The high school fall musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” earned a record five Dazzle Award nominations April 29.
The Dazzle Awards, which are presented through Playhouse Square, recognize high school theatre productions in Northeast Ohio. According to the Playhouse Square website, the organization honors “excellence in high school musical theater” and recognizes “the importance of musical theater and arts-education within the Northeast Ohio community.”
Every year, judges attend one production at each participating school and provide feedback and scores to determine nominations and awards in 12 categories. Nominations were announced April 29 on FOX 8 News Cleveland.
“Spelling Bee” was nominated for Best Technical Execution, Best Ensemble/Chorus, Best Student Orchestra and, for the first time ever, Best Choreography Execution. Senior Heath Thompson, who portrayed William Barfée in “Spelling Bee,” was nominated for Best Actor.
The Dazzle Awards ceremony will take place Saturday, May 17 at the KeyBank State Theatre. 2025 marks the 10th year for The Dazzles, with 57 Northeast Ohio high schools across seven counties having participated in the program.
Theater Department Chairman Scott Sumerak, who directed “Spelling Bee,” said that students were committed and passionate about the production. “I felt this year had a sense of community. Everyone involved was generous with their time and efforts so that we had the space the best it can be,” Sumerak said.
Thompson said that he is shocked by his nomination. “I’m still processing. My whole family was excited. I’ve been waiting four years for this. I performed [in the Dazzles] in my freshman year, during the opening and closing numbers,” Thompson said.
Each participating high school sends two students, regardless of the number of nominations the musical receieves, to represent their school in the opening and closing numbers of the Dazzle Awards ceremony.
Sumerak said that he enjoys “seeing any student receive validation from someone other than me. I can lift them up all day and cheer them on. But to my students they see it as my job. When someone else says something, it’s special.”
Said Thompson, “It’s been crazy, and I’m happy with the work I’ve done.”
