2010 Gene Kelly Awards Nominees Announced, Show Held 5/29

Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh are proud to announce the nominees for the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. The awards show will take place on Saturday, May 29, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Over the past three months, a panel of 30 judges have attended the performances by the following 30 Allegheny County high schools: Avonworth, Baldwin-Whitehall, Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Deer Lakes, Hampton Township, McKeesport, North Catholic, North Hills, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Pittsburgh Allderdice, Pittburgh Brashear, Pittsburgh CAPA, Pittsburgh Perry, Pittsburgh Schenley, Plum, Quaker Valley, Riverview, St. Joseph, Shaler, Springdale, Vincentian Academy, West Mifflin, Winchester Thurston and Woodland Hills.

The judging panel was comprised of performing arts educators, arts administrators, entertainment professionals and performers. On May 7, these judges met for a final discussion and a review of highlights from each high school performance. The scoring was then tabulated by Deloitte Consulting, LLP.

The Nominees for the 2010 Gene Kelly Awards are:

Best Scenic Design

Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Chartiers Valley Seussical

North Hills Beauty and the Beast

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Woodland Hills Annie

Best Costume Design

Central Catholic The Wiz

McKeesport The Wizard of Oz

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Once on This Island

Penn Hills Thoroughly Modern Millie

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown

Best Lighting Design

Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Central Catholic The Wiz

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Once on This Island

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Woodland Hills Annie

Best All-Student Orchestra
Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh CAPA Blood Brothers

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man Charlie Brown

Plum Anything Goes

West Mifflin Annie

Best Supporting Actor
Connor Doran Baldwin-Whitehall Cats "Skimbleshanks"
Mike Trimm Hampton Guys and Dolls "Nathan Detroit"
P.J. McMahon Pine-Richland Children of Eden "Cain"
Jonathan Andrew Plum Anything Goes "Moonface"
Michael O'Brien North Hills Beauty and the Beast "Cogsworth"
Spencer Whale North Hills Beauty and the Beast "Lumiere"

Best Supporting Actress
Chelsea Stewart Avonworth Mame "Gooch"

Courtney Handlovich Baldwin-Whitehall Cats "Jellylorum"

Maddie Georgi Hampton Guys and Dolls "Miss Adelaide"

Shayla Mitrick North Catholic Lucky Stiff "Rita LaPorta"

Katie Colosimo Pine-Richland Children of Eden "Yonah"

Jaslyn Hodge Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, "Sally"

Charlie Brown

Best Ensemble
Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Central Catholic The Wiz

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Once on This Island

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Riverview Bye Bye Birdie

Best Crew/Technical Execution
Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Hampton Guys and Dolls

North Hills Beauty and the Beast

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Woodland Hills Annie

Best Choreography
Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Once on this Island

Penn Hills Thoroughly Modern Millie

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Riverview Bye Bye Birdie

Best Direction
Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

North Catholic Lucky Stiff

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Once on This Island

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Woodland Hills Annie

Best Actor
Patrick Bovo Penn Hills Thoroughly Modern Millie "Jimmy Smith"
Jeff Burgess Pine-Richland Children of Eden "Father"
Johnny Falconi Quaker Valley Seussical "Cat In The Hat"
Alex Field Central Catholic The Wiz "Tin Man"
Connor McRory Chartiers Valley Seussical "Cat In The Hat"
DonoVan Smith Woodland Hills Annie "Oliver Warbucks"

Best Actress
Jamie Bruno Chartiers Valley Seussical "Gertrude"
Kristin Hoover North Hills Beauty and the Beast "Belle"
Carly Otte Penn Hills Thoroughly Modern Millie "Millie Dillmount"
Raychel Shipley Pine-Richland Children of Eden "Eve"
Kyleigh Taylor Our Lady of the Once On This Island "Ti Moune"
Sacred Heart
Andrea Weinzierl Avonworth Mame "Mame"

The nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress will be competing for the opportunity to represent Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards in the second-annual National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City on Monday, June 28. For more information on the National High School Musical Theater Awards, please visit www.nhsmta.com.

Best Musical

Budget Category I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Once on This Island

Pittsburgh CAPA Blood Brothers

Pittsburgh Schenley You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Budget Category II
Central Catholic The Wiz

Chartiers Valley Seussical

Riverview Bye Bye Birdie

Budget Category III
Baldwin-Whitehall Cats

Penn Hills Thoroughly Modern Millie

Pine-Richland Children of Eden

Again this year, Pittsburgh CLO announced the Gene Kelly Scholarship opportunities. The CLO will award cash scholarships to high school seniors who have applied and been accepted to a school for the performing or technical arts. Each of the thirty Gene Kelly schools were allowed to nominate students who have excelled within his/her high school musical theater program for these merit-based scholarships. Each nominee auditioned before a panel of judges on May 7. The CLO Ambassadors will award cash scholarships to high school seniors who have applied and may not necessarily major in the performing or technical arts. College scholarships will also be awarded through the generosity of Point Park University, Seton Hill University and Westminster Choir College. These scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of Donald Arnheim, Paul Block, the CLO Ambassadors and the participating colleges. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on May 29.

The Gene Kelly Awards are co-presented by the University of Pittsburgh with additional support provided by American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, PNC Bank, Virginia S. Nicklas and the CLO Ambassadors. Deloitte Consulting, LLP is the official auditor for the Gene Kelly Awards.

Pittsburgh CLO is also pleased to announce that Gene Kelly's widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, will once again participate in the awards show.

What: The Twentieth Annual Gene Kelly Awards
Where: Benedum Center for the Performing Arts
When: Saturday, May 29, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: Call (412) 456-6666

Since 1946, the Pittsburgh CLO has been the driving force behind live musical theater in Pittsburgh and the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region. Pittsburgh CLO is a not-for-profit arts organization that appreciates the support of over 200,000 patrons each year. Its dedication to the musical theater art form extends beyond the summer season with such programs as the CLO Academy, the CLO Mini Stars, the Gene Kelly Awards, the Construction Center for the Arts and the CLO Cabaret.