Musicians, actors, actresses, crew members, directors and set designers from across northcentral Pennsylvania took the Community Arts Center stage Saturday afternoon to celebrate the freedom of dramatic storytelling at the 2016 Ray of Light Awards for excellence in high school theatre.

“The message is kids,” said Andree Phillips, president of the Community Theatre League that sponsored the event. “The message celebrates kids in theatre.”

Award winners ranged from set design to best performance by a lead male and female in a play to best large-scale musical program.

The auditorium was packed with adoring friends and family yelling out support for their favorites. Providing entertainment were a wide array of schools performing childhood classics such as “Peter Pan,” cult favorites like “Xanadu” or cultural struggles with “Rent.”

Like many family members at the event, Christa Bernan is proud of her grandchildren. She has two in the Community Theatre League, senior Arielle and sophomore Levy Roush who both attend Williamsport Area High School. They have been performing with their younger sister, Anna, since they were young and they “have beautiful voices,” she said. She and the entire family are astonished by the talent the students portray.

Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon was longtime radio broadcaster Ken Sawyer, who said those who are sad or discouraged with the world should simply look to theatre performances like these.

“If this doesn’t uplift you. If this doesn’t give you hope, I don’t know what will,” he said.

Probably the most coveted award of the day was the Ray Phillips Memorial Trophy for Best Dramatic Program, which was taken home by Shikellamy High School, of Sunbury. The award is given in honor of Dr. Raymond Phillips, Andree Phillips’ late husband, a teacher and actor, who passed away nine years ago, Phillips said.

It is a traveling award that is transferred to a different school every year, she said.

It may only be given to a school with both a play and a musical in its program and out of 10 other schools, Shikellamy was awarded for its production of the musical “Big River” and the play “That’s the Spirit.”

“This is truly an amazing night and behind me is a truly amazing cast,” said Shikellamy Theatre Director Ellen Boyer, who accepted the award on stage surrounded by the entire cast.

“Remember this night. Remember this story,” she said. “Tell it to people who don’t understand what we do.”

Montoursville Area High School swept the stage with five awards in various categories. Kelsey Rogers won Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for “Once on this Island,” as well as Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for “Anatomy of Gray;” the entire theatre program won Best Vocal Performance by an Ensemble of a Musical for its adaptation of “Once on this Island;” Jake Deak won Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play for “Anatomy of Gray;” and the “Once on this Island” musical performance won Best Small Scale Musical.

Williamsport also took home five awards during the event for its performance of “The Miracle Worker.” Alliana Myers won Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play, Nathan Gibson won Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, Arielle Roush won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play and Tanner Esposito, Wyatt Chestnut, Jonah Niklaus and Nate Welch won one of the Student Design Awards. The school’s program also was awarded the honor of Best Play.

Jersey Shore Area High won Best Choreography Execution for its musical “The Wedding Singer,” as well as Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical, taken home by Ben Thomas.

Warrior Run High School’s Abigail Neamand won Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical for “Shrek: The Musical.”

Central Mountain High School’s Gabrielle Weaver won Best Performance by a “Lead Actress in a Musical for “Peter Pan.”

In addition to its Best Dramatic Program Award, Shikellamy High School won five other awards. Caleb Burk won the other Student Designer Award for his work on designing the set of “That’s the Spirit;” Camden Hare won Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play for “That’s the Spirit” and Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical for “Big River;” Noah Spencer won best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for “Big River;” and the entire “Big River” show won Best Large Scale Musical for 2016.

The Jason Memorial Award for Excellence, previously known as the Spirit Award, was given to the Midd-West High School for its challenging work in “The Women of Lockerbie.”