2017 Nominees Announced for Shuler Hensley Awards

Today ArtsBridge announced the nominees for the 9th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards - in a live streaming broadcast on GPB.org. 35 public and private schools from throughout the state were nominated in 17 categories. The awards show is the culmination of a year-long professional development program, and will showcase the next generation of Georgia's musical theatre talent. Presented by the Georgia Lottery, the awards show will air on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) over its nine-station statewide television network live from Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on April 20, 2017 from 7-9 pm.

To determine the list nominees, a team of more than 60 Georgia-based arts professionals evaluated the productions of 75 participating high schools. Awards will be presented in the following 17 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 Shuler Awards, fashioned after Broadway's Tony Awards, celebrate excellence in high school musical theatre. The 120 member Shuler Student Ensemble will join Shuler Hensley in the opening and finale numbers at the awards show. Performances by the six schools nominated for Overall Production, the Show Stopper winner, and the Leading Actor and Actress nominees will also be featured during the show. 46 theatre production students, known as the S.T.A.R. Council, will serve as production assistants to the professionals working behind-the-scenes on the show.

"GPB is very excited to once again present the live broadcast of The Shuler Hensley Awards," said GPB President and CEO Teya Ryan. "Partnering on this initiative with the Artsbridge Foundation and GSU is another example of GPB's commitment to facilitating opportunities for students across the state and highlighting their success. As with our teacher trainings and development of digital education projects like the 'Georgia Race Through Time' game, the Georgia Studies Digital Textbook and our series 'Chemistry Matters' we believe this project encourages student achievement."

The accounting firm Bennett Thrasher tabulated the results for the 2017 Shuler Hensley Awards Nominees.

Here is the list of Nominees by category:

DIRECTION

Nominees:

Julie Leggett, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Dr. Kim Watters, Mike Earnest, & Richard Bristow, Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Debbie Prost, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Melissa Casavant, King's Ridge Christian School, Guys and Dolls

Cece Conrath, Lakeview Academy, Big Fish

Eric Gray, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Honorable Mentions:

Pam Ware, Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Carly Ann Berg, Lambert High School, James and the Giant Peach

Cassandra Scott, Northgate High School, Nunsense

Katie Arjona, The Walker School, Bells Are Ringing

MUSIC DIRECTION

Nominees:

Dr. Kim Watters, Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Terrance Green, Heritage High School, Les Misérables

Shannan O'Dowd, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Drew Bowers, Milton High School, 9 to 5

Susan Griffin, Walton High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Eric Gray, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Honorable Mentions:

Elise Eskew Sparks, Decatur High School, Beauty and the Beast

Jenny Piacente, King's Ridge Christian School, Guys and Dolls

John-Alan Gourdine, Lowndes High School, South Pacific

LaMurl Morris, Prince Avenue Christian School, Into the Woods

Daniel Holder, South Forsyth High School, Leap of Faith

ORCHESTRA

Nominees:

Catherine Willingham, Chamblee Charter High School, The Pajama Game

Brennan Blotner, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Michael Huebner, Kennesaw Mountain High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Chris Shumick, Milton High School, 9 to 5

Matthew Baggarly, Stilwell School of the Arts, The Who's Tommy

Todd Motter, The Walker School, Bells Are Ringing

Honorable Mentions:

Joseph Taylor, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Elise Eskew Sparks, Decatur High School, Beauty and the Beast

Daniel MacNamara, Lakeside High School, Hairspray

Carlos Rodriguez, Riverwood International Charter School, School of Rock

Michael Nestor, Savannah Arts Academy for Visual & Performing Arts, The Drowsy Chaperone

CHOREOGRAPHY

Nominees:

Alyssa Berhend, Molly White, & Grace Canas, Greenbrier High School, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Carly Ann Berg, Lambert High School, James and the Giant Peach

Lynne Brague, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Denise Kent & James Landreau, North Springs Charter School, Sister Act

Anna Bragg, Providence Christian Academy, Mary Poppins

Emily Bodony, Veterans High School, The Addams Family

Honorable Mentions:

Amy Rawlins, Decatur High School, Beauty and the Beast

Emily Budd, Landmark Christian School, Legally Blonde

Morgan Miller, Sammy Morrison, Lily Robles, Izzi Robles & Ashley Stephens, Northgate High School, Nunsense

Avery McGee, Savannah Arts Academy for Visual & Performing Arts, The Drowsy Chaperone

ENSEMBLE

Nominees:

Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Heritage High School, Les Misérables

Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Honorable Mentions:

Allatoona High School, Legally Blonde

Lambert High School, James and the Giant Peach

Landmark Christian School, Legally Blonde

Riverwood International Charter School, School of Rock

West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

TECHNICAL EXECUTION

Nominees:

Linsy Gomez, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Emily Stark, The Lovett School, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Abby Yake, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Tyler Crow & Jake Pitts, Walton High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Maguire Wilder, Wesleyan School, Kiss Me Kate

Rhonda Butler, Whitewater High School, Sister Act

Honorable Mentions:

Connor Albright & Sydney Leffler, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Alden Kennedy, Lambert High School, James and the Giant Peach

Haley McCurry, Northgate High School, Nunsense

Sarah Bell, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Sophie Golden, Woodland High School, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

LIGHTING DESIGN

Nominees:

Kimberly Staples, Buford High School, Parade

Julie Leggett, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Lydia Butler, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Welsley Forlines, The Lovett School, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Catherine Pyle, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Leah Lindvall, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Honorable Mentions:

Sara Cook, Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Fenna Henderson, Heritage High School, Les Misérables

Matthew Hendrix, North Cobb Christian School, Seussical

Preston Evans & William Thomas, Whitefield Academy, Into the Woods

SOUND

Nominees:

David Gay & Ben Spells, Dunwoody High School, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Dr. Kim Watters, Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Kellen Blotner, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

BrIan Patterson, The Lovett School, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Jered Schuerman, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Robby Tohar, Pope High School, The Drowsy Chaperone

Honorable Mentions:

Kyle Duvall, Pace Academy, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Peyton Duncan & Hayes Zierden, The Walker School, Bells Are Ringing

Kenneth Grant, Woodland High School, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

SCENIC DESIGN

Nominees:

Julie Leggett, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Richard Bristow & Mike Earnest, Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Debbie Prost & Marty Jelleme, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Cece Conrath, Lakeview Academy, Big Fish

Sim Jones, Milton High School, 9 to 5

David Morgan, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Honorable Mentions:

Chris Davis, Decatur High School, Beauty and the Beast

Stephen Hansen, Greenbrier High School, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Lucy Biemiller, Savannah Christian Preparatory School, Cinderella

The Drafting & Drawing Class, Wheeler High School, Disney's High School Musical

COSTUMES

Nominees:

Debbie Prost, Laura Ross, Lee Kidney & Rosemary Albright, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Cece Conrath & Debbie Hendrix, Lakeview Academy, Big Fish

Jenn Fitzpatrick, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Anna Bragg, Providence Christian School, Mary Poppins

Donna Stembridge, Savannah Christian Preparatory School, Cinderella

Laura Pavelec, Wesleyan School, Kiss Me Kate

Honorable Mentions:

Louisa Gille, Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Beth Loveland & Jack Zhou, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, The Wizard of Oz

LuCy Howard, Riverwood International Charter School, School of Rock

Michelle Baumann, Walton High School, Little Shop of Horrors

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS

Nominees:

Parker Jennings as Dorothy Brock, Greater Atlanta Christian School, 42nd Street

Elizabeth Dutch as Percy Talbott, Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Alison Roth as Ella, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Leah Merritt as Belle, Mill Creek High School, Beauty and the Beast

Natalee Castro as Belle, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Cailyn Rushin as Wednesday Addams, Veterans High School, The Addams Family

Honorable Mentions:

Kylie Knox as Fiona, Glynn Academy, Shrek the Musical

Ella Welch as Sarah Brown, King's Ridge Christian School, Guys and Dolls

Owen Claire Smith as Judy, Milton High School, 9 to 5

Kodi McDearmont as Narrator, North Forsyth High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Jessie Kuehne as Dorothy, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, The Wizard of Oz

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR

Nominees:

Ramone Nelson as Jean Valjean, Heritage High School, Les Misérables

Jackson Pratt as Edward Bloom, Lakeview Academy, Big Fish

Brody Grant as Joseph, North Forsyth High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Geoffrey Finn Repella as Robert Martin, Savannah Arts Academy of Visual & Performing Arts, The Drowsy Chaperone

JD Flynn as Seymour, Walton High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Evan Calatayud as Charlie Chaplin, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Honorable Mentions:

Scott Johnson as Beast, Decatur High School, Beauty and the Beast

Jackson Miller as Jasper/Clive Paget, Mountain View High School, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Austin Geter as Horton the Elephant, North Cobb Christian School, Seussical

Thompson Sewell as Jack, Prince Avenue Christian School, Into the Woods

Greg Lloyd as Jeffery Moss, The Walker School, Bells Are Ringing

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Nominees:

Jazmine Ellison as Miss Sherman, Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Emma Grace Crumbley as Madame, Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

Lucy Martin as Miss Adelaide, King's Ridge Christian School, Guys and Dolls

Mary Grace Bridges as Paulette Buonofuonte, Landmark Christian School, Legally Blonde the Musical

Lexi Mellott as Lois Lane/Bianca, Wesleyan School, Kiss Me Kate

Colette Caspari as Hannah Chaplin, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Honorable Mentions:

Emma Svitil as Mother Superior, Alpharetta High School, Sister Act

Sarah Green as Salome, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Kate Berg as Penny Pingleton, Lakeside High School, Hairspray

Emilie David as Little Red, Prince Avenue Christian School, Into the Woods

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nominees:

Anderson McKiernan as Gaston, Decatur High School, Beauty and the Beast

Ramiro Salinas as Joe, Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Christian King as Rueben, Kennesaw Mountain High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Matthew Schwartz as Man in Chair, Pope High School, The Drowsy Chaperone

Alex Harding as Cinderella's Prince, Prince Avenue Christian School, Into The Woods

Chase Colson as Sydney Chaplin, West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

Honorable Mentions:

Adam Leyburn as Hines, Chamblee Charter High School, The Pajama Game

Luke Brown as Donkey, Glynn Academy, Shrek the Musical

Tomas De La Rosa as Nathan Detroit, King's Ridge Christian School, Guys and Dolls

Bryce Mixon as Lt. Joe Cable, Lowndes High School, South Pacific

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED PERFORMER

Nominees:

Kayla Wren as Muzzy Van Hossmere, Greenbrier High School, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Mekhi Hamm as Marius, Heritage High School, Les Misérables

Jerrod Abee as Karl the Giant, Lakeview Academy, Big Fish

Laura Sidwell as Roz Keith, Milton High School, 9 to 5

Emma Perry as Madame de la Grande Bouche, Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Jelani Winston as Audrey II, Walton High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Honorable Mentions:

Bryson Parker as Goat, Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Joe Sear as Erronius, The Lovett School, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Gabe Gonzales as Aldolpho, Pope High School, The Drowsy Chaperone

Alexis Trammell as Miss Andrew, Providence Christian Academy, Mary Poppins

OVERALL PRODUCTION

Nominees:

Calhoun High School, The Robber Bridegroom

Gordon Central High School, The Spitfire Grill

Heritage High School, Les Misérables

Johns Creek High School, Cinderella

King's Ridge Christian School, Guys and Dolls

Lakeview Academy, Big Fish

Honorable Mentions:

Gainesville High School, Fame the Musical

Lambert High School, James and the Giant Peach

Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Walton High School, Little Shop of Horrors

West Forsyth High School, Chaplin the Musical

SHOWSTOPPER

Recipient:

Milton High School, 9 to 5

Nominees:

Milton High School, 9 to 5

Mount Paran Christian School, Beauty and the Beast

Northgate High School, Nunsense

Providence Christian Academy, Mary Poppins

The Walker School, Bells Are Ringing

Wesleyan School, Kiss Me Kate

SCHOLARSHIPS

Broadway Dreams Foundation Summer Intensive Scholarship

Dean McKenzie, Lambert High School

Owen Smith, Milton High School

ALLIANCE THEATRE Summer Intensive Scholarship

Abigail Wright, Calhoun High School

Hayden Kerzie, Milton High School

The Performers Warehouse Summer Intensive Scholarship

Arianna Hardaway, Heritage High School

Morrell Memorial Music Education Scholarship

Mary Christine, Greenbrier High School

James Carlos Family Musical Theatre Performance Scholarship

Brody Grant, North Forsyth High School

The complete list of Nominations, and Honorable Mentions, can also be found here: http://artsbridgega.org/programs/shuler-awards/.

The 2017 Shuler Hensley Awards are made possible by the following generous sponsors: presenting sponsor - The Georgia Lottery; gold sponsors - Georgia Public Broadcasting, Bennett Thrasher, Georgia State University TV; silver sponsors - Delta Community Credit Union, Zeist Foundation, Molly Blank Foundation; bronze sponsors - Six Flags Over Georgia.

ArtsBridge Foundation is dedicated to providing quality arts education and community programs that engage, motivate, inspire, and elevate the next generation of artists and arts supporters. ArtsBridge provides arts education opportunities to students in grades K-12 through programs at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre including Field Trips, Master Classes, a Family Series, and the annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - The Shuler Hensley Awards. Since inception in 2007, ArtsBridge has served more than 300,000 students and educators from 54 Georgia counties. ArtsBridge Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. To learn more about their programs visit artsbridgega.org.

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GSUTV is a partnership between Georgia State University and Georgia Public Broadcasting, 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 supervision of industry professionals and professors of practice from the GSU Department of Communication. The channel's programming is broadcast in Georgia 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.