Members of the Case High Theatre Company sang and danced during a recent production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Joseph Case High School. (Photo Courtesy Sam Deady Photography)
SWANSEA – About 160 Swansea students of all age groups combined their performing arts and technical skills to produce The Case High Theatre Company’s highest-rated musical program to date, earning 36 award nominations from the Ocean State Star Awards for the drama group’s recent showing of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
The production ran for six showings from Thursday to Sunday, Dec. 11-14.
The 160 students involved in the production were composed primarily of high schoolers, but the show also incorporated a group of younger students from all six of Swansea’s public schools.
The Case High Theatre Company production was submitted to the 4th annual Ocean State Awards, held by the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) as part of its Education and Outreach programming. Expert adjudicators from the performance arts industry reviewed more than 20 shows as part of its 2025-26 award season, attending the productions and providing detailed feedback on all aspects of the performance, including set design, costume design, direction, music direction, acting, ensemble work and dance.
The Swansea performers were praised by Ocean State Awards judges for working together as a strong, cohesive unit. The Case High Theatre Company’s 36 award nominations were for categories including Best Musical, Outstanding Orchestra, Outstanding Technical Achievement and Outstanding Lead Performer, with three students put forward for that honor.
This highly rated production of “Joseph” comes as the Case High Theatre Company marks its 50th anniversary. The selection of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is significant because Joseph Case High School became the first school in the country to receive the rights to perform the musical in 1983. To celebrate, members of the 1983, 1989, and 2018 productions of “Joseph” returned to the high school for the theater company’s Dec. 13 performance.
This is Joseph Case High School’s third year partnering with the Ocean State Star Awards and its seventh adjudicated musical as part of the PPAC program since 2023. All seven of the Case High Theatre Company productions were nominated for Best Musical, with “Seussical” winning the award in 2024 and “Godspell” winning in 2025. Case High Theatre Company productions from earlier this year, including “Mamma Mia” and “The Last Five Years” were also nominated for Best Musical as part of this the 2025-26 award season.
Additionally, the Ocean State Star Awards serves as a springboard to the Jimmy Awards, officially the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, held annually in New York City. The Jimmy Awards is the premier national musical theatre competition for high school students.
Each year, one male and one female student are selected through the Ocean State Star Awards to perform on a Broadway stage and participate in the Jimmy Awards in New York. Of the approximately 100 students chosen nationwide each year, Joseph Case High School has had two students selected as alternates in the past two years, nearly earning the opportunity to attend and make their Broadway debut.
“This is an extraordinary honor,” said Neil Jeronimo, Director of Theatre for Swansea Public Schools. “To receive this level of recognition reflects the dedication, discipline and collaboration shown by our students across all aspects of the production. The Ocean State Star Awards provide meaningful professional feedback, and our students took that guidance seriously. They worked as a unified company, and it shows in the results. I am incredibly proud of their commitment to excellence and to one another.”
Dana Brazil, PPAC’s Director of Education and Outreach, commended the Case Theater Program for exposing the students not only the fundamentals of musical theater, but also many other amazing skills that will help make them 21st century artists and learners.
“The Case Theatre program is one of the most professional high school theatre programs that we work with. Their students are always on time, courteous, grateful, and professional,” said Brazil. “The students are designing sets, lights and sound. They are marketing the show and creating artwork for the show poster. … What stood out to me about its production of ‘Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat’ was the level of talent, energy and synergy that came together on the stage. Additionally, in this production I could see that the students had taken note of all their past written feedback from other productions and had done the work to improve on things that adjudicators had pointed out as areas for growth.”
Superintendent Scott Holcomb and Principal Christopher Costa both praised the students and staff who contributed to the production, noting the importance of the performing arts as part of the well-rounded educational experience offered by Swansea Public Schools.
“Theater productions like this require an enormous amount of teamwork, time and perseverance,” said Principal Costa. “Our students rose to the challenge and supported one another throughout the entire process. This speaks not only to their natural talents, but to their work ethic and pride in their school. It was especially nice to see the special touch in this particular production as our theatre company celebrate its 50th anniversary.”
“The recognition our students received from the Ocean State Awards and all the nominations that were announced recently highlights the strength of our performing arts programs and the engaging opportunities we strive to provide for students in Swansea,” said Superintendent Holcomb. “Experiences like these help students develop confidence, creativity and collaboration skills that extend far beyond the stage. We are proud of the Case High Theatre Company and grateful to all the educators who have played a part in this.”
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The Case High Theatre Company’s December 2025 production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” earned 36 award nominations from the Ocean State Star Awards. (Photo Courtesy Sam Deady Photography)
Student performers took the stage during one of six performances of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” presented by the Case High Theatre Company in December. (Photo Courtesy Sam Deady Photography)
Students from across Swansea Public Schools performed in the Case High Theatre Company’s recent production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” (Photo Courtesy Sam Deady Photography)
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