Cappies 2025 Award Winners Include Prince William County School

MANASSAS, VA — High school theater students and supporters gathered at the Kennedy Center Monday to celebrate the best of the DC region at the annual Cappies Gala.

The Cappies are nicknamed the Tony's of the DC region's high school theater. The awards recognize DC area school for theater productions as well as student critics who write Cappies reviews of theater productions.

One Prince William County school was recognized with awards. Colgan High School's Andrew Serrano-Bremer won Vocalist in a Male Role, and Jeremiah Gates won Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical for "Hadestown: Teen Edition." The school also won in the Song category for "Wait for Me in "Hadestown: Teen Edition."

Other nominations for Colgan High School were for Sound, Stage Management, Ensemble in a Musical, Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical, Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical, and Musical.

SEE ALSO: Cappies Review: 'Hadestown: Teen Edition,' Colgan High School

The Cappies program trains student critics, who attend high school shows throughout the year and write reviews. The best student reviews are published in local media. At the end of the season, student critics vote for the awards. Cappies awards are given in 40 performance and technical categories.

Cappies of the National Capital Region was founded in 1999 by the late Bill Strauss. His wife, the late Janie Strauss, a former Fairfax County School Board member, served as chair. Janie Strauss died earlier in 2025 at the age of 78. At the Cappies gala last year, their daughter Victoria Hays had revealed Janie Strauss was battling a brain cancer diagnosis.

Here is the full list of Cappies winners in 2025:

• Andy Mays Rising Critic: Alden Walcott, South Lakes High School
• Maryland Theater Guide Returning Critic: Madelyn Regan, Centreville High School
• Bill Strauss Graduating Critic: Ellen Lawton, Herndon High School
• Marketing and Publicity: Kat Pascual, Libby Hansen, Olive Webster, Devin Linthicum, Fairfax High School, Much Ado About Nothing
• Special Effects and or Technology: Bella Molino, Lake Braddock Secondary School, The Trojan Women
• Hair and Make-up: Isabelle Philippe, Jade Mattei, and the Mattress Hair and Makeup Team, South Lakes High School, Once Upon a Mattress
• Sound: Madison Eismeier, Lake Braddock Secondary School, The Trojan Women
• Props: Caroline Cochran, Cameron Filson, Eva Klinker, Victoria Reyes, Oakton High School, Into the Woods
• Lighting: William Waugh, Kareena Kasperowski, Natalie Mitchell, South County High School, A Chorus Line: Teen Edition
• Costumes: Nathaniel Howard, Lake Braddock Secondary School, The Trojan Women
• Sets: Eliot Hettler, Amelia Haid, Isabel Suk, and The Set Team, Oakton High School, Into the Woods
• Orchestra: Yorktown Pit Orchestra, Yorktown High School, Anything Goes
• Choreography: Ava Taylor, Josie Sinniger, Karen Board, Hayfield Secondary School, Crazy for You
• Creativity: Emmett Justice, Scout Gould, Composition, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, The Laramie Project
• Stage Management: Allie Vargo, Katherine Dailey, McLean High School, Amelie
• Stage Crew: Dramahawks Run Crew, Hayfield Secondary School, Crazy for You
• Ensemble in a Play: Citizens of Laramie, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, The Laramie Project
• Ensemble in a Musical: The "Poor" Ensemble, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Urinetown
• Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Ashley Kennedy, Lake Braddock Secondary School, The Trojan Women
• Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Zerabruck Haile, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, The Laramie Project
• Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Francesca Klesius, Yorktown High School, Anything Goes
• Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Matthew Aslaksen, Yorktown High School, Anything Goes
• Dancer in a Female Role: Cassie DellaVedova, South County High School, A Chorus Line: Teen Edition
• Dancer in a Male Role: Nate Kauffman, Quince Orchard High School, Mamma Mia!
• Vocalist in a Female Role: Itsuko Scoville, South Lakes High School, Once Upon a Mattress
• Vocalist in a Male Role: Andrew Serrano-Bremer, Colgan High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
• Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Juliana Gurrola, Woodson High School, Lear by William Shakespeare
• Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Mauro Manganello, Fairfax High School, Much Ado About Nothing
• Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Savannah Day, Oakton High School, Into the Woods
• Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Noelle Brosnan, Robinson Secondary School, Tuck Everlasting
• Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Sofi Hemmens, Justice High School, Almost, Maine
• Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Ben Demase, Loudoun Valley High School, Peter and the Starcatcher
• Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Allison Payne, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Urinetown
• Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Jeremiah Gates, Colgan High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
• Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play: Murphy Finnegan, Lake Braddock Secondary School, The Trojan Women
• Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play: Isaac Frenza, Fairfax High School, Much Ado About Nothing
• Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical: Bella Houston, Yorktown High School, Anything Goes
• Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical: Colt Armstrong, Falls Church High School, The Addams Family
• Song: Wait For Me, Colgan High School, Hadestown: Teen Edition
• Critic Team: South Lakes High School
• Play: The Trojan Women, Lake Braddock Secondary School
• Musical: Urinetown, Our Lady of Good Counsel