Milford, CT - Pantochino Productions Inc, Milford’s ‘ridiculously entertaining’ professional not-for-profit theatre company for family audiences, has won in 14 categories the 2016 BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards. Honors include Best Musical and Best Original/New work for its popular production “Christmas Cookies.”
An original musical, “Christmas Cookies” debuted at the Milford Center for the Arts in December 2015. Featuring book and lyrics by Bert Bernardi and music by Justin Rugg, the show also won awards for Best Ensemble of a Musical, Best Lighting Design (Jeff Carr of New York City), Best Set Design (Von Del Mar of New York City), Best Sound Design (Nathaniel Dobas of Hamden), Best Director (Bernardi), Best Playwright (Bernardi) and Best Musical Director (Rugg).
Pantochino also won top honors in the performing categories of Best Actor in a Musical (Jimmy Johansmeyer of West Haven in “Dractastic!”), Best Actress in a Musical (Mary Mannix of Killingworth in “Fast Times at Mermaid High”), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Shelley Marsh Poggio of Durham in “Dractastic!”), and Best Young Actress (Jaden Bonfietti-Csvhinka of Milford in “Fast Times at Mermaid High”).
Pantochino Productions Inc., co-produced by Bernardi and Johansmeyer, is now in its sixth season. In addition to original musicals, the company produces touring shows, an acclaimed Summer Theatre Camp, a thriving Teen Theatre program, a popular After School Drama Club series in area schools and also partners with the Milford Arts Council in producing the Nite Spot Nights series. The company’s studios are located in the former Saint Ann School with performances held at the Center for the Arts in Downtown Milford. More information on the company can be found at www.pantochino.com