The 6th Annual “Vee-Cee” Awards for Top Performances in Ventura County Theater

It’s time once again for the annual “Vee-Cee” Awards, in which we honor some of the most memorable performances on Ventura County stages over the course of the past year. As I explain each year, I am not a fan of awards ceremonies that present “best of” categories. I’ve never been able to compare and rank performances of completely different characters in completely different shows. How can one judge whether one performance is better than another? In addition to it being impossible to compare apples and oranges, we think this devalues outstanding performances that do not “win.” There should be no losers in the theater, only winners. Thus, VC On Stage lists what we judge to be the most effective and moving performances, but do not rank them, making all performances equal in stature. 

Emotion is what drives me when I visit the theater. Does the performer make me cry or laugh? Does the performer disappear into his or her character? Can I see this performance as being one that is worthy of Broadway itself? There were many outstanding performances in the more than 100 shows that I saw in 2018, both musicals as well as plays. We weren’t able to see every show, so this is not a complete list based on all shows staged in Ventura County during the past year; instead, it is a representative sampling of the most impressive performances we viewed.

Below, we have listed what we consider to be the most exceptional performances of the year. They are divided into three groups: high school/youth group/college theater, community/professional theater (musicals), and community/professional theater (plays). Our survey concludes with 11 noteworthy ensemble units, in which entire casts are honored for exemplary excellence. If you did not make any of these lists, we still applaud you for all your hard work this year and look forward to seeing you on the stage in 2018. Congratulations, Vee-Cee Award Winners!!

MEMORABLE HIGH SCHOOL/YOUTH GROUP/COLLEGE PERFORMANCES (PLAY OR MUSICAL)

(in alphabetical order)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ian Bowers – Clopin (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Calabasas High School)

Sarah Bryan – Miss Peacock (Clue: The Musical – Moorpark College)

Will Burgos – Gaston (Beauty & the Beast – Oak Park High School)

Kobe Burton – Seymour (Little Shop of Horrors – Newbury Park High School)

Xavier Cornell – Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof – Santa Susana High School)

Martina Cowen – Mrs. White (Clue: The Musical – Moorpark College)

Ara Daikeler – Maria (The Sound of Music – Oaks Christian High School)

Lucy Daurio – The Queen (Once Upon a Mattress – Young Artists Ensemble)

Rivka De Conto – The Genie (Aladdin Jr. – Oaks Christian High School)

Nolyn Ducich – Babette (Beauty & the Beast –Oak Park High School)

Blake Ferris – Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Calabasas High School)

Lindsay Flores – The Witch (Into the Woods Jr. – Conejo Players Theatre)

Griffen Hamilton – Frank Abagnale (Catch Me If You Can – Youth Musical Theatre)

Sam Herbert – Orin Scrivino (Little Shop of Horrors – Newbury Park High School)

Paul Hurley – Uncle Fester (The Addams Family – Westlake High School)

Skyler Ingram – Milo (The Phantom Tollbooth Jr. – Conejo Players Theatre)

Augie Isaac – Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Calabasas High School)

Sarah Kave – Abuela Claudia (In the Heights – Young Artists Ensemble)

Sarah Kay – Nina (In the Heights – Young Artists Ensemble)

Brandon Lawrence – Colonel Mustard (Clue: The Musical – Moorpark College)

Tyler Marquis – Gomez (The Addams Family – Westlake High School)

Allison Martinez – Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors – Newbury Park High School)

Patrick Mayoral – Usnavi (In the Heights – Young Artists Ensemble)

Janelle Miller – Golde (Fiddler on the Roof – Santa Susana High School)

Hannah Nordberg – Patrice (13 – Calabasas High School)

Christopher Reilly – Melchior (Spring Awakening – Youth Musical Theatre)

Evan Schneider – LeFou (Beauty & the Beast – Oak Park High School)

Samantha Smart – Morticia (The Addams Family – Westlake High School)

Sami Staitman – Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Calabasas High School)

Anton Starkman – Evan (13 – Calabasas High School)

Hannah Thacker – Grandma Tzeitel (Fiddler on the Roof – Santa Susana High School)

Kyleigh Thornton – Mother Abbess (The Sound of Music – Oaks Christian High School)

Rianny Vasquez – Carla (In the Heights – Young Artists Ensemble)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEMORABLE COMMUNITY THEATER/PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES (MUSICALS)

(in alphabetical order)

Angela Baumgardner – Anna Leonowens (The King and I – American Theatre Guild)

Julie Anne Bermel – Princess Ida (Princess Ida – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Joanna Bert – Lina Lamont (Singin’ in the Rain – High Street Arts Center)

Sandra Diana Cantu – Anita (West Side Story – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Jason Chacon – Beast (Beauty & the Beast – 5-Star Theatricals)

Max Chester – Tom Sawyer (Big River – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Justin Cowden – Lefou (Beauty & the Beast – 5-Star Theatricals)

John Dantona – Pap Finn/The King (Big River – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Brittany Danyel – Paquette (Candide – Conejo Players Theatre)

Ben Davis – Emile De Becque (South Pacific – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Matt DeNoto – Pseudolus (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – High Street Arts Center)

Ezra Eells – Cosmo Brown (Singin’ in the Rain – High Street Arts Center)

Susan Egan  – Belle (Beauty & the Beast – 5-Star Theatricals)

Natalie Esposito – Anybody’s (West Side Story – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Maya Galipeau – Anybody’s (West Side Story – Conejo Players Theatre)

David Gilchrist – Maurice (Beauty & the Beast – 5-Star Theatricals)

Marc Baron Ginsburg – Lumiere (Beauty & the Beast – 5-Star Theatricals), Lord Farquaad (Shrek – 5-Star Theatricals)

Cheyenne Green – Anita (West Side Story – Conejo Players Theatre)

Kelly Green – Nathan Detroit (Guys & Dolls – Conejo Players Theatre)

Tina Hartell – Maria (West Side Story – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Cee Jay Jackson – The Pirate King (The Pirates of Penzance – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Amanda Ju – Melissa (Princess Ida – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Jodi Kimura – Bloody Mary (South Pacific – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Michelle Lane – Diana (Next to Normal – Panic! Productions)

Jeff Lawless – Riff (West Side Story – Conejo Players Theatre)

Savannah Ludwig – Jo March (Little Women – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Christopher Mahr – Marcus Lycus (A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum – High Street Arts Center)

Jonathan Matthews – Prince Hilarion (Princess Ida – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Cassandra Marie Murphy – Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – 5-Star Theatricals)

Nick Newkirk – Dan (Next to Normal – Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center), Jamison (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – High Street Arts Center)(

Gregory North – Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – 5-Star Theatricals)

Madison Claire Parks – Nellie Forbush (South Pacific – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Colette Peters – Millie (Thoroughly Modern Millie – Studio C Performing Arts)

Brent Ramirez – Trevor Graydon (Thoroughly Modern Millie  – Studio C Performing Arts)

Megan Rayzor – Christine (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – High Street Arts Center)

Michael Rosenblum – Freddy (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – High Street Arts Center)

Mazie Rudolph – Diana (Next to Normal – Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center)

Jesse Saywell – Huck Finn (Big River – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Aileen-Marie Scott – Marmee (Little Women – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Jennifer Scott – Maria (West Side Story – Conejo Players Theatre)

Kayley Stallings – Natalie (Next to Normal – Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center)

Landen Starkman – Gabe (Next to Normal – Panic! Productions)

Masaya Urba – Miss Adelaide (Guys & Dolls – Conejo Players Theatre)

Donovan Wright – Jim (Big River – Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEMORABLE COMMUNITY THEATER/PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES (PLAYS) 

(in alphabetical order)

Dale Alpert – Captain Morton (Mister Roberts – High Street Arts Center)

Michael Wayne Beck – Bo (Bus Stop – Elite Theatre Company)

R. Shane Bingham – Doug Roberts (Mister Roberts – High Street Arts Center)

Scott Blanchard – Dr. Gerald Lyman (Bus Stop – Elite Theatre Company)

Kathleen Bosworth – Kate (Broadway Bound – Conejo Players Theatre)

Hayley Georgeanne Cariker – Cherie (Bus Stop – Elite Theatre Company)

Helene Cohen – Shirley Snyder (Push Pull – Studio Channel Islands)

Jill Dolan – Florence Harding (Fifteen Men In a Smoke-Filled Room – Elite Theatre Company)

Kevin Ellis – George (Same Time, Next Year – Elite Theatre Company)

Benjamin Glasner – Eugene (Broadway Bound – Conejo Players Theatre)

Kelly Green – Dale Harding (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Conejo Players Theatre)

Nicholas Johnson – Millet/Daisy (Is He Dead? – Conejo Players Theatre)

Genevieve Levin – Sylvia (Sylvia – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse), Amanda (Private Lives – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Brian McDonald – Alex Moore (Buyer and Cellar – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Phil Nemy – Doc (Mister Roberts – High Street Arts Center)

Jen Ridgway – Doris (Same Time, Next Year – Elite Theatre Company)

Casey Roberts – Othello (Othello – Playhouse 101)

Aileen-Marie Scott – Grace (Bus Stop – Elite Theatre Company)

Hayley Silvers – Anne Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank – Playhouse 101)

Bill Sweeney – Tom/Phyllis/Leslie (Sylvia – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Bill Walthall – Harry Daugherty (Fifteen Men In a Smoke-Filled Room – Elite Theatre Company)

Alan Waserman – Iago (Othello – Playhouse 101), Elyot (Private Lives – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Michael Worden – Randle Patrick McMurphy (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Conejo Players Theatre)

Mary Zastrow – Snooks (Baby Snooks – Thousand Oaks Library Foundation)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEMORABLE ENSEMBLE CASTS

Big River (Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Bus Stop – (Elite Theatre Company)

Clue: The Musical (Moorpark College)

Guys & Dolls (Conejo Players Theatre)

In the Heights (Young Artists Ensemble)

Mister Roberts (High Street Arts Center)

Next to Normal (Panic! Productions)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – (Conejo Players Theatre)

The Pirates of Penzance (Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

South Pacific (Rubicon Theatre Company)

Thoroughly Modern Millie (Studio C Performing Arts)

 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Farley Cadena (Stroke of Luck – El Portal Theatre)

A longtime Ventura County favorite, actress Farley Cadena suffered a serious stroke a year ago but fought back with determination and inspirational fortitude. Her one-woman show, Stroke of Luck, was staged at the El Portal in North Hollywood, a courageous, soul-exposing triumph of the spirit. Her battle deserves a unique award and so we congratulate Farley and welcome her back with open arms.