The Sacramento Area Regional Theatrical Alliance (SARTA) supports and recognizes youth, educational, collegiate, and community theatre in the greater Sacramento region. Each year, the productions of approximately thirty high schools from Stockton to Auburn are considered for Elly awards. Since the construction of the George Cunningham ’40 Performing Arts Center in April of 2014, CB has been among the most recognized schools, with 40 nominations and 11 awards through the 2015-16 season. This year, the productions of The Royal Family and Sweet Charity received an additional 18 nominations. We caught up with the talented student nominees as they reflect on their roles, CB Theatre, and their nominations.
Jacob Cherry ’18
Nominated for Leading Male in a Play- The Royal Family, Tony Cavendish
Previous Nominations:
Leading Male in a Musical- Animal Crackers, Harpo Marx (2016)
Supporting Male in a Play- The Tempest, Trinculo (2016)
“My character, Tony Cavendish, is a parody of John Barrymore. He is a film actor in Hollywood, bringing disappointment to his theatre-obsessed family. He is constantly trying to hide from scandals and the press that follows him. He never runs out of energy or theatricality. As you can imagine, that is a very fun character to bring to life. It is such a great honor to be nominated for Elly Awards because it means all of our hard work has been recognized and appreciated. I am glad to know that we have affected our audience, and brought them joy and laughter, as well as moving them. I am so proud to be learning and working at Christian Brothers. It has most definitely changed my life for the better.”
Ian Ferrell ’17
Nominated for Supporting Male in a Musical –Sweet Charity, Daddy Brubeck
Previous Nominations and Awards:
Elly winner: Leading Male in a play- The Tempest, Ariel (2016)
Leading Male in a Musical – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown- Charlie Brown (2015 with Flying Monkey Productions)
“Daddy has easily been one of my favorite roles to take on. He’s such a care free yet wild and excited spirit, so the best way to get into that vibe was to sit in the dressing room while playing relaxing and calming music, specifically from the 60’s. It’s such an immense honor to be Elly nominated for the role. While being able to put this achievement on a resume is rewarding, the much bigger reward is being noticed and recognized for your performance and your art. This year I’m so proud of CB for our Elly nominations, not because it makes us better than any other program, but because it means we’ve put ourselves out there and made bold choices as artists. It’s simply a good feeling to be recognized, especially for doing what you love.”
Ian will begin his studies in Acting and Theatre at Southern Oregon University this fall.
Jenn Roberts ’18
Nominated for Leading Female in a Play – The Royal Family, Julie Cavendish
Nominated for Leading Female in a Musical – Sweet Charity, Charity
Previous Nominations:
Leading Female in a Musical- How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Rosemary Pilkington (2015)
“I love CB Theatre because it is a community of people that all love and support each other. It makes it a great group to work with. Both shows were very relateable and realistic, despite being set decades apart. As for being Elly nominated, I am very excited and I guess we’ll see how it goes!”
Gray Schubert ’17
Nominated for Sound Design in a Musical – Sweet Charity
Previous Nominations and Awards:
Sound Design in a Musical – Animal Crackers (2016)
Elly winner: Sound Design in a Musical – How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (2015)
“It’s an honor to be nominated for my third Elly Award at CB. My passion and love for sound not only stems from the fascinating technical aspects of the field, but knowing I am helping an artist achieve his or her dreams on stage, and in turn, translating that to an audience full of fans. It is a high that hooked me seven years ago and is driving me towards my dream of being a touring Front of House Sound Engineer for major acts. The theatre arts program at Christian Brothers is second to none and has laid the foundation for me to succeed in the music and production industry.”
Gray will begin his studies in Sound Engineering and Production at Belmont College this fall.
Monica Thayer ’17
Nominated for Leading Female in a Play- The Royal Family, Fanny Cavendish
This is Monica’s first Elly nomination! She will begin her studies in Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Reno this fall.
The Elly awards are held on September 10. Good luck to all of our talented students, graduates, and faculty!
The complete list of CB nominations
The Royal Family
Overall Production
Direction – Michael D. Jackson
Leading Female – Jenn Roberts ’18
Leading Female – Monica Thayer ’17
Leading Male – Jacob Cherry ’18
Costume Design – Michael D. Jackson
Sound Design – Michael D. Jackson
Scenic Design – Heather Christianson ’01
Sweet Charity
Overall Production
Direction – Michael D. Jackson
Leading Female – Jenn Roberts ’18
Supporting Male – Ian Ferrell ’17
Sound Design – Gray Schubert ’17
Musical Direction – Graham Sobelman
Choreography – Michael D. Jackson
Costume Design – Michael D. Jackson
Lighting Design – Heather Christianson ’01
Scenic Design – Heather Christianson ’01