Old Globe Announces Winners Of Globe Honors; Competing In NYC 6/25-6/29

Lou Spisto, Executive Producer of the Tony Award®-winning Old Globe, is pleased to announce the winners of Globe Honors, the awards program for high school students that rewards excellence in theatre performance. Students from over 30 schools competed for the honor to represent San

Diego in New York City for the National High School Musical Theatre-awards, June 25-29, 2009.

This year's winners are: Emma Stratton, from Canyon Crest Academy and Chauncey Matthews, from San Diego

School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Emma and Chauncey will travel All Expenses Paid to New York City for the competition. Activities commence on Thursday, June 25 with rehearsals, masters classes, private coaching and interviews with theater professionals leading up to the live awards show on June 29, 2009 at 7:30pm. 32 students from around the country will compete for the first annual Jimmy Award, named for Nederlander Presentations-founder James Nederlander Sr. The National High School Musical Theatre Awards will be the first national program to select a Best Actor and Best Actress from a group of student performers chosen by 16 participating members of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Consortium of Eastern Regional Theaters, Theatre Communications Group or the Broadway League. Winners will be selected by a panel of industry experts. Two educator prizes will also be announced. Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and Nederlander Presentations will produce the national program.

"Globe Honors and the National High School Musical Theatre Awards offer an exciting opportunity for high school students in musical theatre to take part in a challenging nationwide competition," said Old Globe Executive Producer Lou Spisto, "congratulations to Emma and Chauncey, we know they will make the Globe and San Diego proud in New York City."

Emma Stratton played "Nellie" in South Pacific at Canyon Crest Academy where she is a Junior and Chauncey Matthews played the "King" in The King and I at San Diego School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he is a Senior. The two runners-up are Maddie Shea Baldwin, from Francis Parker School and Melissa Barnum from Rancho Bernardo High School. The two runners-up won $500 scholarships from The Old Globe.

The second annual Globe Honors event will take place on The Old Globe stage on Monday, May 10, 2010. The program will expand next year to recognize students in drama, comedy, Shakespearean acting, and technical theatre, in addition to musical theatre. For more information on The Old Globe's education programs, please visit www.TheOldGlobe.org and click on the Education Link.

Photo (T): Emma Stratton and Lou Spisto

Photo (B): Lou Spisto and Chauncey Matthews