10th Annual DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards Announces Production Team & Fullinwider Award Recipient

Dallas Summer Musicals has announced the production team for the 10th Annual DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards (HSMTA) will feature Joel Ferrell as Director/Choreographer, Cherish Love Robinson as Music Director, and Eric Lee Tysinger as Production Supervisor.

Liz Mikel has been named the recipient of the 2021 Fullinwider Award in honor of her impact on the North Texas theater community. The awards ceremony will be presented as a virtual livestream through DSM's YouTube page on June 11, 2021.

Ferrell is a seasoned director and choreographer based in Dallas, Texas. He is the former Associate Artistic Director at Dallas Theater Center and has directed and choreographed extensively around the country for Denver Center Theater, Portland Center Stage, North Shore Music Theater, and more. His acting credits include Broadway national tours, regional theater, television, and film.

Robinson is an award-winning theatre and music industry veteran with a career that has spanned over the last two decades as an artist, producer, composer, music director, and songwriter. She has produced and vocal arranged for artists around the country including Elle King, The Texas Gentlemen, and Paul Cauthen, and television shows such as Big Little Lies and Grey's Anatomy.

Tysinger has spent the last 19 years stage managing and production managing in all facets of the performing arts. He served as the Production Stage Manager for The Dallas Theater Center (Regional Theater Tony Award 2016) for six years and for Triad Stage for two years. Tysinger's credits include The Last Ship on Broadway and the national tour of Hamilton.

Dallas native and Broadway veteran Liz Mikel will be presented with the 2021 Fullinwider Award in honor of her accomplishments within the North Texas theater community and beyond. Mikel is a multifaceted, award-winning artist that has been a beloved staple in the Dallas-Fort Worth arts scene for more than 30 years. She has transitioned seamlessly from stage to television, studio recordings, cabaret, and feature films, has toured both nationally and abroad, and has worked alongside some of the industry's most prominent artists.

The Fullinwider Award is presented to artists with roots in the North Texas community who have gone on to have had significant impact on the local, regional, and national theater communities. The award is named for Leah and Jerry Fullinwider, the founding donors of DSM's High School Musical Theater Awards. The award was created to honor the Fullinwiders for their initial gift of $100,000, which helped fund and produce DSM HSMTA and College Scholarship program in 2012.

The awards ceremony, which traditionally takes place at the Music Hall at Fair Park, will be presented as a livestream broadcast production through DSM's YouTube page. All awards will be announced live, and the evening will feature live engaging performances and acceptance speeches by this year's nominees and winners.

Patterned after Broadway's Tony Awards, the DSM HSMTA celebrate the power of the arts and its ability to significantly improve all areas of education. The annual DSM HSMTA recognizes artistic and educational achievements of North Texas students and their high school programs. A total of 41 performances from 39 participating high schools were evaluated by a diverse group of highly qualified judges from the North Texas theater community.

Awards will be presented in 15 categories and scholarships are awarded to outstanding graduating seniors who are nominated by their teachers and selected by the DSM scholarship panel. Through funds raised by private donations, DSM HSMTA will award $55,000 in cash scholarships to continue to foster the great talent North Texas has to offer. To date, DSM HSMTA College Scholarship program has awarded more than $350,000 in cash scholarships to deserving students.

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