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Freedom's 'Nice Work' wins 3 awards

Published July 15. 2025 11:05AM
by Ed Courrier Special to the Bethlehem Press

Four high school musical productions from the Bethlehem area celebrated wins at the 2025 Freddy Awards Ceremony May 22 at Easton’s State Theatre.

Leading the pack at the event was Nazareth Area HS. Their production of “Seussical” garnered five awards out of 15 nominations. Freedom HS brought home three out of seven nominations, Moravian Academy scored two out of seven and Bethlehem Catholic got two out of three.

Nazareth Area’s “Seussical” received the Freddy for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical. Other wins for the theater department include Outstanding Performance by an Orchestra, Outstanding Stage Crew In memory of Capt. Christopher Seifert, and Outstanding Use of Costumes.

Lauren Summers was honored with the Outstanding Technical Contribution by A Student Freddy for Costume Design.

Freedom’s “Nice Work If You Can Get It” did nicely by scoring three Freddy Awards.

Cole Faccinetto received the Freddy for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role as Cookie McGee. The Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role award went to Kiersten Rubery as Duchess Estonia Dulworth. Freedom’s “Nice Work If You Can Get It” garnered the Freddy for Outstanding Technical Design.

Moravian Academy scored an Outstanding Overall Production by a Smaller School Freddy for their production of “The Drowsy Chaperone,” as well as the award for Outstanding Technical Design by A Smaller School.

Dominic Oviedo received the Freddy Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Ensemble Member for his role as Reuben in Bethlehem Catholic’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The production was also honored with the Air Products 2025 Education and Community Impact Award.

Student actors from all 29 participating schools enthusiastically sang and danced across the stage for the opening and closing numbers. Liberty, Freedom and Nazareth Area high schools were represented, as well as. Bethlehem Catholic, Notre Dame, Moravian Academy and Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School.

In 2003, the State Theatre Center for the Arts partnered with WFMZ Channel 69 to create a live television show to recognize outstanding achievement in local high school musical theater. The Freddy Awards are named after J. “Fred” Osterstock, the legendary “Fred the Ghost” of the State Theatre who managed the company that owned the theater from 1936 until his death in 1957.

For more information, visit statetheatre.org/education/.

Press photos by Ed CourrierNazareth Area HS’s company performs “Oh, The Thinks You Can Think” from “Seussical” at the Freddy Awards May 22. The production was one of six nominated for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical.
Nazareth Area’s “Seussical” received the Freddy for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical. Accepting the award on behalf of the company are, from left, Ava Noll and Damon Dellanno. Noll portrayed Gertrude McFuzz and Dellanno was Horton the Elephant.
Accepting the Outstanding Performance by an Orchestra Freddy are, from left, student musicians Allison Hawley and Ash Harvey.
Stage managers Ava Trifiletti and Victoria Smith are presented with the Freddy for Outstanding Stage Crew for Nazareth Area’s “Seussical.”
Nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Evan Stitt as The Cat In The Hat solos with a song from Nazareth Area’s “Seussical.”
Stage manager Sarah Carter and sound designer Joselyn Marquez accept the Freddy for Outstanding Technical Design by A Smaller School on behalf of Moravian Academy’s “The Drowsy Chaperone.”
Freedom’s “Nice Work If You Can Get It” scored the Freddy for Outstanding Technical Design. Excitedly accepting the award are, from left, Stage Manager Amy Illescas and her “spotlight partner” Layla Varano.
Scoring the Freddy for Outstanding Performance by a Male Ensemble Member is Dominic Oviedo for his role as Reuben in Bethlehem Catholic’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
Cole Faccinetto expresses gratitude for his Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Freddy for his portrayal of Cookie McGee in “Nice Work If You Can Get It.” Faccinetto is a junior at Freedom.