8th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards Are Announced!

By: Mar. 31, 2016
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ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education outreach arm of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, today announced the nominees for the 8th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards in a live streaming broadcast on GPB.org. Tony Award-winner and Marietta-native Shuler Hensley joined GPB Sports Anchor Jackie Brittan to announce the nominations. 28 public and private schools from throughout the state were nominated in 17 categories. The awards, which showcase the next generation of Georgia's musical theatre talent, will be presented at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on April 21. GPB will air the show live on its nine-station statewide television network.

The Shuler Awards, fashioned after Broadway's Tony Awards, annually celebrate excellence in high school musical theatre. A team of more than 60 Atlanta-based arts professionals evaluated the productions of 59 participating high schools. Awards will be presented in the following categories: Overall Production, Ensemble, Show Stopper, Leading Actress and Actor, Supporting Actress and Actor, Featured Performer, Direction, Sound, Costume Design, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Technical Execution, Orchestra, Music Direction and Choreography. The winners of the Leading Actress and Leading Actor categories will travel to New York City in June to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Jimmy AwardsTM, held at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.

The Shuler Awards will feature performances by the six schools nominated for overall production, the Show Stopper winner, and the leading actor and actress nominees. The 92 member Shuler Student Ensemble will join Shuler Hensley in the opening and finale numbers. Students will walk the Red Carpet beginning at 6:00 p.m. and curtain is at 7:30. As part of a new partnership between ArtsBridge, GPB, and Georgia State University, the show will be broadcast live on nine GPB stations from 7:30-9:00 p.m.

"GPB is very excited to partner with ArtsBridge Foundation and GSU to present the live broadcast of The Shuler Awards," said GPB President and CEO Teya Ryan. "GPB is dedicated to the advancement of students across the state through our many education initiatives, which include the live broadcasts of high school football games each year, teacher trainings and the development of digital education resources like the Georgia Studies Digital Textbook. This is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight the talented youth of Georgia and encourage their future aspirations."

The Shuler Awards are a program of, and are produced by, ArtsBridge Foundation. ArtsBridge provides quality performing arts education programs designed to engage and motivate the next generation of artists and art supporters. The accounting firm Bennett Thrasher tabulated the results for the 2016 Shuler Awards.

Tickets range from $25-27 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster.com, any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-653-8000, or purchased in-person at the Bank of North Georgia Box Office at the Cobb Energy Centre on Monday throughFriday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The box office is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA.

The Shuler Awards will be broadcast live on: Atlanta (WGTV - Channel 8); Augusta (WCES - Channel 20); Chatsworth (WNGH - Channel 18); Columbus (WACS - Channel 25); Macon (WMUM - Channel 29); Pelham (WABW - Channel 14); Savannah (WVAN - Channel 9); Warm Springs (WJSP - Channel 28) and Waycross (WXGA - Channel 8).

Nominees and honorable mentions by category:

Direction

Nominees

Kimberly Staples - Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Julie Leggett - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Debbie Prost - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Renee Denney - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Kirk Grizzle - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Eric Gray - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Cece Conrath - Lakeview Academy's Catch Me If You Can

Jacob Garcia - Marietta High School's Hairspray

Eric Bragg - Providence Christian Academy's The Little Mermaid

Pete Talton - White County High School's Dogfight

Music Direction

Nominees

Darlene Wright - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Rhonda Fossum - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Patricia Jacobson - Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Drew Bowers - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Eric Gray - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Richard Prouty - Whitewater High School's In The Heights

Honorable Mentions

Lisa Belk - Forsyth Central High School's Crazy for You

Terrance Green - Heritage High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Jenny Piacente - King's Ridge Christian School's The Sound of Music

Susan Griffin - Walton High School's Kiss Me Kate

Orchestra

Nominees

Rhonda Fossum - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Michael Huebner - Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Chris Shumick - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Paul Scott - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Todd Motter - The Walker School's The Addams Family

Wesley Brooks - Woodland High School's Catch Me If You Can

Honorable Mentions

Elizabeth Benz - Cambridge High School's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Sarah Tinsley - Dawson County High School's A Year with Frog and Toad

John Kelley - Sandy Creek High School's Dreamgirls

Derrick Jackson - Stilwell School of the Arts'Ragtime

Choreography

Nominees

Ashley Johnson - Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Heather Bragg - Heritage High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Allison Polaski - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Lynn Brague & Laurel Henson - Mount Paran Christian School's Crazy for You

Brieanna Bailey - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Stephanie Simmons - Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

Honorable Mentions

Aja Bignon, Emma Dean & Karishma Parbhoo - Douglas County High School's Oklahoma!

Coy Dunn - Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Carly Ann Berg - Lambert High School's Thoroughly Modern Millie

Pete Talton - White County High School's Dogfight

Ensemble

Nominees

Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Forsyth Central High School's Crazy for You

Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Riverwood International Charter School's The Addams Family

Walton High School's Kiss Me Kate

Technical Execution

Nominees

Madisyn Mniszewski - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Haley Mahoney-Werner - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Clara Hammel - Providence Christian Academy's The Little Mermaid

Sean Lakey - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Olivia Morris - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Savannah Shooter - Whitewater High School's In The Heights

Honorable Mentions

Jack Stoffel - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Emily Taylor - Lakeview Academy's Catch Me If You Can

Melesa Bennet-Wilson - Marietta High School's Hairspray

Chad Simmons - Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

Lighting Design

Nominees

Julie Leggett - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Sim Jones - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Logan Lilla - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Kirk Grizzle - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Steven Broyles - Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

Thomas Cheeseman - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Madison Boyd - Alpharetta High School's Legally Blonde, the Musical

Barbara Uterhardt - Atlanta Girls' School's Peter Pan

Whit Whitall - King's Ridge Christian School's The Sound of Music

Addison Walden - North Forsyth High School's Frankenstein, a New Musical

Sound

Nominees

Barbara Uterhardt - Atlanta Girls' School's Peter Pan

Darlene Wright - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Tara Mitra - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Jack Liddle & Sam Shelton - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Bill Schreiner - The Walker School's The Addams Family

Keith Denmon - Whitefield Academy's Thoroughly Modern Millie

Honorable Mentions

John Matthews - Cambridge High School's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Mikhail Lovell & Army Castillo - Lakeview Academy's Catch Me If You Can

MyKala Johnson - McIntosh High School's Monty Python's Spamalot

Alex Skelton & Chris Arias - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Scenic Design

Nominees

Julie Leggett - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Sim Jones - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Eric Bragg - Providence Christian Academy's The Little Mermaid

Trevor Nichols & Sarah Barr - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Kirk Grizzle - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Steven Broyles - Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

Honorable Mentions

Dakota Whitlock & Andrew Snider - Dawson County High School's A Year with Frog and Toad

Stephen Hansen - Greenbrier High School's The Little Women

Debbie Prost - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Eric Gray - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Costumes

Nominees

Kimberly Staples - Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Julie Leggett - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Jenn Fitzpatrick - Mount Paran Christian School's Crazy for You

Emily Olson - Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School's Children of Eden

Alexandria Patterson - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Katie Ott, Maggie Wright & Regena Simpson - The Walker School's The Addams Family

Honorable Mentions

Andrew Snider - Dawson County High School's A Year with Frog and Toad

Mary Hayes Ernst - North Forsyth High School's Frankenstein, a New Musical

Lucy Howard - Riverwood International Charter School's The Addams Family

Michelle Baumann - Walton High School's Kiss Me Kate

Best Performance By A Leading Actress

Nominees

Emily Simes - Chattahoochee High School's Hairspray

Ella Welch - King's Ridge Christian School's The Sound of Music

Shelbea Owen - Marietta High School's Hairspray

Owen Smith - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Christen Owen - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Peyton Smith - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Lauren Hill - Flowery Branch High School's Grease

Bethany Wood - Greater Atlanta Christian School's Mary Poppins

Alison Roth - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Brie Wolfe - Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Best Performance By A Leading Actor

Nominees

Will Davis - Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Chandler Padgett - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Connor Tarpley - Greater Atlanta Christian School's Mary Poppins

Brennen Blotner - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Brody Grant - North Forsyth High School's Frankenstein, a New Musical

Evan Calatayud - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Logan Harr - Gainesville High School's The Pajama Game

Landon Ebuna - Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Jaucqir LaFond - Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

Zach King - Whitewater High School's In The Heights

Best Performance By A Supporting Actress

Nominees

Parker Jennings - Greater Atlanta Christian School's Mary Poppins

Maggie Christine - Greenbrier High School's Little Women

Mary Caroline Owens - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Ni'na Banks - Stilwell School of the Arts' Ragtime

Delana Reynolds - Trinity Christian School's Mary Poppins

Colette Caspari - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Leila Bowman - Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Abigail Wright - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Alexis Trammell - Providence Christian Academy's The Little Mermaid

Karyn DeVito - South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Best Performance By A Supporting Actor

Nominees

Kade Wright - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Koosha Kermani - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Carson Colenbaugh - Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Hayden Kerzie - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Miguel Corado - Stilwell School of the Arts' Ragtime

Chase Colson - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Hugh Entrekin - Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Dakota Whitlock - Dawson County High School's A Year with Frog and Toad

Calvin Gassmann - Marietta High School's Hairspray

Tyler Ledbetter - Woodland High School's Catch Me If You Can

Best Performance By A Featured Performer

Nominees

Caleb Hayes - Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Ramiro Salinas - Gainesville High School's The Pajama Game

Rachel Finazzo - Greater Atlanta Christian School's Mary Poppins

Lauren Kenner - Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

Allie Stewart - Mount Paran Christian School's Crazy for You

Jeremy Hathcoat - Whitewater High School's In The Heights

Honorable Mentions

Julianna Leopold - Flowery Branch High School's Grease

Erika Davis - Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Bryce Greene - Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

David Evans - West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Overall Production

Nominees

Calhoun High School's Oklahoma!

Johns Creek High School's The Addams Family

Milton High School's Young Frankenstein

South Forsyth High School's Ghost, the Musical

Wesleyan School's Hot Mikado

West Forsyth High School's The Little Mermaid

Honorable Mentions

Buford High School's Jekyll and Hyde

Greenbrier High School's The Little Women

Kennesaw Mountain High School's Little Shop of Horrors

Lakeview Academy's Catch Me If You Can

Show Stopper

Note: Winner is announced during the nominations

Nominees

Buford High School - 2016 Shuler Award Recipient - Jekyll and Hyde, Murder Murder

Greater Atlanta Christian School, Mary Poppins, Step in Time

Heritage High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Prologue

Lakeview Academy, Catch Me If You Can, Don't Break the Rules

Mount Paran Christian School, Crazy for You, I Got Rhythm

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Children of Eden, Ain't It Good?

Trinity Christian School, Mary Poppins, Step in Time

The 2016 Shuler Awards are made possible by the following generous sponsors: platinum sponsors - The Georgia Lottery; gold sponsors - Georgia Public Broadcasting, Bennett Thrasher, Georgia State University TV and the Bobbie Bailey Foundation; silver sponsors - Delta Community Credit Union, Staging Directions, Norcostco and Magnum Companies as well as many others. To learn more about the Shuler Hensley Awards, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/GHSMTA/ and visit artsbridgega.org/programs/shuler-awards/ or call (770) 916.2800. To learn more about ArtsBridge, visit http://artsbridgega.org/.

About ArtsBridge Foundation

ArtsBridge Foundation is dedicated to providing quality arts education and community engagement programs that engage, motivate, inspire, and elevate the next generation of artists and arts supporters. ArtsBridge forms connections with students in grades K-12 by providing arts education opportunities through field trip programs to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, master class workshops, artists-in-schools, and the annual Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - The Shuler Hensley Awards. Since our inception in 2007, ArtsBridge has served more than 300,000 students and educators from 49 Georgia counties, plus students from Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina. To learn more, visit artsbridgega.org and follow us on Twitter at @ArtsbridgeGA and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArtsBridgeGa.

About GPB

As one of the largest PBS stations in the nation, Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB Media), has been creating content worth sharing for over 50 years. With nine television stations, 18 radio stations and a multi-faceted web presence, GPB strives to educate, entertain and enrich the lives of our viewers and listeners with programming that includes statewide radio news, current affairs, high school sports, educational resources for teachers and students and enlightening programs about our state like Georgia Outdoors, Georgia Traveler and When Georgia Howled: Sherman on the March.

About GSUTV

GSUTV is a partnership between Georgia State University and Georgia Public Broadcasting, the second largest PBS station in the country, with the digital sub channel focusing on arts and culture. The majority of the channel's programming is developed and produced by GSU students under the mentorship and direct supervision of industry professionals and professors of practice from the GSU Department of Communication. The channel's programming is broadcast to the residents of Georgia over the air on The Knowledge Channel (channel 8.3) as well as on Comcast (channel 246). As a fully credited curriculum course the GSUTV "film & journalism practicum is committed to providing the student producer with the type of professional mentoring that will allow them to find careers in the fields of digital journalism and broadcast production. To learn more, visit www.gsutv.com and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gsutv2015, Twitter @therealgsutv and Instagram at www.instagram.com/gsutv.



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