, Pippin *

SET DESIGN

Brian Niggles, East Hampton, Big *

LIGHTING DESIGN

Andrew Kestler, Pierson, The Mystery of Edwin Drood *
Brian Niggles, East Hampton, Big
Rachel Lucas & Shelby Hearn,Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers

PLAYBILL COVER/POSTER ART

Kristen Racaniello, Riverhead, Pippin
Nicole Keane, Pierson, The Mystery of Edwin Drood *
Kristian Einstman, Westhampton Beach, Lost in Yonkers

For more information on the Teeny Awards©, please contact the East End Arts Council at 631-727-0900. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities, contact EEAC Development Director Catherine Gerardi at 631-727-0900.

EEAC: 2009 Year of the Game

On Friday, February 27, 2009 from 5:00 - 8:00pm, the juried, mixed-media art exhibit Games People Play will open at the EEAC gallery, which kicks off their Year of the Game!

Artists are invited to interpret the Games People Play theme in any way using the medium of their choice. The show will be juried by artist Jen Benton and artist/ mayor of Greenport David Nyce and will run through April 10, 2009. All those who attend the EEAC opening on February 27th will have a chance to win prizes by collecting special game-piece buttons.

The Riverhead Business Improvement District (BID) is sponsoring a collaboration among downtown restaurants to extend the fun and games on the 27th, and the North Fork Trolley will shuttle folks from the EEAC gallery’s Games People Play to the Suffolk County Historical Society’s exhibit, Luck, Strategy and Diplomacy: Playing Games and to the Long Island Science Center’s Science of Games exhibit. Restaurants in Riverhead will play along by offering specials for diners.

“We’d like to thank the Riverhead BID for their support,” said Pat Snyder, EEAC Executive Director. “We’re looking forward to seeing lots of people downtown for the exhibits and hope they check out Riverhead’s great restaurants for dinner.”

EEAC Community School of the Arts Expands Offerings

The East End Arts Council is pleased to announce that it has expanded and enhanced its programming. In addition to offering new weekend classes and workshops for those who are unable to attend classes on weekdays, the council is offering an array of one-day sampler classes.

Registration is now underway for the East End Arts Council’s 2009 winter-spring programs, including new weekend classes and workshops which opens the doors for those who are unable to attend classes during the work week. Classes will be offered in the long-awaited and fully stocked photography darkroom, offering insights into traditional, or ‘purist,’ photography in this age of technology—not to worry, though; there are also classes available in digital photography. The darkroom is available in three-hour increments to local photographers – chemicals included!

The new Carriage House artist studio will also be in full swing, offering an array of visual arts classes from drawing basics to life drawing, beginner watercolor to oils, and multi-media abstract painting, and is also available to on a bi-hourly basis for rehearsals and meetings.

2008 Teeny Awards Winners

The 2008 winners of the Teeny Awards, the ground-breaking student theatre arts recognition program of the East End Arts Council (EEAC) in collaboration with the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, were awarded at the sixth annual Teeny Awards on Sunday, June 8.

For a list of the 2008 nominees and winners, click here.

Schools under the jurisdiction of the East End Arts Council are eligible. Those participating this year include Center Moriches, East Hampton, Eastport-South Manor, Greenport, Hampton Bays, Mattituck, Pierson in Sag Harbor, Riverhead and Mercy-McGann in Riverhead, Ross School in East Hampton, Shelter Island, Shoreham-Wading River, Southampton, Southold, and Westhampton Beach.

“Much like the countywide athletic awards, the Teeny Awards celebrate the dedication, concentration and teamwork required to put on a production and focus on individual and group achievement irrespective of the size of the school or the amount of money allotted to the production,” said Patricia Snyder, East End Arts Council Executive Director and Teeny Awards Founder.

2007 Gala and Winners

At a gala awards ceremony on Sunday, June 3, 2007 each of the winners of the 2007 Teeny Awards were awarded a glass trophy and a $200 scholarship by the East End Arts Council at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center.

For the complete listing of the 2007 nominees and winners, click here.

Music & Art Lessons for Parents?

Did you ever tell someone, "I used to play piano," or flute, or cello, maybe the trumpet, saxophone or violin? Or maybe you used to sing? Have you always enjoyed art and wanted to do more? Some of us have always wanted to learn, but never had the opportunity as a child.

In addition to the children enrolled in group and private music & art classes, the Community School of the Arts has lots of adult students, from beginner to advanced. Music and art instruction isn't just for kids! Currently there are daytime openings for voice, guitar, piano and violin during the week and openings on all woodwind instruments, cello, percussion and piano on Saturdays. For complete offerings, visit the School of the Arts website or call 369-2171.

The Arts in Southold Town

Bay Street Theatre Playhouse

Children's Museum of the East End

East End Arts Council
and School of Arts

East End Seaport Museum
& Marine Foundation

Hallockville Museum Farm & Folklife Center

North Fork Community Theatre

Old Town Arts & Crafts Guild

Railroad Museum of Long Island

Suffolk County Historical Society

Theatre Three Children's Productions

Vail-Leavitt Music Hall

Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center