Atlanta's Shuler Hensley Awards Held Tonight

ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education outreach arm of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, presents the 2015 Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards. Twenty four (24) public and private schools from throughout the state were nominated in 17 categories. The awards, which showcase the next generation of Georgia's musical theater talent, will be presented live at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre tonight, April 23 in an Awards Show hosted by WSB-TV's Fred Blankenship and Wendy Corona.

A team of more than 60 Atlanta-based arts professionals evaluated the productions of the 50 participating high schools. Awards will be given in the following categories: Overall Production, Ensemble, Show Stopper, Leading Actress and Actor, Supporting Actress and Actor, Featured Performer, Direction, Sound Design, Costume Design, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Technical Execution, Orchestra, Music Direction and Choreography. The winners of the Leading Actress and Leading Actor categories will travel to New York City in June to compete in the National High School Musical Theater Awards, the Jimmy AwardsTM, held at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.

The 2014 Shuler Hensley Leading Actress winner Jai'Len Josey went on to win the national award and received scholarships to pursue her acting dreams. "Traveling to New York City and performing on Broadway was the opportunity of a lifetime," said Jai'Len Josey, a junior at Tri-Cities High School in East Point. "ArtsBridge Foundation and the Shuler Hensley Awards helped me to pursue my dreams as I participated in a five-day theater boot camp in New York City, won a $10,000 scholarship to further my education, and received a full scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University's six-week pre-college drama program. I am so thankful for these opportunities to advance my career."

The 7th annual Shuler Awards, fashioned after Broadway's Tony Awards, celebrates excellence in high school music theater. The Awards will be held on April 23 with the Red Carpet Event beginning at 6:30 p.m. and curtain at 7:30 p.m. The ceremony will include performances from the six schools nominated for best overall production as well as leading actor and actress nominee medleys. The 68 member Shuler Student Ensemble will perform the opening and finale numbers. The awards are a program of and are produced by ArtsBridge Foundation, which provides quality performing arts education programs designed to engage and motivate the next generation of artists and art supporters. The accounting firm Cherry Bekaert tabulated the results for the 2015 Shuler Awards.

Tickets are now on sale for $22.00 each. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster.com, any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-653-8000, or purchased in-person at the Bank of North Georgia Box Office at the Cobb Energy Centre on Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The box office is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA.

Nominees and honorable mentions by category:

Overall Production

Nominees

Cartersville High School, Godspell
Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors Milton High School, Mary Poppins
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Honorable Mentions

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone
Calhoun High School, Hello Dolly
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family
Wesleyan School, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Ensemble

Nominees

Calhoun High School, Hello Dolly
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family
Milton High School, Mary Poppins
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan
Rabun Gap- Nacoochee School, Godspell
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Honorable Mentions

Cartersville High School, Godspell
Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors
Starr's Mill High School, The Addams Family
Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Best Performance by a Leading Actor

Nominees

Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Will Davis as Freddy
Cartersville High School, Godspell, Jeremiah Robinson as Jesus
Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Brian Wittenberg as Seymour Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Crawford Horton as Bert
North Forsyth High School, Catch Me If You Can, Brody Grant as Frank Abignale Jr. West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Nick Eibler as Jimmy Winter

Honorable Mentions

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Connor Kocks as Man In Chair Greater Atlanta Christian, Fiddler of the Roof, Sam Casey as Tevye
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Shan Suen as Gomez
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Matthew Brague as Captain Hook/Mr. Darling

Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Jay Bell as J.Pierrepont Finch

Best Performance by a Leading Actress

Nominees

Allatoona High School, Bye Bye Birdie, Laura Reboulet as Rose Alvarez
Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Delancy Circe as Christine
Holy Innocents' Episcopal School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Emma Yaniger as Janet Milton High School, Mary Poppins, McKenzie Kurtz as Mary Poppins
Mount Paran High School, Peter Pan, Cassidy Ray as Peter Pan
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Haley Clark as Billie Bendix

Honorable Mentions

Lambert High School, Once Upon a Mattress, Elena Lazaro as Winnifred Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Rachel Cottrell as Morticia
South Forsyth High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Claire Pappas as Janet The Lovett School, Oklahoma, Corinne Culpepper, Laurey

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor

Nominees

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Tate Rehklau as Aldolpho Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hugh Entrekin as Andre
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Gospell, Austin Solesbee, All Good Gifts Soloist Wesleyan School How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Andrew Sabonis-Chafee as Bud Frump

West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Cody Marshall as Cookie McGee
Woodland High School, In The Heights, Clayton Reis as Benny

Honorable Mentions

Cartersville High School, Godspell, Griffin Braid as Judas
Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Will Davenport as Audrey II Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Sam Dubin as Pugsley
Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Hayden Kerzie as Michael Banks

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress

Nominees

Cartersville High School, Godspell, Rachel Brideau, Oh Bless the Lord Soloist Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Owen Claire Smith as Mrs. Banks
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Natalie Hammonds as Wendy/Jane Pope High School, Legally Blonde, Caroline Bergwall as Paulette

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Alyssa Driggers as Judas
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Colette Caspari as Estonia Dulworth

Honorable Mentions

Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Dominique Bell as Chiffon Forsyth Central High School, Guys and Dolls, Mary Crosby as Adelaide Kennesaw Mountain High School, Aida, Shelbea Owen, Amneris
Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Garret Hugins as Smitty

Best Performance by a Featured Performer

Nominees

Cartersville High School, Godspell, Tucker Hammonds, Light of the World Soloist Calhoun High School, Hello Dolly, Kade Wright as Barnaby Tucker
Harlem High School, Seussical, Lizzie Drake as JoJo
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Haley Moyer as Alice Beineke

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Alexis Lewis, By My Side Soloist West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Peyton Smith as Eileen Evergreen

Honorable Mentions

Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Leila Bowman as Jolene Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Majesty Mathews as Crystal Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Mary Caroline Owens as Jane Banks
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Allie Stewart as Tiger Lilly

Direction

Nominees

Cartersville High School, Godspell, Laura Hettinger
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Cece Conrath
Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Renee Denney
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Jenn Fitzpatrick & Meagan Williams Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, William Patti

West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Eric Gray

Honorable Mentions

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, David Gay
Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Kimberly Staples Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Jan Jensen
Wesleyan School, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Steven Broyles

Sound

Nominees

Gainesville High School, Once On This Island, Ally Kimpling & James Pendleton Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Jamey Hoge
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Jered Schuerman
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Andrew Figel

The Lovett School, Oklahoma, Brian Patterson
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Alex Skelton

Honorable Mentions

Forsyth Central High School, Guys and Dolls, Vicka Korkotov & Jarod Brandy Johns Creek High School, Footloose, Clyde Fossum
Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Sim Jones
Starr's Mill High School, The Addams Family, Brent Bouthiller

Costume Design

Nominees

Johns Creek High School, Footloose, Rhonda Fossum
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Cece Conrath & Sheryl Lyles Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Jenn Fitzpatrick & Tricia Stewart Walton High School, Mystery of Edwin Drood, Michelle Baumann
Wesleyan School How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Kristen Solomon
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Eric Gray

Honorable Mentions

Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Kimberly Staples & Christine Hanks Heritage High School, The Addams Family, Maria Gonzalez
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Emily Olson
Kennesaw Mountain High School, Aida, Andrea Peterson & Victoria Shoup

Scenic Design

Nominees

Cartersville High School, Godspell, Laura Hettinger
Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Sim Jones
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Jenn Fitzpatrick & Colin Moschner Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Sean Lakey & Rebecca Smith Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Steve Broyles
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get, It Eric Gray

Honorable Mentions

Forsyth Central High School, Guys and Dolls, Kevin Whitley
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Cece Conrath & Jamey Hoge Pope High School, Legally Blonde, David Perez
Walton High School, Mystery of Edwin Drood, JoyMichelle Green

Lighting Design

Nominees

Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Jennifer Blevins Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Sim Jones
The Lovett School, Oklahoma, Katie Keough Anderson
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, David Philyaw

Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Steven Broyles
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Thomas Cheeseman

Honorable Mentions

Cartersville High School, Godspell, Laura Hettinger
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Marcus Randolph & Miller Walton Pope High School, Legally Blonde, David Reingold
Starr's Mill High School, The Addams Family, Kevin Rambeck, Brent Bouthiller & Grace Nelson

Technical Execution

Nominees

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Sabrina Rehklau Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Sim Jones
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, David Foster
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Sean Lakey

The Lovett School, Oklahoma, Brian Patterson
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Eric Gray

Honorable Mentions

Calhoun High School, Hello Dolly, Julie Leggett
Cartersville High School, Godspell, Laura Hettinger
Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Jennifer Blevins Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Jamey Hoge

Orchestra

Nominees

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Michelle Austin Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Jennifer Blevins Johns Creek High School, Footloose, Rhonda Fossum
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Paul Scott

Stilwell School of the Arts, Cinderella, Matthew Baggarly Woodland High School, In The Heights, Wesley Brooks

Honorable Mentions

Allatoona Hgh School, Bye Bye Birdie, James Palmer
Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Chris Shumick
Riverwood International Charter School, Once Upon a Mattress, Carlos Rodrigues The Walker School, The Wedding Singer, Todd Motter

Music Direction

Nominees

Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Jennifer Blevins Milton High School, Mary Poppins, Drew Bowers
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Julie Duncan
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Mima Valerio

Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Brook Derringer
West Forsyth High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Eric Gray

Honorable Mentions

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, Michelle Austin
Cartersville High School, Godspell, Laura Hettinger
Calhoun High School, Hello Dolly, Casey Parker & Darlene Wright
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Jamey Hoge & Tracie Helm-Broman

Choreography

Nominees

Buford High School, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Ashley Johnson
Heritage High School, The Addams Family, Heather Bragg
Mount Paran Christian School, Peter Pan, Lynne Brague
North Forsyth High School, Catch Me If You Can, Kayla Fornek, Ryan Vander Linde Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Godspell, Brieanna Bailey

Starr's Mill High School, The Addams Family, Antonela Kljajic

Honorable Mentions

Chattahoochee High School, Little Shop of Horrors, Jennifer Blevins
Greenbrier High School, Curtains, Alexandra Doxey
Walton High School, Mystery of Edwin Drood, Susan Griffin
Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stephanie Simmons

Show Stopper

Note: Winner is announced during the nominations

Nominees

Alpharetta High School, The Drowsy Chaperone, I Am Adolpho
Calhoun High School, Hello Dolly, Put On Your Sunday Clothes
Johns Creek High School, Footloose, Let's Hear It For The Boy
Lakeview Academy, The Addams Family, Full Disclosure
Starr's Mill High School, Addams Family, When You're An Addams *WINNER* Wesleyan School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Brotherhood of Man

The 2015 Shuler Awards are made possible by our generous sponsors, including presenting sponsor The Georgia Lottery; platinum sponsors WSB-TV, Cherry Bekaert, Georgia State University; gold sponsor Delta Community Credit Union; silver sponsors Embassy Suites, Staging Directions, Norcostco and Magnum Companies, and many others. To learn more about the Shuler Hensley Awards, visit artsbridgega.org/programs/shuler-awards/ or call (770) 916.2800. To learn more about ArtsBridge, visit artsbridgega.org.

About ArtsBridge Foundation - ArtsBridge Foundation, formerly the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation, is dedicated to providing quality arts education and community engagement programs that engage, motivate, inspire, and elevate the next generation of artists and arts supporters. ArtsBridge forms connections with students in grades K-12 by providing arts education opportunities through field trip programs to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, master class workshops, artists-in-schools, and the annual Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards - The Shuler Hensley Awards. Since our inception in 2007, ArtsBridge has served more than 240,000 students and educators from 30 Georgia counties, plus students from Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina. To learn more, visit artsbridgega.org and follow us on Twitter at @ArtsbridgeGA and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArtsBridgeGa.