Announcing the Spotlight Awards nominees for Theater

The Patel Conservatory’s Spotlight Awards celebrates the spirit of learning by recognizing students who go above and beyond in their commitment to the performing arts.

Spotlight finalists are nominated by their instructors for their passion, dedication and positive attitude. Award winners will be announced at the Spotlight Awards on Thurs., May 23, 2013. The evening includes the awards show at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner and dancing at 8 p.m.

The following students were nominated for Outstanding Student Achievement in the area of Theater:

Michelle Hernandez, 17, of Dade City, is an International Baccalaureate student at Land O' Lakes High School. She has been performing for 10 years throughout the state of Florida. She has been studying at the Conservatory for the past year, and will attend Sarah Lawrence College in New York in the fall.

Sabrina Smith, 17, of Wesley Chapel, is an apprentice in the Patel Conservatory theater program. Her passion for theater started at a young age and has only grown since. Most recently, she performed in Patel Conservatory’s The Good Doctor and Kiss Me, Kate.

Lucas Coura, 19, of Riverview, has been performing since he was young. He studies dance and music at the Patel Conservatory. In the Conservatory’s theater productions, he performed as Fred in Kiss Me, Kate and the Writer in The Good Doctor. He also participated in Opera Tampa's productions as a member of the Opera Tampa Chorus.

Emily Faith Pedone, 16, began taking dance when she was three years old, including tap, jazz and hip hop. She began acting in school programs and then joined the Patel Conservatory theater program. She has performing the the Patel Conservatory theater productions of Music Man, Jr.,  Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Good doctor. she is grateful to entire staff of the Conservatory!

Isabella Belknap, 8, of Brandon, has loved to sing and dance since she was very young. She has been taking classes in dance and musical theater at the Patel Conservatory since she was five years old.

Lindsey Davis, 9, of Riverview, has always had a love of music and performing. She was in her first stage production at age six and soon began studying musical theater at the Patel Conservatory, where she immediately felt at home. She has performed in the Conservatory’s The Bear Went Over the Mountain, Beauty and the Beast, Jr., and most recently, Dig It!

Fiona Watson-Canning, 9, of Tampa, has taken dance since she was four and began her studies at the Patel Conservatory two years ago. She performed in The Bear Went Over the Mountain (Quail) and Dig It! (Lucy), and looks forward to the summer production of The Little Mermaid.

Caileigh Potter, of Tampa, has been taking dance since she was two years old.  She found her love for theater three years ago at the Patel Conservatory. Not only did the Conservatory’s theater program fuel her passion for dancing, singing and acting, it help her blossom from being shy and a little reserved to outgoing and expressive.