Hillsborough High School has received three nominations for state laurels for its school musical, “Titanic.”
The “Rising Star” awards, organized through Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, are modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards and showcase state schools’ musical arts programs.
Ninety schools across New Jersey are participating in the program.
Hillsborough’s three nominations came for its March production of “Titanic — A New Musical.”
For his portrayal of engine stoker Frederick Barrett, senior Scott Cesta was nominated for an award in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
Aditi Kumar, a junior, was nominated for the Student Achievement Award as the production’s assistant director.
The show was also nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Lobby Display created by a committee of students and parents. Co-chair parents were Agnes Irizarry and Carol Kravette.
”Titanic” also received honorable mentions in three categories: performance by a chorus, costuming (thanks to the work of parent Mae Boucher-Langdon) and graphic design, by LFS Printing.
The awards ceremony will take place at Paper Mill Playhouse on Tuesday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m.
The musicals are judged by Paper Mill Playhouse throughout the spring by a group of 70 evaluators, with each school receiving four independent evaluations.
Schools nominated for overall musical and leading actor/actress nominees perform at the event and award recipients are presented with an engraved crystal award from Tiffany & Co.
“’”The Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards are one of several such programs sponsored by regional theatres around the country. The winning performers in the Lead Actress and Lead Actor categories will represent the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards competition at New York University, which culminates in a ceremony on Monday, June 25, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway in New York City.
Lastly, students receiving final nominations in the lead and supporting acting categories receive a scholarship to Paper Mill Playhouse’s competitive Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory, a professional training program, which along with advanced classes in singing, acting and dance, offers the nominees an opportunity to perform on the stage at Paper Mill Playhouse in a season finale concert on Aug. 3 and 4.
Among the top nominated high schools, Summit High School led with 18 nominations, followed by Westfield High School with 12, Gill St. Bernard’s School with 11 and Nutley High School with nine.

