Seniors Capture Kellog & Samodi Theatre Awards

Michaela Dopico, Emily Kustera, Alexa Schirripa and Samuel Soric captured this year’s John F. Kellog Theatre Awards and Maggie O’Toole, Sofia Rodriguez, Kyra Scott and Josephine Sullivan garnered the Joseph Samodi Theatre Arts Awards as the Huntington High School drama club capped off another successful campaign.

The eight Huntington stars of the stage were announced as the 2025 recipients by high school drama club faculty advisor Michael Schwendemann at the senior departmental awards and scholarships ceremony.

Each of the five seniors received a $50 stipend. They are all veterans of Huntington High School drama and musical productions and have helped make the club one of Long Island’s finest.

Ms. Dopico is headed to the University of Delaware with Ms. Kustera planning to study at Indiana University-Bloomington. Ms. Schirippa intends to pursue a degree at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with Mr. Soric destined for Boston University.

Ms. O’Toole will be studying at the University of Delaware with Ms. Rodriguez taking a gap year to build her acting career by taking classes and auditioning. Ms. Scott is heading off to Southern Connecticut State University with Ms. Sullivan planning to attend New York University.

Drama Club History

“The Masque,” as Huntington’s drama club was known for many years, was first organized in the fall of 1928. “The original purpose of this organization was to develop individual talent in expression and artistic ability,” according to the 1931 edition of The Huntingtonian, the high school yearbook.

The early club was led by teacher Julia E. Vail, a graduate of Ithaca Conservatory. In addition to the study and practice of acting, Miss Vail held discussions on music, the art of make-up, book reviews and the merits of European and American theatres.

In 1929, months after being formed, the club invited the community to a three act comedy called “The Youngest.” At the time, the club had a policy of presenting a single play a year. In 1930 the production was the fantasy “Prunella.” “Both of these plays were received by the students and the townspeople with acclaim,” states the 1931 yearbook.

The Masque’s symbol was “an Oriental face cut into the semblance of a charm with the letters HHS across the top,” according to The Huntingtonian. Students qualified for the charm by participating in a play production or selling at least a dozen tickets to one.

About five dozen Masque members posed for the 1931 yearbook photograph on the front