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Senior Ben Puvalowski Honored With Basie Award

Recently, the Eighth Annual Basie Award Ceremony took place at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. Ranney’s very own lifer student Ben Puvalowski ’13 (Matawan) received the award for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama” for his portrayal of Sir Toby Belch in the Upper School’s production of Twelfth Night in November.

The Basie Awards, similar in presentation to Broadway’s Tony Awards, honor excellence in Monmouth County High School Dramatic and Musical Theatre. An evaluation committee of professional actors, singers, directors, choreographers and graduates send four adjudicators to assess each production.

Junior Noah Goldstein (Spring Lake Heights) was also nominated for a Basie Award in the “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama” category for his role as “Malvolio” in Twelfth Night, along with Freshman Karl Brand (Holmdel) who was nominated for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical” for his performance in Man of La Mancha as the Governor/Innkeeper.

Mr. John Doyle, Ranney’s drama director, also received a nomination for the Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design. As Ben’s director in multiple productions at Ranney, Mr. Doyle said, “Ben is a ‘thinking’ actor. He looks at the development of a character as a personal challenge. This combined with his performance skills and talent, have allowed him to grow and develop into the actor we enjoy on stage today.”

Previously nominated as an eighth-grade student in 2008 for his role in You Can’t Take it With You, Ben has received many awards for his accomplishments both on and off stage at Ranney. He has collected multiple forensics awards along with serving as a mentor to Middle School forensics students. Most recently, Ben was awarded the 2013 Departmental Award for On-Stage Theater and the 2013 Ram Sheila Bharara Communications Award. “On stage, we thrill to the life he brings to the words of great playwrights and authors through his dramatic performances and his music,” said Head of Upper School Paul Zanowski when presenting Ben with the award given to a senior each year for outstanding cumulative achievement in communications.

Ben is an AP Scholar and member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M® Music Honor Society and the International Thespian Society where he serves as co-president. He is also a member of the Diversity Club at Ranney and in 2010, served as a peer facilitator at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC).

A talented musician and singer, Ben participates in jazz band and has performed in concerts, coffee houses, events such as “JamFest” and “Battle of the Bands” and Dr. Sykoff’s retirement celebration on March 3, 2013 at the Count Basie Theatre.

Over the past several years, the quality and scope of the extracurricular Upper School drama program has significantly grown. In the past, Middle and Upper School students would combine for productions and performances. “Now, due to increased interest in performing arts and our talented performing arts faculty and students, the Upper School division is able to choose and perform a repertoire that challenges them and showcases their abilities as actors at the high school level,” explained Director of Performing Arts Tess Nielsen. “The students are very much at home on Roberts Stage, which allows larger productions. Against this backdrop, students like Ben have flourished and we are seeing more of our underclassmen develop strong abilities in drama, musical theater and theater production.”

“Ben truly takes the International Thespian Motto to heart ‘Act well your part, there all honor lies.’ It has been my privilege and delight to direct Ben for the past five years,” added Mr. Doyle. Ben will put on his final performance as a Ranney student on stage at the Class of 2013’s Commencement on June 14 at Monmouth University where he will perform alongside his classmates. He will be attending New York University in the fall.
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society. 

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