{"id":208460,"date":"2020-06-01T17:07:19","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T21:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/?p=208460"},"modified":"2020-06-15T17:10:44","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T21:10:44","slug":"the-red-carpet-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/2020\/06\/01\/the-red-carpet-online\/","title":{"rendered":"The Red Carpet Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since 2009, Montclair State\u2019s\u00a0Department of Theatre and Dance<\/a>\u00a0has hosted the Annual Theatre Night Awards \u2013 also known as the Foxys \u2013 bringing together University alumni and high school theater students and teachers from across New Jersey.<\/p>\n

The awards program, which was started by a University professor and her students, has had an impact on theater programs statewide by giving drama students and teachers a chance to learn from each other\u2019s best work, as well as a competition that inspires them to raise their game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole program came out of a graduate directing class I was teaching,\u201d says organizer and Montclair State Professor of Theatre Susan Kerner. \u201cMy students were talking about the fact that there was no network for high school drama teachers throughout the state. We decided that year to start the network.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, as with so many other events, the Foxys pivoted in the face of COVID-19 and were presented in virtual fashion.<\/p>\n

As host Peter Filichia said in introducing the 12th Annual Foxys ceremony on YouTube, \u201cThe show must go on!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year was a really special year,\u201d says Kerner, who reported that videographer Steven Flores and producer Christina Cruz (both of whom are University alumni) painstakingly created montages from video footage of theater productions for each nominating category.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really exciting. If we hadn\u2019t been completely restricted to being at home we wouldn\u2019t have had time to do this,\u201d says Kerner noting that teachers and students usually don\u2019t get to see each other\u2019s work, \u201cbut, this year with the clips, they can see it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n

The established network that began with these awards has helped high school students find a college home at Montclair State, as well.This year, several Foxy award-winners and nominees have committed to Montclair State for the fall, including Lixangelys Ruiz of Passaic Preparatory Academy, Christine Tanko of Watchung Regional High School, Yazmery Milian of Memorial High School in West New York, and Cooper Mendonssa of Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy in Elizabeth, New Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cNext year, I will be attending Montclair State as a Music Education major and am absolutely thrilled to work with the incredible staff at the John J. Cali School of Music,\u201d says Tanko, who was awarded Best Lead Actress in a Drama for her portrayal of Elizabeth Proctor in\u00a0The Crucible<\/em>\u00a0in 2019. \u201cI am ecstatic for the opportunities the University will grant me and for what my future holds!\u201d<\/p>\n

For Cooper Mendonssa, who won the 2020 Foxy for Best Lead Actor in a Classical Play (Tartuffe<\/em>), the award represents the process of discovering himself through the development of a character, something he\u2019s looking forward to doing more of in college.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m also excited and frankly a little scared to start a new chapter in college life at Montclair State, however, I\u2019m well aware of what I am capable of, so I know I\u2019ll be just fine!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"\"
Cooper Mendonssa of Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy in Elizabeth, New Jersey, will attend Montclair State University in the fall as an Acting major. He won the 2020 Foxy for Best Lead Actor in a Classical Play (Tartuffe<\/em>). His drama teacher\/director Sandra Toll earned her MA at Montclair State and is a past winner of the Jo Anne Fox Award.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2020 Theatre Night Awards \u2014 Part 1:<\/h2>\n