2013-2014 Betty Lynn Buckley Awards Will Now Accept Full-Length Play Submissions

Casa Mañana has announced the 2013-2014 Betty Lynn Buckley Awards will accept full-length play submissions, the first National High School Theatre Awards program in the nation to do so.

The inclusion of full-length play submissions has resulted in a record-setting 27 schools participating in the ceremony this year, up from 18 participating schools last year. In addition to the 13 awards for excellence in musical theatre, we will now honor excellence in full-length plays with the Best Play, Best Male Actor in a Play and Best Female Actor in a Play. "To continue and expand on our mission to nurture Live Theatre in Tarrant and surrounding counties, we felt it was important to include and celebrate the theatrical accomplishments of our local schools, whether it is a musical or a full-length play" says Wally Jones, Executive Producer and President of Casa Mañana.

Named after Fort Worth's own Tony Award winning Best Actress, Fort Worth Independent School District and Casa Mañana alumnae Betty Lynn Buckley, this exciting program has stood to promote and celebrate excellence in high school musical theatre since 2000. Participation is open to Denton, Wise, Parker, Hood, Johnson and Tarrant County. The program culminates in a Tony Awards-style ceremony on Thursday, May 22, 2014, at Casa Mañana Theatre.

A panel of distinguished judges - comprised of local theatre professionals and educators - votes for a winner in each of 13 award categories for musicals: Best Musical, Best Male and Female Actor, Best Male and Female Supporting Actor, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Student Orchestra; and 3 award categories for plays: Best Play and Best Male and Female Actor. Design categories are divided into two levels dependent upon the budget size of the school's production. Categories are only open for student designers and artists. Awards include a $1,000 scholarship, which are provided by generous donors who recognize the benefits of this program and the impact musical theatre has on the lives of students

For more information about the Fourteenth Annual Betty Lynn Buckley Awards, visit www.casamanana.org/cpac/buckley-awards. Stay tuned to www.casamanana.org for all up-to-date information on the Buckleys.