The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) has announced the winners of the 2023/2024 Ocean State Star Awards (OSSA), a milestone in the Rhode Island and Massachusetts high school musical theatre community.
The competition honors and encourages excellence in musical theatre performance and productions among area high school students. The awards, presented at PPAC’s Outreach and Engagement department, feature 16 high schools from Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts competing in a variety of categories. Students from each school will perform a selection from their county’s Outstanding Musical winner, along with Outstanding Lead Performers and Outstanding Dance Performers from across the state. The evening’s event will also feature a performance by Rising Star nominees, and the grand finale of the competition with the announcement of two nominees from the Outstanding Lead Performer category. These two performers will represent Rhode Island at the fifteenth annual Jimmy Awards in June.
The winners of the 2023/2024 Ocean State Star Awards are:
Outstanding Musical
– Joseph Case High School – Seussical The Musical: Cast A
– North Kingstown High School – Kiss Me, Kate: Cast Red
– North Kingstown High School – Kiss Me, Kate: Cast Blue
– Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Mean Girls
– West Warwick High School – 25 Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
– West Warwick High School – Mean Girls
Outstanding Ensemble
– Bishop Hendricken – The Drowsy Chaperone
– Joseph Case High School – Seussical The Musical: Cast A
– North Kingstown High School – Kiss Me, Kate: Cast Red
Outstanding Lead Performer – Male
– Joseph Case High School – Ryan Medeiros
– North Kingstown High School – Daniel D’Amore
– North Kingstown High School – Andrew Botelho
– Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Michael DeSimone
– West Warwick High School – Luke LaChance
– West Warwick High School – Ben Smith
Outstanding Lead Performer – Female
– Bishop Hendricken High School – Lily DeSisto
– Joseph Case High School – Sarah Medeiros
– North Kingstown High School – Abigail Sliney
– North Kingstown High School – Emily Anderson
– Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Samantha DeSimone
– West Warwick High School – Sarah O’Brien
– West Warwick High School – Emily O’Brien
Outstanding Dance Performer – Male
– Bishop Hendricken High School – Daniel DeSisto
– Joseph Case High School – Ryan Medeiros
– North Kingstown High School – Andrew Botelho
– Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Michael DeSimone
– West Warwick High School – Luke LaChance
– West Warwick High School – Ben Smith
Outstanding Dance Performer – Female
– Bishop Hendricken High School – Lily DeSisto
– Joseph Case High School – Sarah Medeiros
– North Kingstown High School – Abigail Sliney
– North Kingstown High School – Emily Anderson
– Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Samantha DeSimone
– West Warwick High School – Sarah O’Brien
– West Warwick High School – Emily O’Brien
Rising Star
– Bishop Hendricken High School – Lily DeSisto
– Joseph Case High School – Sarah Medeiros
– North Kingstown High School – Abigail Sliney
– North Kingstown High School – Emily Anderson
– Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Samantha DeSimone
– West Warwick High School – Sarah O’Brien
– West Warwick High School – Emily O’Brien
Tickets to the Ocean State Star Awards showcase are $15 for students and $30-40 for the general public. Tickets are available online through PPAC’s website at ppacri.org/OSSA, or at the box office window (220 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI 02903). Students must show their student ID when picking up their ticket(s).
