The Dramahawks’ spring/cappies production of “Crazy For You” didn’t just entertain, it went on to earn 11 Cappie nominations including Best Musical, Orchestra, Set, etc. The show, which ran on May 2-3 and 9-10, was judged by multiple student critics from across the region.

Set in the roaring 20’s, Crazy For You is a romantic comedy starring Bobby Child, a wealthy banker with dreams to become a dancer. When he was sent to Nevada to shut down a theater, he ended up staging a musical to save it, just not in the way he had hoped. Later, he would end up falling for the only girl in Deadrock, Polly Baker.

“It really does feel great to know that people came to watch our show then voted for so many categories,” said junior Josephine Sinniger, who played Polly. “It’s nice to know they saw all the hard work everyone put into it.”

Originally written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Mike Ockrent, the musical features music by George Gershwin. The Dramahawks’ version was directed by Dr. Mitchell, and featured choreography and costume work that embodied the show’s vintage flair. 

“I put a lot of work in this character to make her my own,” Sinniger said. “Polly was easy to connect with for me. She’s just a girl wanting someone to love and love her back, but she doesn’t want to settle. She wants her guy.”

As for musical numbers, Sinniger said her favorite moment came in the dramatic yet funny confrontation scene when Polly learns that Bobby has been lying to her. “It’s this whole back-and-forth between Polly, Bobby, and Zangler,” she said. “It was so fun to collaborate with the other actors and really let go making it our own.”

Lena Tran, a sophomore clarinetist for the Pit Orchestra, said the nomination for best orchestra felt earned. “I lowkey expected it ‘cause we’re just good,” Tran said. “And also we put a lot of effort into the show, so I would’ve been surprised if we didn’t get a nomination.”

One of her all time favorite numbers to play were “Slap that Bass” and “Girls enter Nevada.” 

“I really like my parts in those,” Tran said. “They were super jazzy, especially that one part in Number 5 Continued.”

Tran described the rehearsal process as “pretty long and stressful” but pretty worth it in the end.

“I would practice for 15ish minutes,” Tran said. “The end product was pretty worth it, even though we lost Clifford.”  ( Mr. Clifford was the Pit Orchestra Director before he went on paternity leave )

Rehearsals for the show began in January, with students dedicating nearly 5 months of after-school hours, weekend playing, and late practices to bring the production of Crazy for You to life. It was the result of intense preparation and student collaboration.

The Cappies, short for Critics and Awards Program, is a nationwide organization that allows students from different high schools to participate, review, and critique live theater. At the end of each season, High Schools are nominated for different awards, like the grammys, and award theater programs who went above and beyond in producing their best show possible. The Gala’s are usually held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

The Cappies nominations reflect the show’s dedication and hard work, getting praise for everything from vocals and acting to set design and orchestra. The musical’s classic style and timeless humor successfully resonate with both the critics and the school community.

“I think this show connects with people because it’s just fun,” Sinniger said. “It’s uplifting, and everyone put so much of themselves into it.”

Whether or not Crazy For You walks away with any wins at the Cappies Gala remains to be seen. But for the Dramahawks, the countless recognitions is already a victory.