North Fort Myers High receives top school musical theatre awards
North Fort Myers High garnered the distinction of having best production, best actor and best supporting actor at the High School Musical Theatre Awards held at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.
“We won outstanding overall production and also won outstanding ensemble cast,” said Drama Teacher Michele White-ner.
That wasn’t all.
“We also had best actor — Devin Dietsch — and best supporting actor with Kent Miller, who played both the baker and the pharaoh,” she said.
The pharaoh actually was an Elvis incarnate, who Miller performed perfectly.
The play was “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat.” There are more than 60 performers, 18 orchestra students and 15 technical crew in the production.
The competition was tough.
“I saw Cypress Lakes production of Sweet Charity which was runner up, and it was great, and their lead female was very, very good,” Whitener said.
“It is really hard to put into words how the hard work and the talent from the cast and crew came together. The audience was so supportive, many came back to see it again. It was one of the shows that that all the performers did not want to stop.”
Of the spectacular ending that captivated many, Whitener said she had the idea after seeing the show over and over.
“I wanted the chariot to dramatically descend from the ceiling. I didn’t know it was possible at the time. I said to my ‘two dads’ Paul Pefcatrice and Kevin Ostrowsky, “Can we fly Joseph down? With their help we made it happen.”
Joseph descended from the ceiling in a chariot of gold, complete with a disco ball overhead, to a massive balloon and confetti drop.
“We could not be more proud,” said NFM High Principal Kimberley Lunger.
Assistant Principal Matt Mederios also expressed his pride.
“For us to win Best Musical – it is incredible,” he said.