On May 19, Rye Country Day School’s Drama & Dance department received four honors from Montclair State University’s 2025 Theatre Night Awards. Recognizing excellence in high school theatre across the tri-state area, the Theatre Night Awards honor the accomplishments of individual achievement of both students and educators in the areas of performance, direction, design and technical theatre, as well as outstanding productions. 

2025 Theatre Night Awards Broadway Musical from 2017-2024 Winners:

• Outstanding Production of a Broadway Musical from 2017-2024: Head Over Heels, Rye Country Day School
• Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Broadway Musical from 2017-2024: Colin Lauri ’25 as King Basilius

RCDS received a total of 16 nominations for its two Upper School productions from the 2024-25 school year—six nominations for the play The Ver**zon Play and ten nominations for Head Over Heels. 

In addition to these achievements, the Theatre Night Awards announced at the ceremony that RCDS received honors in the Overall Categories, which consider all of the competing genres and individual schools. From the Overall Categories, Head Over Heels earned two more awards.

2025 Theatre Night Awards Overall Categories Winners:

• Overall Outstanding Achievement by an Acting Ensemble in a Competitive Production of a Musical: The Cast of Head Over Heels, Rye Country Day School
• Risk Taking in Direction of a Musical Award: Jeff Hogan, Upper School Drama Teacher

Finally, in the Overall Categories, the School received two additional surprise nominations, in addition to its previous 16 nominations. Three individuals were recognized as some of the highest-scoring performers across all genres and schools, while RCDS was honored as one of the highest-scoring productions across all genres and schools. 

• Outstanding Overall Performance by a Pre-Professional Actor/Actress:
  • Colin Lauri ’25 as King Basilius
  • Haley Millowitz ’27 as Pamela
  • Dominique Alvarez ’26 as Mopsa
• Outstanding Overall Production: Head Over Heels, Rye Country Day School

Congratulations to all involved in the production of Head Over Heels!