2009-2010 Members’ Choice Awards

SVCT’s Members Choice Awards Handed Out

For the past 41 years, local actors have looked forward to South Valley Civic Theatre’s annual Members Choice Awards Show. This year’s event on Sept. 18 drew a standing room crowd to the Morgan
Hill Playhouse and it was spectacular. Throughout the evening the audience was treated to reprisals of scenes from the past season’s shows and shared in the excitement as each award was presented.
For the past 41 years, local actors have looked forward to South Valley Civic Theatre’s annual Members Choice Awards Show. This year’s event on Sept. 18 drew a standing room crowd to the Morgan Hill Playhouse and it was spectacular. Throughout the evening the audience was treated to reprisals of scenes from the past season’s shows and shared in the excitement as each award was presented. There were far too many awards to mention here but I would like to recognize “The King and I” as the best show, and its director, Andrew Cummings, as best director.

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Eighth grader Samantha Quijano not only won the best supporting actress youth award for her role as Louis in “The King and I”, but also the Al Bloom Shining Star award for playing five different characters in “Bugsy Malone”. Quijano is in 4H, plays soccer and the trumpet, reads everything in sight, writes and is personable, polite and fun to be around. .Both Cummings and Quijano are role models for today’s youth and proof that involvement in the arts can have a positive influence on young people.

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Sharing the award with Cummings for best set design was scenic artist Glynis Crabb.

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Born and schooled in England, Crabb began painting quite by accident. She studied Applied Physics in Technical College and became a tech assistant at a government research facility. From there she entered radiography school and became a radiography technologist. She eventually got married, moved to America in 1975, and worked as an X-ray technician at El Camino Hospital. Upon moving to Gilroy in the early ’80s, Crabb discovered Montessori and taught at the Almaden American Montessori School for six years. In 1996, she moved to Hollister and began breeding Welsh ponies and cobs, conditioning horses, and winning medals and ribbons as a rider.

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While still in Gilroy, her mother paid a visit from England. Needing to find a way to keep her visitor entertained, she enrolled her mother and son, Iain, in Diane Wallace’s painting class. When her mother’s visit ended, Crabb decided that she would like to try her hand at painting and the rest is history. This emerging artist credits Wallace with persuading her to paint big and teaching her about color.

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Recently she joined a life drawing class in San Juan Bautista, which has helped her overcome the intimidation that sometimes stifles creativity. She is happiest with a brush in hand and often paints horses because she loves their movement, and understands body structure and muscles. (She is also a certified massage therapist.)

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Crabb paints for the beauty she sees in everyday life. “Life,” she says, “is a gift we take for granted and don’t take time to honor. When I paint I try to honor the beauty that I see around me.” You can view her latest works at the San Benito County Fair.

Award Recipient Show
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Best Female Chorus (Youth) Angelica Magnisi The King And I
Best Male Chorus (Youth) Matthew Cummings The King And I
Best Actress in a Minor Role (Youth) Taylor Hix The King And I
Best Actor in a Minor Role (Youth) Dominick Lucido Li’l Abner
Best Supporting Actress (Youth) Samantha Quijano The King And I
Best Supporting Actor (Youth) Michael Combs The King And I
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Youth) Megan Griffin Li’l Abner
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Youth) Chris Bezanson Li’l Abner
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Best Female Chorus (Adult) Robin Harris Into The Woods
Best Male Chorus (Adult) Jon Szczepaniak The King And I
Best Actress in a Minor Role (Adult) Patrice Lyn The King And I
Best Actor in a Minor Role (Adult) Vinh Nguyen The King And I
Best Supporting Actress (Adult) Mary Anna Stanislaw The King And I
Best Supporting Actor (Adult) Daniel Corpus The King And I
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Adult) Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto The King And I
Best Actor in a Leading Role(Adult) Edmond Kwong The King And I
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Gypsy Robe Recipient Matthew Cummings The King And I
Robin Harris Into The Woods
Cara Lafaille The Butler Did It
McKenna Miles Li’l Abner
Samantha Quijano Bugsy Malone Jr.
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Producer’s Award Robin & Rob Bezanson Li’l Abner
Robin & Rob Bezanson The King And I
Debbie & Gerry Blanchard Into The Woods
Janell Cummings Bugsy Malone JR
Barbara Smith The Butler Did It
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Becky Kaiser Newcomer Award The Bezanson Family
Al Bloom Shining Star Award Samantha Quijano Bugsy Malone JR
Rosalie Andrews Technical Award Lori Foster
Outstanding Talent Award Kerie Geni Darner, Cindy Powell, & Barbara Reynolds The King And I
Terry Sodergren Into The Woods
Outstanding Service Award Loritta Bonfante Johnson
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Best Make-Up and Hair Alika Spencer Li’l Abner
Best Costumes Janell Cummings, Terri Miles & Bill Tindall The King And I
Best Set Design and Scenic Artist Glynis Crabb & Andrew Cummings The King And I
Best Choreographer Alexandra Mandel The King And I
Best Music Director Carol Harris The King And I
Best Vocal Director Terry Sodergren Into The Woods
Best Director Andrew Cummings The King And I
Best Show Bill Tindall & Christy Wright The King And I