‘Legally Blonde’ earns five nominations from 5th Avenue Theatre Awards

Along with wowing locals for three weekends of shows for “Legally Blonde,” Sequim High School’s Operetta Club also impressed evaluators for The 5th Avenue Theatre Awards.

Sequim garnered five nominations for Maddy Dietzman performing as Elle Woods for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Damon Little as Grandmaster Chad, Carlos, Store Manager, et al. for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Featured Ensemble Role, and the show’s stagehands for Outstanding Stage Crew. Sequim’s operetta also received two Honorable Mentions for Outstanding Music Direction and Orchestra.

Dietzman, a 15-year-old sophomore, said she’s really honored to be nominated.

“I can’t believe it,” she said.

Director Brendan Chambers and Assistant Director Maggie Bulkley said they couldn’t be happier with the way the show turned out.

“It exceeded our expectations in every way and it ended up being a hit in the Sequim community,” they said. “We are so proud of our students who worked so hard to put this fast paced and high energy show together. We are ecstatic to be recognized by the 5th Avenue with nominations and honorable mentions.”

The awards go into their 17th year honoring high school musicals across Washington state during the 2018/19 school year similarly to honoring high school athletes.

Announcements came out last week from the Seattle theater company that evaluators saw 128 productions from 106 schools with more than 11,000 participating students. Students and schools received 167 nominations across 21 categories with 178 honorable mentions and 30 special honors, organizers said.

This is Little’s second nomination in a row after receiving an Honorable Mention for last year’s operetta “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” as Bud Frump for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role. That show was nominated for six awards including Best Chorus and Best Costumes/Costume Design along with four Honorable Mentions.

Sequim’s operetta of “Legally Blonde” follows the 2001 movie except as a musical with Woods seeking to win back her boyfriend Warner by enrolling at Harvard Law School.

In the school’s history, Sequim has been nominated dozens of times and won four times — Outstanding Scenic Design for 2017’s “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; Outstanding Costume Design for “Wizard of Oz” in 2008; and twice in 2007 for “Seven Brides for Seven Sisters” with Blake Barnes as Gideon winning “Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” and the Brothers ensemble for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble.

Legally blonde was the school’s 53rd operetta with Sequim’s first operetta “Oklahoma” beginning the tradition in 1967. “Legally Blonde” ran during the Sequim Irrigation Festival and beyond from May 3-19 in the high school’s auditorium.

Crew members included students Cas Morten, Elaine Brown, Tyler Morales, backstage manager, Susan Anderson, Wren Fierro, Enya Griffin, Ryan Chen, and Elisa Hieber.

Linda Dowdell served as music director with Darrell Plank, Will Plasch, Alex Berikoff, Tommy Hall, Aaron Snyder and Ellenor Magelssen

Port Townsend’s “Cabaret” received a nomination for Outstanding Orchestra and Honorable Mention for Costume Design and Performance by an Ensemble Cast, and a special honor for student achievement for Violet Moell.

For more information on the awards and winners, visit https://5thavenuetheatreblog.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/5thave.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Honorable Mention went to the orchestra and for music direction of “Legally Blonde” with Linda Dowdell, third from left, serving as music director, with Aaron Snyder Will Plasch, Alex Berikoff, Ellenor Magelssen and Darrell Plank. Photo courtesy of Linda Dowdell

Honorable Mention went to the orchestra and for music direction of “Legally Blonde” with Linda Dowdell, third from left, serving as music director, with Aaron Snyder Will Plasch, Alex Berikoff, Ellenor Magelssen and Darrell Plank. Photo courtesy of Linda Dowdell