2026 Ocean State Star Awards

The Ocean State Star Awards is part of the Providence Performing Arts Center’s Education initiative which recognizes, honors, and encourages excellence in all aspects of musical theatre performance and production among area high school students. Musicals of participating schools are reviewed by a panel of educators, theatre experts, and industry professionals. Based on tabulations, productions and individuals receive awards in specific categories at a ceremony that will be held each year at the Providence Performing Arts Center in the late Spring. Our panel of judges will select one male and one female Ocean State Star Awards winner to represent the state of Rhode Island in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® competition held in New York City at the end of June. PRODUCTION Dana Brazil, Director Tim Hanes, Music Director Jonathan Audette, Associate Music Director Michael Pagan, Production Designer & Lighting Designer John David Harris, Creative Director Corey Wolloff, Assistant to the Creative Director Zachary J. Remson, Technical Director Liam Newberry, Assistant Technical Director Madison Perez, Stage Manager Betsy Rinaldi, Production Associate Grace Madeya, Production Associate Josh Burdette, Boston Freelance Media, Filming Jill Reyes, Photographer Ava Lyne LaFountain, Associate Production Stage Manager Robert Lomax, Lighting Associate Anna Lancellotta, Jacob Nicolato,, Zackery Snowman, Associate Stage Managers Schnaika Cyrius, Blake Gears, Alec Hennessey, Analise Poirier, Nadia Shaw, Abby Sousa, Lighting Fellows Winter Corrao, Ashley Gendreau, Sound Fellows Eben Byler, Video Fellow CHOREOGRAPHERS Dana Brazil Kathryn Dudeck+ Sean McKnight MUSICIANS Mike Ambroszewski Noah Denzer Bruce Hagist PRESENTERS Janice Anderson Amanda Bonafine Norma Caizza Gabriella Caprio Alan Chille Kathryn Dudeck Janet Fogarty Ricky Gresh Kate Hallal Abbey Lane Cindy Laughlin Christopher Margadonna Sean McKnight Maya Rezendes Betsy Rinaldi Sebastian Rosa Linda Taggart Emily Turtle AWARD HANDLERS GCOLE Productions Students: Noah Carey, Ryleigh Cole, Isabella Court, Lillianna Elliot-Anderson, Atticus Gomes, Leo Lopez, Katharine Smith, Rylee Taul PPAC Teen Ambassadors: Aimee Anderson, Malvin Jr. Cruz Ureña, Ashley Gomez, Julia Hoffman, Lillyana Isbell, Tyler Klingensmith, Sadie Lang, Alexa Lautieri, Mabel Lebowitz, Christiaan Pina, Audrey Slaughter-Biello PPAC TEEN AMBASSADORS Amelia Albino Tayla Beaulieu Cayden Camacho Madison Hennessy Julia Hoffman Tyler Klingensmith Audrey Kuiawa Collin LeDuc Rayn Raposa Audrey Slaughter-Biello Dylan Tallardy SPECIAL THANKS We would like to thank our Board of Directors for their support and the sponsors who support our Annual Gala. Without their support, this program would not be possible. Thank you to New York Film Academy and Textron Charitable Trust for supporting our student performers through scholarships. A special thank you to Sound Associates. A special thank you to Gladys Cole for sharing her students with us to help distribute the awards this evening. A special thank you to PPAC’s Teen Ambassadors for their help all season, especially with OSSA rehearsals. A special thank you to our stage hands of local I.A.T.S.E. 23. A special thank you to Paul Hiatt. For a full list of winners, please visit our website at https://www.ppacri.org/outreach/ocean...