77 Schools to Participate in Hennepin Theatre Trust 's 2014-15 SpotLight Musical Theatre Program

Hennepin Theatre Trust today announced that a record number of 77 schools will participate in the 2014-2015 SpotLight Musical Theatre Program, including 13 new schools and 17 from greater Minnesota. Now celebrating its Tenth Anniversary, SpotLight is the Trust's premier education initiative which supports and honors Minnesota high school musical theatre students and programs that produce annual musicals. A full list of schools appears below and is also available online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

The Trust also announced today that Minnesota native, Broadway star and two-time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes will return as the 2014-2015 SpotLight spokesperson. Osnes, who took part in SpotLight while attending Eagan High School, went on to a successful Broadway and national performing career in Rodgers+Hammerstein's Cinderella, earning a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress In A Musical, as well as Tony, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Award nominations for her performance. She also appeared in Bonnie and Clyde, Anything Goes and South Pacific. She is a compelling example of the impact that musical theatre programs can have on a person's life and goals.

The SpotLight Musical Theatre Program provides outstanding educational, performing and creative learning experiences which give students opportunities to develop essential skills for success such as collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and self-expression. Throughout the year, students work with local and national theatre educators and Broadway musical theatre professionals who offer training, feedback, on-site school workshops and master classes.

Evaluators assess each school's production with constructive written commentary and nominate honorees from among the 77 participating schools. Statewide, over 5,000 SpotLight students will collaborate in producing musicals. During 2014-2015, upcoming highlights include the first Minnesota high school performances of Broadway's In the Heights by Mankato East and Washburn High Schools. Washburn is also performing the original production Dracula: A Pain in the Neck written by two former Minneapolis public school teachers. Recognition categories include outstanding performance in leading, supporting and featured roles, outstanding performance by a chorus, dance ensemble and student orchestra, outstanding overall performance of a musical and outstanding overall production of a musical.