Senior Scarlett Buatte celebrated her win with director Noelle Eben and choreographer Mandi Mettler. Photo courtesy of Buatte.
San Luis Obispo High School’s Theatre Company has put on many successful productions in the last few years, but the spring musical “Urinetown” recently earned the Rita Moreno Award for Best Overall Production. Additionally, senior Scarlett Buatte was awarded Best Supporting Performer for her portrayal of Officer Barrel.
“Truly, I never thought in a million years that I would ever even be considered, let alone nominated. My friend Jude sent a screenshot of the nominations into a group chat, and my jaw completely dropped. Truthfully, I didn’t know much about the awards at first, but I was so incredibly grateful and honored that I had even been thought of in that way,” said Buatte.
The Rita Moreno Awards are a big deal for high school musicals, acting as the gateway to the Jimmy Awards which is a national award ceremony honoring young performers. 32 productions were initially submitted for Best Overall Production and SLOHS was one of top six schools nominated in the region. Over twenty SLOHS students performed at the Awards Ceremony in San Jose, showcasing the intense Act One Finale and ultimately securing the win.
“The performance was amazing, everyone did incredible, and we put on a great show. With how much effort and time we put into our performance, I knew we had a great chance of winning,” said sophomore and ensemble member Mason Meazell-Perez.
Buatte was one of ten nominees for her category and performed alongside senior Bob Meyers, who played Officer Lockstock. Together they performed various songs and scenes from the musical.
“Bob and I were both under the impression that we didn’t have a huge chance of winning. Looking at previous years, it’s usually the same few schools that tend to win in every category, so we knew the odds were probably pretty slim,” said Buatte. “Looking back on it now, I think our genuine love for the show and our characters really came through in the audition, and I think that authenticity is ultimately what helped us win the award.”
Dozens of students participated in the production and without them this win wouldn’t have happened.
“Everyone gave their all to make this show what it became, and I think that passion and determination is exactly what made Urinetown stand out. We all developed such a close relationship with each other through all the hardships and it showed in our performances,” said senior Scarlett Buatte.
Furthermore, director Noelle Eben was largely absent due to family issues during the production, leaving choreographer Mandi Mettler to fill her role with the help of musical director Rick Robbins. Despite these setbacks, all of their continued commitment and support made the show possible.
“When I first heard that we were doing a musical about people paying money to pee, I was…skeptical to say the least. We went through a lot of hardships; our director had to step out for a few months and we almost closed the show, but our wonderful choreographer Ms. Mettler stepped up to take over the show. I really do think it ended up a perfectly cast production with a production value much higher than a typical show from us, that also told a really poignant story while being quite funny in the process,” said Meyers.
Going forward, this win will hopefully allow the theatre company to grow further, giving underclassmen hope for future success.
“It gives me the drive to accomplish more stuff like this. The rush of being on a traveling Broadway stage was insane, and winning the awards was an incredible moment for all of us, because everyone in the show really did love it, and put everything into it,” said Meazell-Perez.
For Buatte, this win has given her new confidence to continue performing after high school, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
“I don’t think I can imagine my life without theatre in it. I cannot even begin to express how this experience reminded me that theatre has become such an integral part of who I am. It’s challenged me creatively, pushed me so out of my comfort zone, and given me a sense of joy and fulfillment that’s difficult to replicate anywhere else,” said Buatte. “More than anything, this award has motivated me to keep improving, learning, and keep growing as both a performer and even a person.”
This cast poured their heart and soul into “Urinetown”, and this award is only proof of that.
“Seeing everyone’s hard work culminate in a Rita Moreno Award was such an emotional and rewarding moment, because it felt like recognition for an entire community that refused to give up on something they loved,” said Buatte.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Urinetown” for one of the highest honors they could have received! SLOHS will have to see what next year holds for the company, it’s sure to be great!
