2010 Gene Kelly Award Winners Announced!

A near capacity crowd gathered at the Benedum Center as Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh honored Allegheny County's finest high school performers at the 20th Annual Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater on Saturday, May 29, 2010.
Named for legendary performer and Pittsburgh native Gene Kelly, the annual celebration emphasizes the importance of arts education and recognizes the time, energy and dedication that local high schools devote to their musical productions each spring.

Patterned after the Tony® Awards, the ceremony included live performances by the Best Musical nominees along with the Best Actor/Actress nominees. Each nominated school performed a five-minute selection from their respective shows. Special guest presenters included local television personalities and Gene Kelly's widow, Patricia Ward Kelly.

Pittsburgh CLO congratulates the 2010 Gene Kelly Awards winners, nominees and the following 30 participating Allegheny County high schools: Avonworth, Baldwin-Whitehall, Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Deer Lakes, Hampton, McKeesport, North Catholic, North Hills, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Pittsburgh Allderdice, Pittsburgh 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 Charles Gray Award for Special Achievement in Arts Education was also presented to Pittsburgh South Brook Middle School, in recognition of its creative arts classes included as an essential and required part of the curriculum. Every student of Pittsburgh South Brook Middle School is actively engaged in a well-rounded arts education that integrates the arts into math, science, communications and social studies. The school actively partners with arts organizations to infuse their program with creative opportunities, and all students are viewed as life-long learners by the dedicated and certified art and music teachers.

Again this year, several scholarships were presented to college-bound seniors at the ceremony. Dr. Paul Hennigan, President of Point Park University, presented Andrea Weinzierl from Avonworth a $20,000 four-year scholarship to attend Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts for musical theater.

Pittsburgh CLO awarded Gene Kelly Cash Scholarships. These cash awards totaling $5,000 were presented to three high school seniors who have applied and been accepted to a school for the performing or technical arts. This year's recipients are: Andrew Pace from Vincentian Academy, Carter Redwood from Pittsburgh CAPA, and DonoVan Smith from Woodland Hills. These merit-based scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of Donald Arnheim, Paul E. Block and Virginia Nicklas.

The CLO Ambassadors also awarded $3,000 in scholarships to two college-bound students who will be pursuing a major outside of the arts. The 2010 Ambassadors' Scholarship winners were Joshua Smith from Vincentian Academy and Patrick Baker from Bishop Canevin.

The Recipients of the 2010 Gene Kelly Awards are:
Best Scenic Design: Baldwin-Whitehall

Best Costume Design: Pine-Richland

Best Lighting Design: Pine-Richland

Best All-Student Orchestra: Plum

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Spencer Whale of North Hills for Lumiere in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Maddie Georgi of Hampton for Miss Adelaide in GUYS AND DOLLS

Best Ensemble: Pittsburgh Schenley

Best Crew/Technical Execution: Woodland Hills

Best Choreography: Pittsburgh Schenley

Best Direction: Pine-Richland

Best Actor: Alex Field of Central Catholic for Tin Man in THE WIZ

Best Actress: Andrea Weinzierl of Avonworth for Mame in MAME

Best Musical- Budget Level I: Pittsburgh Schenley for YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN

Best Musical- Budget Level II: Central Catholic for THE WIZ

Best Musical- Budget Level III: Pine-Richland for CHILDREN OF EDEN

Now in its eighth year, The Kelly Critics program is a unique partnership between the Pittsburgh CLO and Dr. Christopher Rawson. Dr. Rawson presented the Kelly Critics Award. Baldwin-Whitehall's Shannon Hussey was presented with the award for excellence in writing theatrical critiques.

Pittsburgh CLO's 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. Pittsburgh CLO also extends a special thank you to The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Deloitte.

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