School Features

Kamiak High School recently won 5th Avenue Theatre’s top honor for high schools for Outstanding Overall Musical Production for “The Pajama Game.”

With their performance of the 1954 musical “The Pajama Game,” a romantic comedy about workers in a pajama factory seeking a pay raise, Kamiak beat 64 other Washington state high schools during the awards ceremony held June 7 at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre.

“It took everybody a few seconds to realize that we’d won,” senior Sabrina Otness, who starred as Babe Williams.  “We were all really surprised because we didn’t know what they were looking for.” 

Director Laurie Levine credits the talents of co-director Nancy Duck-Jefferson; orchestra director Brian Steves; Denise Nelson for costumes; paraeducator Shirley Leonard, who built 16 sewing machines out of foam; Craig Wollum for set design, Eva Stone and Kathy Noonan for choreography and student Aaron Alonso, of the stage crew, to the win.

“As my actors, stage crew and orchestra kids were taking their curtain calls for the very first time in front of an audience, they were beaming,” Levine said.  “I’ll always remember it.  Just their confidence – you could tell they were having so much fun.”

Kamiak also won Outstanding Stage Crew and Alonso, now graduated, received a special honor of student achievement for his work as stage manager.

“It was really rewarding because my actors got recognized for being on stage, but my techies were also recognized for everything you shouldn’t see on stage,” Levine said.

Of 22 categories, Kamiak received a total of 11 nominations and two honorable mentions, including nominations for outstanding direction, choreography, orchestra, scenic design, hair and make-up design and ensemble. 

Senior Shannon Flynn and Alex Larkin, now graduated, were also given the nod for their supporting roles as Gladys and Mr. Hasler.

As one of eight schools to receive a nomination for 5th Avenue’s top honor, Kamiak was invited to the theatre’s stage during the eighth annual 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards to perform the song “7 ½ Cents.”

“It’s cool knowing you’re performing for thousands of people who love musical theater as much as you do … and also knowing you’re standing up there where people off of Broadway have done their shows,” Rory Eaden said. Eaden, now graduated, starred as Sid Sorokin.

For 10 weeks, Kamiak’s cast and crew worked tirelessly in preparation for the musical’s opening Apr. 30. They rehearsed scenes, lines, dances and songs Monday through Friday for three hours after school.  On Saturdays, they researched the 1950s, built sets and made costumes.

Alonso would make his crew stay 30 minutes after the cast had left rehearsals to practice moving props on and off stage as quickly and quietly as possible.

“Our shortest scene change was 20-30 seconds and longest was 50, which was still incredibly fast,” he said.  “I was happy with anything under a minute.” 

5th Avenue started the High School Musical Awards – inspired by the Tony Awards – in 2003 to acknowledge the value of theater programs in high schools and to give drama students the same recognition that student athletes receive.

Kamiak first won Outstanding Overall Musical Production in 2005 for “Pirates of Penzance.”

“[Winning] was such a good feeling,” Otness said.  “It’s something we’ll never, ever forget because it finally made us all realize that everything wasn’t for nothing.”