Lancaster Mennonite High School's THE TEMPEST Nabs Fulton's 2015 Beth Bash Award

On Thursday, June 25, Fulton Theatre named Lancaster Mennonite High School as the 2015 Beth Bash Award recipient for their production of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest." Play director Danielle Hofstetter will accept the award plaque prior to the evening performance of "The Wizard of Oz". The student actors and crew were awarded complimentary tickets to the performance, and will be recognized and hailed with praise.

Since 1986, Fulton Theatre has recognized outstanding achievement of regional high school students in their musical and play productions. Fulton Theatre celebrates live theatre in Lancaster and surrounding counties, and nurtures and promotes outstanding theatrical achievement in our local schools. The Beth Bash Award honors the performances of the youth both onstage and offstage. A panel of judges composed of Fulton Theatre artists and educators select one winner each school season. Judges score student work on projection and articulation; characterization; understanding text and purpose; ensemble, communication and focus; and, professionalism.

Previous Beth Bash Award winners include Lancaster Catholic High School, J.P. McCaskey High School and Warwick High School, Trinity High School, and Schuylkill Valley High School, as well as individual recipients. A past winner is Jonathan Groff, Tony-nominated star of Broadway's Spring Awakening, who both directed and performed at the Festival for several years, and went on to act in Fulton productions before embarking on his New York career. Brian Martin, a local Fulton Theatre favorite, received the honor in 1992. This year Lancaster Mennonite High School captured the spirit of Beth Bash, the award's namesake, who as a young person tread these Fulton boards and demonstrated theatrical proficiency in her formative years.

Visit thefulton.org to learn about how your high school theatre program can participate in the 2015-16 High School Theatre Festival!

The Fulton first opened its doors in 1852. More than 160 years later, this National Historic Landmark Theatre continues to entertain, educate and delight audiences, bringing live theatre, music, and more than 120,000 patrons into downtown Lancaster annually. Since its inception, some of the brightest stars of theatre, music and film have appeared on its stage, including Sarah Bernhardt, Mark Twain, Lionel Barrymore, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, W.C. Fields, George M. Cohan, Treat Williams and Lancaster's own Jonathan Groff.

Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Marc Robin and Managing Director Aaron A. Young, the Fulton Theatre produces a mix of comedies, dramas and musicals, employing the talents of professional directors, designers, playwrights and actors from the local community, New York and across the country. The Fulton also offers acting classes for children, teens and adults as well as numerous outreach programs for youth across the region.