The Salisbury High School Theatre Department was feeling the excitement May 26 during the 14th annual live 2016 Freddy Award ceremony from the State Theatre Center for the Arts, Easton, broadcast on WFMZ Channel 69 and wfmz.com.

The school garnered three nominations this year for their production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” held March 3 to 6 at the high school.

Nominated for outstanding small ensemble performance were Carolyn Boulay, Abigail Garrigan and Dane Galbraith for performing “The I Love You Song,” Abigail Garigan for outstanding featured performance by an actress and Dane Galbraith as William Barfee for outstanding performance by an actor in a supporting role.

Boulay, Garrigan and Galbraith took the Freddy for the ensemble performance and Galbraith took the Freddy for the actor in a supporting role performance. Galbraith also won a $20,000 scholarship to DeSales University.

This is not the first Freddy win for Salisbury High School.

SHS won the outstanding stage crew award, given in honor of Capt. Christopher Seifert, in 2004.

In 2013, Alan Mendez won two scholarships– one from Muhlenberg College and the Arts Community of Easton Performing Arts Scholarship.

Director Will Erwin and Music Director/Conductor Nina Elias were with the students at the 2016 Freddy Award ceremony.

When the presenters announced Boulay, Garrigan and Galbraith as winners of the ensemble performance, Erwin said, “We had a delayed reaction. Then we just stood up and started hugging and screaming.

“Nina and I always tell the kids we don’t do this for the awards, we do this for art, love and the community. That said, we were so ecstatic, proud, honored and overwhelmed at the realization that something the students worked so hard on and put so much love into was recognized by the Freddy committee and the theater community,” Erwin said.

Erwin said members of the Salisbury community, administrators, teachers and friends were sending him messages of congratulations which he was able to read during commercial breaks.

“Many of the messages said, ‘It’s about time’ and that is remarkable,” Erwin said. He has also been congratulated by other school theater directors.

Erwin said it was also great to see the reaction from students who attend different schools. “I love that students have built friendships and bonds with students from other schools which was evident during the production rehearsals.”

“It was cool,” Garrigan said. “After the show, students I just met from other schools were congratulating me. It’s nice other students supported us.

“It was a very exciting night,” Garrigan said. “I was nervous but I knew even if we didn’t win, the number we were nominated for meant so much to us. I am very happy we won the award together. Nothing will ever change that moment.”

Galbraith said they were not expecting to win.

“When they announced our names, we jumped up and starting hugging and screaming. I thought, ‘Our hard work paid off.’

“It’s the best show I’ve ever done,” Galbraith said. It’s a good way to end the show,” Galbraith said.

“It was amazing to be recognized at the Freddy Awards and to hear our names called,” Boulay said. “We have thought about winning Freddy Awards for as long as we can remember.”

“We poured everything into this show,” Boulay said.

“Winning this award allows us to leave our legacy to the school.”