Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
Spotlight Youth Theatre earned a whopping 44 nominations for next month’s ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence.
Spotlight, located at 10620 N. 43rd Ave., will be among the Valley theater companies honored when the “Zoni” awards recognize the 2019-20 season of live theater performances. More than 35 theaters Valley-wide participate in the Zonis, with over 150 productions adjudicated every year.
The ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence’s celebration takes place at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, preceded by the youth celebration at 5:30 p.m. While the actual ceremony will take place at the Virginia G. Piper Theater in Scottsdale, the celebration will be a ticket-only live stream event. Individual tickets are $12.50, and household tickets are $20.
Ticket sales from the annual Zonis not only underwrite the costs of the performance, but also help support the costs of managing the adjudication process of the ariZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence and other programs, such as the COVID-19 pandemic relief fund which has been providing support to individual artists and theaters in need.
Spotlight’s nominations are: Youth Musical (“Dogfight”); Actress In A Major Role, Youth Musical (Zoie Moller, “Disney’s Frozen Jr.” and Jazmin Moehring, “Gypsy”); Actor In A Major Role, Youth Musical (Christian Bader “Bare,” Kyler Tunnell “Bare,” Dean Kelldorf “Dogfight” and Anand Khalsa “Gypsy”); Actress In A Supporting Role, Youth Musical (Ronda Felton “Bare,” Sabrina Kiepke “Bare,” Josie Wright “Dogfight” and Sophie Jurkovich “Gypsy”); Actor In A Supporting Role, Youth Musical (Christian Bader “Annie,” Dominic Cardenas “Annie,” Jack Taylor “Bare,” Alec Pursell “Dogfight,” Jack Taylor “Dogfight” and Jack Yampolsky “Dogfight”); Director, Youth Musical (Kenny Grossman “Bare,” Heather Walker “Disney’s Frozen Jr.” and Bobby Sample “Dogfight”); Musical Direction, Youth Musical (Adam Bei “Annie,” Heather Walker “Disney’s Frozen Jr.,” Tristan Peterson-Steinart “Dogfight” and Ken Goodenberger “Gypsy”); Choreography, Youth Theatre (Tina Caspary “Bare,” Falin Ossipinsky “Disney’s Frozen Jr.” and Marley DeGroodt “Dogfight”); Costume Design, Youth Theatre (Audrey Wawro “Disney’s Frozen Jr.,” ANJ INC. “Dogfight” and Samantha Utpadel “Gypsy”); Hair And Makeup Design, Youth Theatre (Brenda Goodenberger, “Annie,” Charlie Rabago “Dogfight” and Trey DeGroodt “Gypsy”); Lighting Design, Youth Theatre (Josh Hontz, “Disney’s Frozen Jr.”); Sound Design, Youth Theatre (Josh Hontz, “Dogfight”); Property Design, Youth Theatre (Kenny Grossman “Annie” and Vicki Grossman, Kenny Grossman “Dogfight”); Artistic Specialization, Youth Theatre (Katie Sample, guitar instruction for “Dogfight”); Fight Choreography, Youth Theatre (Kenny Grossman, Christian Bader and Jack Taylor “Bare,” and Bobby Sample, Maria Cruz “Dogfight”); Media Design, Youth Theatre (Bobby Sample, Josh Hontz “Dogfight”); Rising Star (Brooklyn Martin “Disney’s Frozen Jr.,” McKenzie Lopezlira “Disney’s Frozen Jr.” and Emily Anton “Gypsy”).
Steve Stockmar has been with the Independent Newsmedia team since 2017. An NAU alum and Peoria resident, Steve’s community journalism pursuits focus mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference. In his spare time Steve plays in a vintage baseball league using uniforms and rules from the 1860s, and also acts (badly) in community theater. In addition, he has an unhealthy obsession with baseball and the Chicago Cubs.