Article Text

Fairfax County Public Schools students earned honors in 27 categories at the 2025 Cappies Gala, celebrating achievements onstage, behind the scenes and in theater criticism.

The National Capital Area Cappies held the awards ceremony June 2 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Student critic awards went to Alden Walcott of South Lakes High School for Andy Mays Rising Critic, Madelyn Regan of Centreville High School for Maryland Theater Guide Returning Critic and Ellen Lawton of Herndon High School for Bill Strauss Graduating Critic. South Lakes also won the Critic Team category.

The production and technical awards were:

  • Marketing and Publicity: Kat Pascual, Libby Hansen, Olive Webster and Devin Linthicum for Fairfax High School’s “Much Ado About Nothing.”
  • Special Effects and/or Technology: Bella Molino for Lake Braddock Secondary School’s “The Trojan Women.”
  • Hair and Make-up: Isabelle Philippe, Jade Mattei and the Mattress Hair and Makeup Team for South Lakes High School’s “Once Upon a Mattress.”
  • Sound: Madison Eismeier for “The Trojan Women” at Lake Braddock.
  • Props: Caroline Cochran, Cameron Filson, Eva Klinker and Victoria Reyes for Oakton High School’s “Into the Woods.”
  • Lighting: William Waugh, Kareena Kasperowski and Natalie Mitchell for South County High School’s “A Chorus Line: Teen Edition.”
  • Costumes: Nathaniel Howard for “The Trojan Women” at Lake Braddock.
  • Sets: Eliot Hettler, Amelia Haid, Isabel Suk and the Set Team for “Into the Woods” at Oakton.
  • Choreography: Ava Taylor, Josie Sinniger and Karen Board for Hayfield Secondary School’s “Crazy for You.”
  • Stage Management: Allie Vargo and Katherine Dailey for McLean High School’s “Amelie.”
  • Stage Crew: the Dramahawks Run Crew for “Crazy for You” at Hayfield.

Individual performance honors went to:

  • Ashley Kennedy, Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play, for “The Trojan Women” at Lake Braddock.
  • Cassie DellaVedova, Dancer in a Female Role, for “A Chorus Line: Teen Edition” at South County.
  • Itsuko Scoville, Vocalist in a Female Role, for “Once Upon a Mattress” at South Lakes.
  • Juliana Gurrola, Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play, for Woodson High School’s “Lear by William Shakespeare.”
  • Mauro Manganello, Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play, for “Much Ado About Nothing” at Fairfax.
  • Savannah Day, Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical, for “Into the Woods” at Oakton.
  • Noelle Brosnan, Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical, for Robinson Secondary School’s “Tuck Everlasting.”
  • Sofi Hemmens, Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play, for Justice High School’s “Almost, Maine.”
  • Murphy Finnegan, Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play, for “The Trojan Women” at Lake Braddock.
  • Isaac Frenza, Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play, for “Much Ado About Nothing” at Fairfax.
  • Colt Armstrong, Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical, for Falls Church High School’s “The Addams Family.”

Lake Braddock’s production of “The Trojan Women” also received the Cappie for Play.