North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) announces the nominees for the 4th annual NSMT Spotlight Awards. The Tony® Award style program is designed to honor the accomplishments of high school students and teachers as well as encourage them to achieve the highest levels of excellence in musical theater. This year's program involves 22 high schools and over 1,000 students, and will culminate in an awards ceremony on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 7:30pm on the NSMT main stage. The event is open to the public and a donation of $10 per person will be requested at the door.
"Despite its current economic situation, North Shore Music Theatre remains committed to education and the Spotlight Awards program is a unique opportunity for us to reach into local communities and recognize the brightest stars of high school musical theater," said Barry Ivan, NSMT's Artistic Director and Executive Producer. "The awards have become a wonderful and exciting tradition at NSMT and a perfect way to celebrate and showcase the immense talent and enthusiasm of all the students and teachers."
Fifteen awards will be presented, including the prestigious award for Best Overall Musical. In addition, students winning the Best Leading Actor and Actress categories will be invited to participate in the first annual presentation of The Jimmy Awards, to be held in New York City on Monday, June 29, at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, New York University. The National High School Musical Theater Awards, founded and produced by Nederlander Presentations, Inc. and Pittsburgh CLO, is a national celebration of outstanding student achievement that recognizes individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performances by high school students. "The Jimmy Award" is named in honor of James M. Nederlander, legendary Broadway theater owner and producer.
"North Shore Music Theatre's Spotlight Awards are an inspiration for young performers," said Arts and Entertainment Critic Joyce Kulhawik, a past presenter and co-emcee of the 2009 ceremony with Barry Ivan. "It is a thrill to see all that fresh new talent onstage for one magical night!" Other presenters will include State Representative Mary E. Grant, State Representative John D. Keenan, Beverly Mayor William Scanlon, Boston Globe theater critic Terry Byrne, NSMT Board Chairman David Fellows (and his wife, April), NSMT Board Vice-Chairs Nancy Palmer and Toni Dowgiallo, former NSMT Education Program students Presilah Nunez and Nick Christopher, and others.
Schools participating in the 2009 NSMT Spotlight Awards include: Amesbury High School, Andover High School, BMC Durfee High School, Boston Latin School, Burlington High School, Cambridge Ringe & Latin School, Cardinal Spellman High School, Danvers High School, Holliston High School, Ipswich High School, Lynnfield High School, Marblehead High School, Newton South High School, North Reading High School, Pentucket Regional High School, Pingree School, Pope John XXIII High School, St. John's High School, Salem High School, Silver Lake Regional High School, Wakefield High School and Westborough High School. Nominees in alphabetical order by school are:
Amesbury High School - Little Shop of Horrors
· Best Leading Actress - Kate Moore, 'Audrey'
Andover High School - A Chorus Line
· Best Musical
· Best Leading Actress - Blair Beasley, 'Cassie'
· Best Supporting Actor - Brian Mason, 'Paul'
· Best Featured Performer - David Keohane, 'Bobbie'
· Best Ensemble/Chorus
· Best Choreography - Becki Dennis
· Best Musical Direction - Jennifer D'Onofrio
· Best Lighting Design - Stephanie Somin, Christine Zhou
BMC Durfee High School - Rent
· Best Featured Performer - Talia Boyer, 'Maureen'
Boston Latin School - Merrily We Roll Along
· Best Musical
· Best Supporting Actor - Jacob Meister, 'Charley'
· Best Orchestra - Ryan Snyder
· Best Technical Crew and Execution
Burlington High School - The Wizard of Oz
· Best Musical
· Best Leading Actor - Will Ford, 'Scarecrow'
· Best Leading Actress - Eva Constanza, 'Dorothy'
· Best Direction - John Middleton-Cox
· Best Costume Design - Maureen Tierson Krebs
