Will Davis and Shelbea Owen Represent ArtsBridge Foundation at the Jimmy Awards

Buford High School graduate Will Davis and Marietta High School rising senior Shelbea Owen represented ArtsBridge Foundation last night in the 8th Annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA)/ JimmyTM Awards competition in New York City. The pair, who won the 2016 Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards for leading actor and actress, performed on Broadway's Minskoff Theatre stage for a panel of judges made up of Broadway's finest actors, casting agents, and directors.

"It was such an honor to travel to New York this week and to work with some of Broadway's top professionals at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards," said Shelbea Owen, a rising senior at Marietta High School who won the Shuler Award for leading actress for her role as Tracy Turnblad in Marietta High School's production of Hairspray. "This opportunity means so much to me as I pursue my dreams of being a Broadway performer."

Shelbea and Will were among 62 students representing 31 regional awards programs from across the U.S. These talented young women and men participated in a week long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night only showcase on Broadway where a panel of judges crowned the nation's top performers. Students also received opportunities for scholarships, professional advancement and other prizes.

"Performing on Broadway was an experience I will never forget," said Will Davis, a 2016 Buford High School graduate who won the leading actor Shuler Award for his role as Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde in the school's production ofJekyll & Hyde. "I will carry forward the knowledge I gained this week as I pursue my musical theatre degree at the University of Cincinnati - College-Conservatory of Music this fall."

"This week was filled with educational and inspirational opportunities for Will and Shelbea that will benefit them greatly as they continue to grow as performers," said Natalie Barrow, director of arts education and community outreach, ArtsBridge Foundation. "Additionally, it provided me with an opportunity to network with my peers from across the country and to garner ideas for the Shuler Awards. I am filled with excitement and anticipation as we kick-off the 2017 Shuler Season in August!"

Applications for the 2017 Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards will be accepted starting on August 3rd on a first come, first served basis. The 9th annual Shuler Awards will be presented on April 20, 2017 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Learn more about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards at http://www.nhsmta.com/, the Shuler Hensley Awards at http://artsbridgega.org/programs/shuler-awards/ and ArtsBridge Foundation at 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 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Master Class Workshops, Educational Experiences, Family Performance Series 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 @ArtsbridgeGA, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArtsBridgeGa and on Instagram @artsbridgega.

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