The Henry Mancini Musical Theatre Awards, presented last week at Geneva College, boasted, as usual, a member of the Mancini family. This year, it was Luca Mancini, 21, a grandson of the famed Aliquippa native and himself a budding singer-songwriter, musician and record producer.

"I just flew in from L.A.," Luca Mancini said. "My family sends all their love." That afternoon he had been to visit his grandfather's high school -- Aliquippa -- and he stirred up one of the evening's many huge cheers by sending special greetings to "all you 'Quips out there!"

The young Californian seemed right at home in the school's Metheny Fieldhouse, crammed with high school students, family and friends for the 15th year of the Mancini Awards, which celebrate high school musicals in Beaver, Lawrence and Butler counties. He was willing to goof around a bit with the Pink Panther that his grandfather made famous and at the end of the evening, he announced the three winners of best overall production.

Multiple awards is how they do it at the Mancini Awards, which are more about participation than competition. All 14 schools that entered the competition performed an excerpt from their musical, with students from all schools joining for a medley from the Broadway version of "Aida." The nominations were generous, highlighting six shows or participants in most categories and as many as 17 under "other performances." The result was 90 nominations in 13 categories, with three equal winners in most, plus occasional ties. It totaled 47 awards .

The two schools leading in total awards -- with nine each -- were Big Beaver Falls High School with "Little Women" and Freedom Area High School with "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Joining them to fill out the trio of best overall productions was Center Area High School with "Jesus Christ Superstar."

Center Area had six awards in all, as did Beaver County Christian School with "Beauty and the Beast."

Following with four awards each were Beaver Area High School with "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying" and Shenango High School with "Oklahoma!"

In starting the evening, Geneva College President Kenneth A. Smith noted that "we at Geneva College recognize that music and the arts are a gift from God." As the 14 musical theater excerpts showed, it's a particularly lively, robust and occasionally even secular gift. Some schools used their elaborate costumes, but some performed in T-shirts. The performances suffered nothing from being on a bare stage.

The master of ceremonies was a youthful Ian Rosenberger, a "Survivor" survivor now with a KDKA Web show called "KDKAwesome," described as "less news and more fun." Mr. Rosenberger has hosted the Mancinis before and was doubly at home as an alumnus of one of the participating schools, Quigley Catholic. He brightened a long evening with an easy air and ad libs.

"I love the awkward stage hug," he said at one point, demonstrating two variants.

Presenters included Phil Wimer, who helped start the Mancinis and is clearly pleased to see how they have taken root; Joe Seminara, founder and CEO of Pizza Joe's; singer Vanessa Campagna, an undergraduate at Blackhawk High School; and Ken Gargaro, of Pittsburgh Musical Theatre.

Another singer, B.E. Taylor, an Aliquippa grad, provided humorous remarks and sang "Moon River" a capella.

Robert Copeland, of Geneva's music department, presented the judges: Cindy Cherico, Gene Karmazyn, Jim Neutrelle, Bob Simoni and Lynn Stewart.

A list of all 47 Mancini Award winners and 90 nominations is available at post-gazette.com/theater.