Glitz, glamour and limousines arriving in style set the stage for the fourth annual Ray of Light Awards at the Community Arts Center Sunday evening.
The night, set in the style of a Hollywood awards ceremony complete with a red carpet runway, honored musical theater from Lycoming County high schools and beyond.
Not to be missed in all the splendor and fashionably dressed students were top-notch performances from casts from Central Mountain, Hughesville, Jersey Shore, Loyalsock, Midd-West, Milton, Montoursville, Muncy, Shikellamy, South Williamsport, Warrior Run and Williamsport high schools.
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Rob Steele, executive director of the arts center and event co-host, said kids who perform together make strong bonds through music and theater.
"I can't think of a better way to develop friendships," he said. "Lifelong friendships develop all the time."
Award winners and presenters alike mentioned how arts in the schools routinely are threatened by budget cuts, which drastically would hurt programs.
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MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
Kyleigh Barler, of Central Mountain High School, accepts her award for the Best Performance by a lead actress.
"The arts are under attack in this country and this world," Steele said. "We're not going to have any of that in Lycoming County. Do whatever you have to do. Go to school board meetings. Let's roll up our sleeves and go to battle next year."
Central Mountain High School took three big awards - best play, best small-scale musical and the Ray Phillips Memorial Trophy for best dramatic program.
Shikellamy High School was awarded best large-scale musical for its production of "Carousel."
Fact Box
2012 Ray of Light Award Nominations
Leading actor in a play:
Bred Dennis, Milton, for "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Ryan Looke, Montoursville, for "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Jake Russo, Montoursville, for "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Ian Sterner, Shikellamy, for "You Can't Take it With You."
Leading actress in a play:
Kyleigh Barler, Central Mountain, for "The Curious Savage."
Jillian Jackson, South Williamsport, for "Romeo and Juliet."
Emery Mello, Williamsport, for "The Tempest."
Shelby Snyder, Shikellamy, for "You Can't Take it With You."
Bekah Stefl, Milton, for "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Supporting actor in a play:
Alex Bartless, Central Mountain, for "The Curious Savage."
Tim Hippensteel, Milton, for "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Cameron Perry, Williamsport, for "The Tempest."
Adam Reinard, Hughesville, for "A Family Reunion to Die For."
Tyler Stettler, Shikellamy, for "You Can't Take it With You."
Supporting actress in a play:
Emily Bowen, Montoursville, for "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Haeley Burgess, Williamsport, for "The Tempest."
Kali Haines, Central Mountain, for "The Curious Savage."
Amanda Hibbler, Central Mountain, for "The Curious Savage."
Ashle Larson, Montoursville, for "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Featured performer in a play:
Bradley Ditty, Milton, for "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Samantha Miller, Hughesville, for "A Family Reunion to Die For."
Andrea Peachy, Midd-West, for "Elephant's Graveyard."
Beverly Wagner, Midd-West, for "Elephant's Graveyard."
Sean West, Shikellamy, for "You Can't Take it With You."
Lead actor in a musical:
Caleb Albert, Montoursville, for "Godspell."
Alex Bartlett, Central Mountain, for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Ben Shemory, Shikellamy, for "Carousel."
Nathan Ulmer, Jersey Shore, for "Once Upon a Mattress."
Nathan Young, Milton, for "42nd Street."
Lead actress in a musical:
Kyleigh Barler, Central Mountain, for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Christa Beveridge, Shikellamy, for "Carousel."
Hannah Brumbaugh, South Williamsport, for "Pippin."
Gabrielle Chappel, Jersey Shore, for "Once Upon a Mattress."
Brigid Lapp, Warrior Run, for "Thoroughly Modern Millie."
Katie Leeser, Milton, for "42nd Street."
Tess Marshall, Loyalsock, for "Thoroughly Modern Millie."
Sam Rohrer, Milton, for "42nd Street."
Beverly Wagner, Midd-West, for "The Wizard of Oz."
Supporting actor in a musical:
Kemah Armes, Midd-West, for "The Wizard of Oz."
Austin Boroch, Montoursville, for "Godspell."
John Fisher, Central Mountain, for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Tim Hippensteel, Milton, for "42nd Street."
Tyler Stettler, Shikellamy, for "Carousel."
Supporting actress in a musical:
Gabrielle Antonicelli, Jersey Shore, for "Once Upon a Mattress."
Kristin Dotterer, Central Mountain, for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Collette Saez, Midd-West, for "The Wizard of Oz."
Shelby Snyder, Shikellamy, for "Carousel."
Beth Stefl, Milton, for "42nd Street."
Featured performer in a musical:
Katie Conklin, Montoursville, for "Godspell."
Kali Haines, Central Mountain, for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Zachery Hosterman, Central Mountain, for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Jillian Jackson, South Williamsport, for "Pippin."
Ashle Larson, Montoursville, for "Godspell."
Alexis Shearer, Montoursville, for "Godspell."
Nicole Shoop, Milton, for "42nd Street."
Olivia Wetherhold, Muncy, for "Honk!"
Best vocal performance by an ensemble:
Central Mountain
Jersey Shore
Milton
Montoursville
Shikellamy
Best choreography:
Central Mountain
Jersey Shore
Loyalsock
Milton
Montoursville
Shikellamy
Student design award:
Hannah Brumbach, South Williamsport, choreography of "Pippin."
Gabby Burch, South Williamsport, program design, partial set design, and duck training for "Pippin."
Dylan Cox, Central Mountain, construction and design of set pieces for "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Serena Engel, South Williamsport, costume design for "Pippin."
Leo Funk, Shikellamy, design and construction of the working carousel in "Carousel."
Olivia Renkel, Muncy, complete choreography of "Honk!"
Rachael Wonderlich, South Williamsport, lighting design and special effects for "Pippin."
Best play:
"The Importance of Being Earnest," Montoursville.
"You Can't Take it With You," Shikellamy.
"The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon," Milton.
"The Curious Savage," Central Mountain.
Best small-scale musical:
"The Drowsy Chaperone," Central Mountain.
"Thoroughly Modern Millie," Loyalsock.
"Godspell," Montoursville.
Best large-scale musical:
"Once Upon a Mattress," Jersey Shore.
"42nd Street," Milton.
"Carousel," Shikellamy.
The Ray Phillips Memorial Trophy for best drama program:
Central Mountain
Hughesville
Loyalsock
Midd-West
Milton
Montoursville
Shikellamy
South Williamsport
Director Scott C. Frazier accepted the awards for Central Mountain. Frazier directed the play, "The Curious Savage," and the musical, "The Drowsy Chaperone." The award for best dramatic program was based on the school's overall scoring criteria.
Frazier again reiterated the need for musical theater funding in schools.
"There are some people in the world today who would like to see this go away," he said. "And who would want that? It would be a shame. We want the arts in our schools. It means something to us."
Kyleigh Barler, who was under Frazier's direction in the Central Mountain productions, summed it up for her cast members.
"This is our father, mentor, teacher and director," she said of Frazier. "If it wasn't for teachers like him, we couldn't do this."
Other awards from the night went to:
Beverly Wagner, Midd-West, best performance by a featured performer in a play, "Elephant's Graveyard."
Tyler Stettler, Shikellamy, best performance by a supporting actor in a musical, "Carousel."
Shikellamy High School, best vocal performance by an ensemble of a musical, "Carousel."
Zachary Hosterman, Central Mountain, best performance by a featured performer in a musical, "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Student Designer Awards: Hannah Brumbach, South Williamsport, choreography of "Pippin," and Leo Funk, Shikellamy, design and construction of the working carousel in "Carousel."
Montoursville High School, best choreography execution, "Godspell."
Amanda Hibler, Central Mountain, best performance by a supporting actress in a play, "The Curious Savage."
Brad Dennis, Milton, best performance by a lead actor in a play, "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Shelby Snyder, Shikellamy, best performance by a supporting actress in a musical, "Carousel."
Tim Hippensteel, Milton, best performance by a supporting actor in a play, "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Kyleigh Barler, Central Mountain, best performance by a lead actress in a play, "The Curious Savage."
Tess Marshall, Loyalsock, best performance by a lead actress in a musical, "Thoroughly Modern Millie."
Alex Bartlett, Central Mountain, best performance by a lead actor in a musical, "The Drowsy Chaperone."
The Ray of Light Spirit Award for the director's challenge was given to Milton High School.
The event will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Sunday on WNEP2.
