The Cappies (Critics and Awards Program) is an international program for recognizing, celebrating, and providing learning experiences for

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

level

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...

and

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree of accuracy. The word, a noun, applies to the journ ...

students and

teenage Adolescence () is a transitional stage of human physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with ...

playwrights A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwrigh ...

. The program prides itself on being a completely student-driven organization that gives a platform to teen voices. There are currently 12 active Cappies programs in the U.S. and Canada, which range in size from five to 55 participating high school level institutions. Within each program, every participating school selects three to nine

student A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject. In the United Kingdom and most The Commonwealth, commonwealth countries, a "student" attends ...

s for a critic team. After receiving training in theater criticism and review

writing Writing is the act of creating a persistent representation of language. A writing system includes a particular set of symbols called a ''script'', as well as the rules by which they encode a particular spoken language. Every written language ...

, they attend plays and musicals at other high schools in their area. They write reviewsof roughly 400 wordson a short turnaround deadline. Volunteer teacher-mentors lead discussions and select the critic-written reviews that are later published by regional newspapers and other publications, with student bylines.

History

The Cappies began in 1999, in response to the Columbine tragedy, as an effort to bring more positive attention to teenagers engaged in creative pursuits.

Capitol Steps The Capitol Steps was an American political-satire group that performed from 1981 to 2020. Most of the Capitol Steps' material parodied well-known contemporary songs. The songs were interspersed with other routines, including a spoonerism routin ...

founder Bill Strauss approached

Fairfax County, Virginia Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. With a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most p ...

public school administrator Judy Bowns, and together they developed the plan for the program. The program began in Fairfax and immediately became popular among high school drama departments in the area, growing from 14 schools in the fall of 1999 to 23 schools by that spring. The Cappies quickly spread to encompass the entire metro Washington, D.C., area. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' and several other local papers published student-written reviews, often with photographs (they have since ceased this activity, but instead now post these reviews online in a section entitled "Tomorrow's Critics"). As a result, the Cappies became a showcase for local theater and journalism talent, with over 50 schools around Washington, the largest Cappies region. Since 2002, it has operated nationwide, with new regional groups appearing yearly.

Organization and process

To start a Cappies program, one must organize a small local meeting with students, parents, and teachers. Four schools must participate for the application to be approved. A steering committeeincluding a Program director, chair, treasurer, and at least two other membersis formed, and a charter application must be applied for. While waiting for approval, one should find local newspapers/media outlets that are willing to publish 1-2 reviews on a weekly basis. Once approved, a $300 annual application fee must be paid to Cappies, plus a $5–10 per-critic fee that is assessed in November based on critic training sessions and enrollments in the online information services. Each regional steering committee determines the per-school fee requirements. Each regional program has a steering committee, with a charter from The Cappies. These are

volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

s who oversee the work done by critics and teacher-mentors (who are also volunteers), and who then produce the Cappies Gala. Participating schools select one show (a

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

or a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

) as their Cappies show. Some smaller Cappies programs allow schools to select two shows. The schools also select teachers to be mentors, who supervise the student critics and help maintain the integrity of the review-writing process. Before the season begins, the mentors and critics receive training from Cappies officials and are often aided by local journalists. On the night of a Cappies show, the critics arrive early, attend the

performance A performance is an act or process of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function. Performance has evolved glo ...

, and hold private discussions beforehand, during

intermission An intermission, also known as an interval in British and Indian English, is a break between parts of a performance or production, such as for a play (theatre), theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening. It should not be confused with ...

, and after the show. During the post-show discussion, the discussion room decides on a Critics' Choice in each performing category, noting what will be up for competition in each category for the show's school. After returning home, each

critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as Art criticism, art, Literary criticism, literature, Music journalism, music, Film criticism, cinema, Theater criticism, theater, Fas ...

writes a review for the show and submits it to the centralized critic website, Cappies Information Systems (CIS). The mentors select the reviews they consider the most honest, objective, and best-written, which are then forwarded to local newspapers, many of whom publish these reviews with student bylines. At the conclusion of each season, all critics attend a mandatory voting session in which they select from the shows they viewed who should be nominated for and/or win a Cappie Award. After awards voting, each program then holds a Cappies

Gala Gala may refer to: Music * ''Gala'' (album), a 1990 album by the English alternative rock band Lush * Gala (singer), Italian singer and songwriter *'' Gala – The Collection'', a 2016 album by Sarah Brightman * GALA Choruses, an association of ...

, akin to the

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...

, to present awards and celebrate the year's shows. Sometimes these galas are held at schools, and other times at major theater venues. The Cappies of the National Capital Area holds its gala in the Concert Hall of the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

, the center's largest performance space. These galas are formal and generally include local VIP award presenters, along with performances of songs or scenes from nominated shows. They usually run from two-and-a-half to three hours, and some are televised.

Award Categories

* Critic (differs across chapters based on gender, grade, etc.) * Critic Team * Marketing and Publicity * Sound * Lighting * Sets * Costumes * Hair and Make-Up * Props * Special Effects and/or Technologies * Stage Management * Stage Crew * Orchestra * Choreography * Creativity * Ensemble in a Play * Ensemble in a Musical * Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play * Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Play * Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Musical * Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Musical * Dancer in a Female Role * Dancer in a Male Role * Vocalist in a Female Role * Vocalist in a Male Role * Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play * Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play * Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical * Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical * Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play * Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play * Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical * Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical * Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play * Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play * Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical * Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical * Song * Play * Musical

Active Chapters

* National Capital Area (The greater

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

area.) * Canada's Capital Cappies (

Ottawa, Canada Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core of the Ottawa–Gatineau ...

and its surrounding area.) * Orange County Cappies (

Orange County, CA Orange County (officially the County of Orange; often initialized O.C.) is a county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 3,186,989, making ...

and the surrounding areas.) * Greater Philadelphia Cappies (The areas of Burlington, Camden,

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...

, and Salem in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

and Bucks,

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

, Montgomery, and

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

.) * South Florida Cappies (The

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

counties of Broward and Palm Beach.) * Cappies of Baltimore (The

counties of

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

Howard Howard is a masculine given name derived from the English surname Howard. ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names'' notes that "the use of this surname as a christian name is quite recent and there seems to be no particular reason for ...

, Anne Arundel, and Carroll.) * Greater Cincinnati Cappies (The greater area of

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

including

Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky is an urban area in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky consisting of the southern part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The three main counties of the area are Boone County, Kentucky, Boone, Kent ...

.) * Kansas City Cappies (The area 45 miles in any direction from downtown

Kansas City, MO Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

.) * Cappies Niagara Ontario (The region of

Southern Ontario Southern Ontario is a Region, primary region of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada, with approximately 13.5 million people, approximately 36% o ...

.) * Delaware Cappies (The state of

.) * Southern New Jersey Cappies (The NJ counties of

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

, Burlington, Camden,

Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Th ...

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

, and Salem.) * Blue Ridge Cappies (All Loudoun, VA localities including Leesburg, Sterling, Ashburn, and Middleburg.)

Awards rules

At the end of the school year, within each program, critics who review the required minimum number of shows (usually five) become

judges A judge is an official who presides over a court. Judge or Judges may also refer to: Roles *Judge, an alternative name for an adjudicator in a competition in theatre, music, sport, etc. *Judge, an alternative name/aviator call sign for a membe ...

for Cappie nominations and awards. Except for critic awards (determined by a digital formula), all Cappie nominations and awards are decided by student critics. The student critics gather to vote on CIS. This process is carefully supervised by adult proctors, and reviewed for accuracy by a trustee and auditor. Depending on the program, there can be anywhere from three to five nominees per award category. The nominees are announced shortly after the voting. The outcome of all awards is determined by CIS, which was developed in 2002 by two high school students from

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (also known as TJHSST, Thomas Jefferson, or TJ) is a Virginia magnet high school in Fairfax County, Virginia operated by Fairfax County Public Schools. The school occupies the building of t ...

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

. Awards are only given to high school students in grades 9–12. The amount of adult involvement in offstage work (building sets, sewing

costumes Costume is the distinctive style of clothing, dress and/or cosmetics, makeup of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch—in short, culture. The term also was traditionally used ...

, playing in

orchestras An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

, etc.) is strictly established in the rules. A Cappies show that has adults exceeding the allowed level of involvement is not eligible for that category, but is eligible for all other awards. A steering committee of a regional Cappies program can, if it chooses, give a Special Award for Service to a high school student who gave exceptional help, either to the Cappies or to high school theater throughout his or her region.

Cappies International Theater

Every summer, winners of Lead Actor and Actress awards from all programs are invited to attend the Cappies International Theater.Cappies International Theater
/ref> This CIT company presents three shows, all written entirely by high school students: ''Starz!'' (monologues, songs, and minimusicals), ''Playz!'' (short plays), and a full-length student-written musical. The latter two are performed at the Kennedy Center Theater Lab. The Cappies International Theater is a summer program focused on the development of dramatic and musical skills. They produce several shows in different categories, and often perform the work of their peers. Students interested in the technical elements of theater also have opportunities to practice and demonstrate their skills. Cappies International Theater began in the summer of 2002 at a small theater in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. In 2003, in partnership with the Kennedy Center, it moved to Washington, D.C., under the name Cappies National Theater. When the first Canadian program (in Ottawa) joined the Cappies in 2005, the name was changed to Cappies International Theater. Starting in 2006, CIT began featuring works by high school student playwrights, including the two full-length musicals '' Edit:Undo'' and ''

Senioritis Senioritis is the colloquial name for the decreased motivation toward education felt by students who are nearing the end of their high school, college, graduate school careers, or the end of a school year in general. Senioritis can, however, be d ...

''. Both were written by nine-person creative teams of student book writers,

lyricist A lyricist is a writer who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income derives ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

s, and a digital artist.

Student-written musicals

In 2006, CIT presented the student-written musical ''Edit:Undo'', which is about teenage life and relationships in the

digital era The Information Age is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during the Industrial Revolution, to an economy centered on information technolog ...

. A CD and

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

of ''Edit:Undo'' are available for sale on the website. In 2007, the CIT company presented the student-written musical ''Senioritis'', which is about the anxieties of senior year. A CD and

feature-length film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation ...

was to be made of ''Senioritis'', following the Kennedy Center performances. In 2008, the Cappies entered into a licensing agreement with the school's musical publisher Next Gen Publications, to represent ''Edit:Undo'', ''Senioritis'', Free-the-Music.com and founder Strauss' Makiddo worldwide. The Cappies International Theater has not taken place since 2009, but may resume in the future.

References

{{Reflist * Adam Campbell and Victoria Hays, "How the Cappies Got Started: An Interview with a Co-Founder

Accessed at 07:40 UTC, January 31, 2006. * The New York Times
"Theater Students Get Their Share of the Limelight"
''The New York Times'', June 23, 2002. Late Edition - Final. Section 1. * Meredith Billman-Mani, "Adversity Begets Cappies — and More." ''The Connection Newspaper'', April 15, 2004.

External links

Cappies

Awards honoring children or youth Student awards Dramatist and playwright awards Literary awards honouring young writers American journalism awards Canadian journalism awards American theater awards