Hershey Theatre Apollo Awards

Hershey Theatre Apollo Awards

Created in 2008, the Hershey Theatre® Apollo Awards (HTAA) are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievement by local high school students in their musical and play productions. Modeled after The Tony Awards® on Broadway, the HTAA are produced and presented by the Hershey Theatre Education Department. Since its inception, the HTAA program has awarded more than $220,000 in scholarships largely made possible through individual donations.

The 2020 Hershey Theatre Apollo Award Recipients
(Award recipients are in bold text among the lists of nominees.)
Spirit of Theater awards and Certificate of Achievement awards are also listed below.
Congratulations to all the nominees and award recipients!

Outstanding Student Playwright
Grace Duong for A Single Evening – Palmyra Area High School
Mary Huynh for The Adventures of Francis Donahugh – Bishop McDevitt High School
Matthew Little for Heroes! – Lower Dauphin High School
Megan Mwaura for Common – Bishop McDevitt High School
Mitchell Scordo for Illusion – Donegal High School

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play
Ryan Bennett as Edgars in Any Number Can Die – Susquenita High School
Anna Callahan as Irene Rudolph in Radium Girls – Hershey High School
Emma Creason as Gay Wellington in You Can’t Take It With You – Elizabethtown Area High School
Jagger Gilleland as Boris Kolenkhov in You Can’t Take It With You – Elizabethtown Area High School
Edward Hans as Steve/Randy in Almost, Maine – Cumberland Valley High School
Angelina Smith as Young Clara in Silver Belles – Lower Dauphin High School

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Emma Buettner as Essie Carmichael in You Can’t Take It With You – Elizabethtown Area High School
Claire Fritz as Alice Sycamore in You Can’t Take It With You – Elizabethtown Area High School
Karsen McLaughlin as Rhoda/Shelly in Almost, Maine – Cumberland Valley High School
Jessica Mowery as Corie’s Mother in Barefoot in the Park – Central Dauphin East High School
Jordan Taft as Fanny Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility – Cedar Crest High School

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Gus Eberlein as Mr. Halloway in Something Wicked This Way Comes – Camp Hill High School
Brett Foltz as Phil/Dave in Almost, Maine – Cumberland Valley High School
Ian Marcello as Smee in Peter and the Starcatcher – Donegal High School
Jacob Smith as Officer Newbie in How the Other Half Dies – West Perry High School
Jasiri Smith as Mr. Green in Clue: On Stage – Milton Hershey School

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Jaelissa Akers as Grace Fryer in Radium Girls – Hershey High School
Tori Bressler as Penelope Sycamore in You Can’t Take It With You – Elizabethtown Area High School
Greta Diehl as Rhonda Penmark in The Bad Seed – Capital Area School for the Arts
Ashtyn Hess as Molly Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher – Donegal High School
Riley McKean as Christine Penmark in The Bad Seed – Capital Area School for the Arts

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Brayton Alkinburgh as Peter/Boy in Peter and the Starcatcher – Donegal High School
Adam Heineman as Juror #3 in 12 Angry Jurors – Dauphin County Technical School
Corey Kendig as Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher – Donegal High School
Matthew Little as Nick in Silver Belles – Lower Dauphin High School
Alex Winnick as Arthur Roeder in Radium Girls – Hershey High School

Outstanding Play
Cumberland Valley High School – Almost, Maine
Donegal High School – Peter and the Starcatcher
Elizabethtown Area High School – You Can’t Take It With You
Hershey High School – Radium Girls
Lower Dauphin High School – Silver Belles

2020 Spirit of Theater – Play
These students have been selected by their directors to receive the "Spirit of Theater - PLAY" Hershey Theatre Apollo Award recognition for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to their high school production.

Camp Hill High School - Sam Wilkins
Capital Area School for the Arts - Sophie Reusswig
Cedar Crest High School - Nicole Kaehn
Central Dauphin East High School - Hanya Gomaa
Cumberland Valley High School - Wally Adamy
Donegal High School - Emily Eshleman
Elizabethtown Area High School - Tyler Faulkner
Hershey High School - Abigail Cedeño
Lower Dauphin High School - Ethan Elicker
Milton Hershey School - Mary DeBiasi
Palmyra Area High School - Tianna Bidelspach
Susquehanna Township High School - Adelyn Heck, Yenisha Lopez
Susquenita High School - Kaleigh Spease
West Perry High School - McKenna Fritz

2020 Spirit of Theater – Musical
These students have been selected by their directors to receive the "Spirit of Theater - MUSICAL" Hershey Theatre Apollo Award recognition for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to their high school production.

Camp Hill High School - Jack Baron
Capital Area School for the Arts - Greta Diehl
Cedar Crest High School - James Grove
Central Dauphin High School - Madison McKenna, Michael Kelleher
Central Dauphin East High School - J.T. Thomas
Dauphin County Technical School - Theresa Kinkley
Donegal High School - Makayla Halbleib
Elizabethtown Area High School - Carter Rutkowski
Encore! Home School Productions - Nolen Petrosky
Greenwood High School - Kelsey Sheaffer
Hershey High School - Rio Kasunick
Lebanon Catholic School - Karly Zimmerman
Lower Dauphin High School - Jacob Pegher
Milton Hershey School - Makeda Wilson
Mount Calvary Christian School - Sara Ottaway
Palmyra Area High School - David Keller
Susquehanna Township High School - Shaye Dietrich
Susquenita High School - Micah Oiler
West Perry High School - Samantha Myers
West Shore Christian Academy - Cassie Barbush

2020 Achievement Award – Play
These high school seniors have been selected by their directors to receive a Certificate of Achievement in recognition of their demonstrated growth over four years with their high school productions.

Camp Hill High School - Gus Eberlein
Capital Area School for the Arts - Greta Diehl
Cedar Crest High School - Hope Fischer
Central Dauphin East High School - J.T. Thomas
Cumberland Valley High School - Grace Smith
Dauphin County Technical School - Tyler Harker
Donegal High School - Ian Marcelo
Elizabethtown Area High School - Mac Smith
Hershey High School - Natalie Taylor
Lower Dauphin High School - Olivia Meyers
Milton Hershey School - Rebecca McCarty
Palmyra Area High School - Tyler O’Connor
Susquehanna Township High School - Danielle Runkel, Alaina Fritzinger
Susquenita High School - Vincent Boyer
West Perry High School - Katie Sheriff

2020 Certificate of Achievement Award – Musical
These high school seniors have been selected by their directors to receive a Certificate of Achievement in recognition of their demonstrated growth over four years with their high school productions.

Camp Hill High School - Silas Mosher
Capital Area School for the Arts - Riley McKean
Cedar Crest High School - Riley Danielewicz
Central Dauphin High School - Julie Knott
Central Dauphin East High School - Hanya Gomaa
Dauphin County Technical School - Dylan Lavalle
Donegal High School - Remy Kanegene
Elizabethtown Area High School - Claire Fritz
Encore! Home School Productions - James Snyder
Greenwood High School - Tessa Knisely
Hershey High School - Christopher Santiago
Lebanon Catholic School - Abriana Eisenhauer
Lower Dauphin High School - Madison Miduri
Milton Hershey School - Sylas Smith
Mount Calvary Christian School - Kelly Garcia
Palmyra Area High School - Briana Gingrich
Susquehanna Township High School - Nile Gay
Susquenita High School - Francis Boyer
West Perry High School - Shane Orris
West Shore Christian Academy - Janelle Burd