Pearl River's "Damn Yankees" Earns Six Award Nominations

The Pearl River High School musical production of "Damn Yankees" earned six nominations in the Helen Hayes Metropolitan High School Theater Awards. 

"My feeling right now is whether we win or not in the six nominations, I feel we've taken a big step with our drama department," said Dr. Rene Dalandan, the musical's director. "We're up against schools which had much mroe time to prepare. Our students have given their all for this performance and it's a great testament to this. Everybody did their part contributing to this big achievement." 

The High School Theater Awards have been given out since 1998 to recognize musical productions and performers in Rockland County, Westchester Counties in New York and Bergen Count in New Jersey. 

The nominations were officially announced May 18 and the awards ceremony is scheduled for June 4 from 7:30 p.m to 10 p.m. at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill. The full list of nominees is attached to this report. 

The ceremony is patterned after the Tony Awards, complete with Broadway stars giving out the awards.

The nominees from Pearl River are:

• Outstanding Comic Performance - Amelia Marino (as Lola)
• Outstanding Production Number - "The Game"
• Outstanding Featured Ensemble Member - Helen Schneider (as Sister)
• Outstanding Orchestra (primarily student orchestras only)
• Outstanding Instrumentalist - David Avery (Bass)
• Techinical Merit Award (teacher nominated) - Grace Kocubinski (student director/graphic design

"We are very happy for the nominations," Dalandan said. "It is much more than we expected. I don't know the last time we had an award like this, so it is a wonderful time. Hopefully, this will be an inspiration to other students to come join our musicals and drama productions."