Entertainment

Miss Saigon, the Madame Butterfly-inspired musical updated to the Vietnam War, proved a big winner for J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, while The Boys Next Door, a poignant story about mentally disabled men, won the best-play award for Lake Highlands High School at the 2008 Cappies held at J.J. Pearce High School on Monday night.

But the sixth annual honors were widely spread out among several area high schools in this Washington, D.C.-based national critics and awards program – sponsored by the Capitol Steps theater program – that has given Dallas area students a chance to honor and be honored by their peers.

Miss Saigon won eight awards, including lead actress/musical and lead actor/musical for Elizabeth Judd and John Redlinger, who also picked up featured actor/play for Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World, which is about a man and his deceased friend.

Brett Thiele of Pearce High School won for lead actor/play in Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World and male dancer in Miss Saigon, while Lizzie Cochran collected lead actress/play for Our Town at Woodrow Wilson High School.

Trinity Christian Academy in Addison scored for best Cappie team, with individual awards going to Anne Marie Daniel for Cappie critic/female and Seth Larson for Cappie critic/male.

The winners:

Cappie team: Trinity Christian Academy, Addison

Cappie critic/female: Anne Marie Daniel, Trinity Christian Academy

Cappie critic/male: Seth Larson, Trinity Christian Academy

Best musical: Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School, Richardson

Best play: The Boys Next Door, Lake Highlands High School

Nominated song: "I Still Believe," Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Lead actor/musical: John Redlinger, Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Lead actress/musical: Elizabeth Judd, Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Lead actor/play: Brett Thiele, Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World, J.J. Pearce High School

Lead actress/play: Lizzie Cochran, Our Town, Woodrow Wilson High School

Featured actor/musical: Michael McPherson, Oklahoma!, St. Hockaday/St. Mark's Drama Program

Featured actress/musical: Chandler Reeves, Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Featured actor/play: John Redlinger, Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World, J.J. Pearce High School

Featured actress/play: Ryan Fusella, The Boys Next Door, Lake Highlands High School

Comic actor/musical: Matt Horn, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Richardson High School, Richardson

Comic actress/musical: Claire Daniels, Annie, Lake Highlands High School

Comic actor/play: Adam Hagenbuch, Seven Keys to Baldpate, Trinity Christian Academy

Comic actress/play: Kelsey McGonigle, The Boys Next Door, Lake Highlands High School

Male vocalist: Hector Felix, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Richardson High School

Female vocalist: Polli Levi, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Richardson High School

Male dancer: Brett Thiele, Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Female dancer: Greta Stentson, Oklahoma!, Hockaday/St. Mark's Drama Program

Cameo actor/musical: Sean Murphy, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Richardson High School

Cameo actor/play: Trey Pratt, Richardson High School's Senior Showcase

Cameo actress/musical: Katie Shank, The Sound of Music, Woodrow Wilson High School

Cameo actress/play: Haley Flagg, Our Town, Trinity Christian Academy

Ensemble/musical: Nazi Soldiers, The Sound of Music, Woodrow Wilson High School

Ensemble/play: Haley Flagg and Ann Marie Daniel, Seven Keys to Baldpate, Trinity Christian Academy

Creativity: Eliana Gavounas, Richardson High School's Senior Showcase

Choreography: Katie York, Molly York, The Boys Next Door, Lake Highlands High School

Orchestra: Berkner Orchestra, Anne of Green Gables

Stage crew: Andy Cavin, Sarah Chrisenberry, Jackson Harbour, Jamil Harper, The Boys Next Door, Lake Highlands High School

Props/effects: Naeem Munaf, Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Makeup: Rebecca Cannon, Alex Bankston, Courtney Vitles, Anne of Green Gables, Berkner High School

Costumes: Keri Palmetto, Megan Stevenson, Derya Songur, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Richardson High School

Set design: Taylor Knight, Naeem Munaf, Miss Saigon, J.J. Pearce High School

Lights: Connor Youngblood, Travis Smith, Chelsea Lusk, Street Scene , Hockaday/St. Mark's Drama Program

Sound: Nate Kewish: Seven Keys to Baldpate, Trinity Christian Academy