By Steve Stockmar
Twitter: @stevestockmar

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.

Streaming tickets are available here.

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”).

Click here for the full Zoni nominations list.

Steve Stockmar
News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment YourValley.net
@stevestockmar

sstockmar@iniusa.org

Meet Steve
Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.

Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.

Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.

Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.

Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.