Ramapo Musical Theater Earns Regional Recognition

Ramapo High School earned regional recognition for its April production of “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at a New York awards ceremony Monday night.

The Metropolitan High School Theater Awards took place at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, NY, a thousand-seat auditorium packed for a kind of mini Tony Awards show featuring musical performances and awards acceptances in 30 categories.

Though this was the fifteenth annual awards ceremony, musical director Jo Ann Ventor said that this was the first year Ramapo applied for consideration for the honors.

“This year we thought the talent was so outstanding that we sought the recognition,” she said.

The judges agreed, and “Spelling Bee” was nominated in seven categories: Jakub Spisak for outstanding acting, Alex Racioppi for vocals, percussionist Mike Sasson for instrumental performance, lighting design, lobby display, stage management, and student orchestra.

“We didn’t expect to get so many nominations,” Ventor said of the variety of nods given to the musical, which competed with 40 other productions around the region.

Ventor attended the ceremony along with 16 parents and students, and remembers the shining moment of the evening when Spisak, an exchange student to Ramapo from Slovakia, took home the award for outstanding acting performance for his portrayal of the character Leaf Corneybear.

“It was a very touching moment when he accepted the award,” she said. “He overcame obstacles learning English and learning musical theater. He’s so talented and I’m so proud he won.”

Spisak will return home in a month, but along with the rest of the nominated cast and crew, Ventor says, will have the lasting recognition.  

“We were so excited to be nominated,” she said, “and I most liked that the students can now include this on their resumes because every theater-related experience helps.”