Elenaor Bettencourt (Left) and Pilar Gonzales (Right) are up for best actress in a high school play for their performances in Benicia High School’s production of “She Kills Monsters.” (File photo)

The Performing Arts Network (PAN-Arts) announced its nominees for the 34th annual Arty Awards, which honor theatrical productions at all levels in the counties of Solano, Napa and– for the first time this year– Yolo, this morning. Once again, Benicia High School and Benicia Old Town Theatre Group are well-represented among the nominees.

Benicia High School’s fall play, the fantasy/comedy/drama “She Kills Monsters,” racked up a total of  13 nominations, including outstanding high school production. Drama instructor Nathan Day received nods for directing, sound design and set design. Additionally, Brandon Nelson and Meghan Guertin received nods for lighting design, and Linda Wichelman received a nomination for costume design. In the acting categories, Eleanor Bettencourt and Pilar Gonzales are up for best lead actress, Kevin McLarty and Garrett Mingardi are in the running for best lead actor, Tate Reeves received a nod for best supporting actor, and Guertin and Skylear Clouse are competing for best supporting actress.

Benicia High’s spring musical, “Legally Blonde,” also picked up 13 nominations, including outstanding musical production. Once again, Day received nominations for directing, set design, lighting design and sound design. Vivian McLaughlin received a nod for musical direction, and Kevin Gruwell is in the running for choreography. Additonally, Kirsten Lambinicio is up for best lead actress, Skyler Hebron is vying for best lead actor, McLarty is up for best supporting actor and Gabriella Tenret and Kyianna Collins are in the running for best supporting actress.

BOTTG also received five nominations for its production of  the comedy “Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her” last fall: Jeff Sloan for sound design, Ken Hein for lighting design, Brian Hough for set design, Edward Nattenberg for directing and the play itself for outstanding adult comedy production.

The nominees also featured other individuals with Benicia connections. Benicia High graduate Gonzales received another nomination for outstanding youth performance in an adult musical production for her performance in Bay Area Stage’s “Once Upon a Mattress.” Benicia High graduate and current Armijo High School teacher Sheena Beeson received nods for directing, lighting and set design nods, the latter of which she shared with Derek Clawson, for her school’s production of “The Murder Mystery.” Finally, former Benicia High drama teacher Christine Mani received a directing nod for Solano College Theatre’s production of “Nice Work if You Can Get it.”

The Artys will be held at 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7 at Fairfield’s Downtown Theatre, located at 1035 Texas St. An optional gala will be held at 4 p.m. Tickets are $30 for general admission plus a $4 facility fee per ticket. Tickets can be purchased at downtowntheatre.com. For more information, including a full list of nominees, go to pan-arts.org/the-arty-awards.

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