COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) announced Thursday the winners in all 11 categories of the 2021 CAPA Marquee Awards presented by American Electric Power Foundation.
Designed to celebrate, support, and advocate for high school musical theatre education throughout central Ohio, the program evaluated nominated high school musical theatre students and productions from 12 participating high schools.
The winners of each category were announced at the virtual 2021 CAPA Marquee Awards student showcase held on Wednesday, June 2. Modeled after the Tony® Awards, the event included performances from the nominees for Best Musical Production, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Actress in a Leading Role, as well as opening and closing numbers that incorporated nominated students from all participating high schools.
The 2021 CAPA Marquee Award winners are:
Outstanding Student Orchestra
New Albany High School, Smokey Joe’s Café
Backstage Excellence
Set & Properties Crew, Olentangy Orange High School, Working
Outstanding Student Designer
Andrew Dahlke, Olentangy Berlin High School, Set Design, Little Shop of Horrors
Outstanding Technical Execution
Olentangy Berlin High School, Little Shop of Horrors
Outstanding Ensemble
Bishop Watterson High School, Pippin
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Maximillian Warren, Grove City High School, Ryan Evans in Disney’s High School Musical
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Abigail Hatfield, Olentangy Liberty High School, Yonah in Children of Eden
Best Direction
Allen DeCarlo, Pickerington High School North, The Marvelous Wonderettes
Best Musical Production
Pickerington High School North, The Marvelous Wonderettes
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nick Sanchez-Zarkos, Olentangy Liberty High School, Father in Children of Eden
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Dallys Edwards, Pickerington High School North, Betty Jean in The Marvelous Wonderettes
Sanchez-Zarkos and Edwards are the official Jimmy® Award nominees for “Jimmys Week,” a 12-day professional training intensive with theatre professionals and industry experts, and will compete on the national level for the 2021 Jimmy Awards® for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress.
Sanchez-Zarkos is a senior, graduating summa cum laude from Olentangy Liberty High School where he has been a proud member of Liberty Theatre Workshop for all four years. Sanchez-Zarkos has been a part of the International Thespian Society Troupe 88556 since his freshman year, participating as an actor, director, and working on the set. Notable credits include Pride and Prejudice (Fitzwilliam Darcy), Trap (Ephrain Salas), and Children of Eden (Father). He has also performed in shows with Dublin Abbey Theatre and CATCO, including Madagascar Jr. (Alex), Press Start! (Young Adventurer), and Go to Coda (Peter).
Apart from theatre, Sanchez-Zarkos has been a member of the Columbus International Children’s Choir, in which he has traveled and performed at the national level at the Harris Theater in Chicago and across Ohio, and at an international level in Ireland. In his spare time, he enjoys writing, archery, Spanish, and hiking, and volunteers at Goodwill through the National Honor Society and tutors for Spanish Honor Society. Sanchez-Zarkos will be attending The Ohio State University in the fall on a pre-law track with a minor in theatre.
Edwards is a graduating senior from Pickerington High School North where she is heavily devoted to the theatre program and served as a prominent member of the creative team for three years. In addition, Edwards took part in the Ohio Musical Theatre Institute’s summer program. Credits include Chicago (Matron Mama Morton), Once on This Island (Asaka), and The Marvelous Wonderettes (Betty Jean).
Edwards was also in Pickerington North’s Women’s Chorus and participated in the Ohio Musical Education Association’s Solo and Ensemble Festival where she scored “superior” for two consecutive years. Outside of theatre, Edwards enjoys studying American Sign Language, cosmetology, and art. She plans on taking a gap year to continue training before pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre.
