Tuesday, May 20, 2014

CLO Announces Gene Kelly Award Nominees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Cerchiaro
412-281-3973 ext. 101
mcerchiaro@pittsburghCLO.org


Pittsburgh CLO Announces Nominees for
the 2014 Gene Kelly Awards

Pittsburgh, PA • May 7, 2014– Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh are proud to announce the nominees for the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. The awards show will take place on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Over the past three months, a panel of 30 judges have attended the performances by the following 29 Allegheny County high schools: Avonworth, Baldwin, Bishop Canevin, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Hampton Township, Keystone Oaks, McKeesport, North Hills, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy, Pittsburgh Brashear, Pittsburgh CAPA, Pittsburgh Perry, Plum, Quaker Valley, Riverview, Shady Side Academy, Springdale, St. Joseph, West Allegheny, West Mifflin, Winchester Thurston and Woodland Hills.

The judging panel was comprised of performing arts educators, arts administrators, entertainment professionals and performers. On May 2 these judges met and reviewed highlights from each high school performance. The scoring was then tabulated by Deloitte LLP.

The Nominees for the 2014 Gene Kelly Awards are:

Best Scenic Design
 
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart The Wiz
Pittsburgh Perry                 Seussical
St. Joseph                                 Shrek, the Musical
 
Budget Level II
Central Catholic                Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                Young Frankenstein
Riverview                          Fiddler on the Roof
 
Budget Level III
Pine-Richland                         Thoroughly Modern Millie
West Allegheny                         Catch Me If You Can
Woodland Hills                         Sweeney Todd

Best Costume Design
 
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart The Wiz
Quaker Valley                          Pirates of Penzance
St. Joseph                            Shrek, the Musical
 
Budget Level II
Bishop Canevin                         The Drowsy Chaperone
Central Catholic                 Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                 Young Frankenstein
 
Budget Level III
Baldwin                                Shrek, the Musical
Pine-Richland                        Thoroughly Modern Millie
Woodland Hills                   Sweeney Todd

Best Lighting Design

 
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart The Wiz
Pittsburgh CAPA                  Footloose
St. Joseph                                 Shrek, the Musical
 
Budget Level II
Central Catholic                   Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                   Young Frankenstein
Riverview                                   Fiddler on the Roof
 
Budget Level III
Avonworth                         Man of La Mancha
West Allegheny                         Catch Me If You Can
Woodland Hills                         Sweeney Todd

Best All-Student Orchestra

Baldwin                                 Shrek, the Musical
Hampton                                 Young Frankenstein
North Hills                          42nd Street
Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy The Wiz
Pittsburgh CAPA                Footloose
West Mifflin                         Bye Bye Birdie

Best Supporting Actor
 
Rush Hodgin Pine-Richland  Thoroughly Modern Millie “Trevor Graydon III”
Noah Baynes Lheureau Bishop Canevin The Drowsy Chaperone “Robert Martin”
Drew Praskovich Pittsburgh CAPA Footloose “Willard Hewitt”
Julius Ralph Penn Hills The Wiz “The Wizard”
Quintin Reynolds CW North Catholic Children of Eden “Cain/Japeth”
Michael Zak Central Catholic Spamalot “Patsy”

Best Supporting Actress
 
Leah Prestogeorge Woodland Hills Sweeney Todd “Joanna Barker”
Amanda Rulis Hampton Young Frankenstein “Inga”
Jillian Schmidt Pine-Richland Thoroughly Modern Millie “Muzzy Van Hossmere”
Mara Singleton Plum My Favorite Year “KC Downing”
Ashley Sitarik Our Lady of the Sacred Heart The Wiz “Addaperle”
Brook Taylor Woodland Hills Sweeney Todd “Beggar Woman/Lucy Barker”

Best Ensemble

Central Catholic                             Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                             Young Frankenstein
Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy      The Wiz
Quaker Valley                                      Pirates of Penzance
St. Joseph                                              Shrek, the Musical
West Allegheny                                       Catch Me If You Can

Best Crew/Technical Execution

Baldwin                                               Shrek, the Musical
Hampton                                               Young Frankenstein
Pine-Richland                                        Thoroughly Modern Millie
Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy         The Wiz
Riverview                                          Fiddler on the Roof
Woodland Hills                                         Sweeney Todd

Best Choreography

Central Catholic                             Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                            Young Frankenstein
Pine-Richland                                    Thoroughly Modern Millie
Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy     The Wiz
Pittsburgh CAPA                            Footloose
West Allegheny                                    Catch Me If You Can

Best Direction

Central Catholic                                  Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                                 Young Frankenstein
Pine-Richland                                         Thoroughly Modern Millie
Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy          The Wiz
Quaker Valley                                          Pirates of Penzance
St. Joseph                                                  Shrek, the Musical

Best Actor
 
Ryan Borgo West Allegheny Catch Me If You Can “Frank Abignale, Jr.”
Connor Cook Plum My Favorite Year “Benjy Stone”
Tom Curry West Allegheny Catch Me If You Can “Carl Hanratty”
Peter Heres Quaker Valley Pirates of Penzance “Pirate King”
Adam Rayan Penn Hills The Wiz “Tinman”
Nathanial Yost Central Catholic Monty Python’s Spamalot “King Arthur”

Best Actress
 
Abby Dionise Pine-Richland Thoroughly Modern Millie “Miss Dorothy Brown”
Alexandra Illescas Pittsburgh CAPA Footloose “Rusty”
Alexis Loiselle Pine-Richland Thoroughly Modern Millie “Millie Dillmount”
Mallory Milberger St. Joseph Shrek, the Musical “Princess Fiona”
Marnie Quick Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy The Wiz “Tinman”
Savannah Wiggins Penn Hills The Wiz “Dorothy”

Best Musical
 
Budget Level I

Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy               The Wiz
Quaker Valley                                                Pirates of Penzance
St. Joseph                                                  Shrek, the Musical
 
Budget Level II

Bishop Canevin                                                  The Drowsy Chaperone
Central Catholic                                          Monty Python’s Spamalot
Hampton                                                          Young Frankenstein
 
Budget Level III

Penn Hills                                                        The Wiz
Pine-Richland                                                Thoroughly Modern Millie
West Allegheny                                                 Catch Me If You Can

The nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress will be competing for the opportunity to represent Pittsburgh CLO’s Gene Kelly Awards in the sixth-annual National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City on Monday, June 30. For more information on the National High School Musical Theater Awards, please visit www.nhsmta.com.

In addition to the more than 20 Kelly Awards presented at the event, several cash and university scholarships will be awarded.  These scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of Paul Block, Virginia S. Nicklas, the CLO Ambassadors, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and participating colleges. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on May 24.  More information is available at pittsburghCLO.org.

The Gene Kelly Awards are co-presented by the University of Pittsburgh with additional support provided by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, PNC Bank, Virginia S. Nicklas and the CLO Ambassadors. Deloitte Consulting, LLP is the official auditor for the Gene Kelly Awards.

Pittsburgh CLO is also pleased to announce that Gene Kelly’s widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, will once again participate in the awards show.
What:              24th Annual Gene Kelly Awards
Where:             Benedum Center for the Performing Arts
When:              Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets:            On sale May 13.  Call 412-456-6666
# # #
Since 1946, the Pittsburgh CLO has been the driving force behind live musical theater in Pittsburgh and the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region. Under the direction of Van Kaplan since 1997, this not-for-profit arts organization appreciates the support of nearly 200,000 patrons each year and produces a subscription series, educational programs, national tours and develops and invests in new works, including 18 Broadway shows (24 Tony Awards®) featuring the current productions of Cinderella, Kinky Boots and Matilda. Its dedication to the musical theater art form extends to include such programs as the CLO Academy, the CLO Mini Stars, the Gene Kelly Awards, the Richard Rodgers Award the National High School Musical Theater Awards, the Construction Center for the Arts

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

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