Nominations Announced For TUTS' Tommy Tune Awards Held 4/21

John C. Breckenridge, President and CEO of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), announced today the nominations for TUTS' seventh annual Tommy Tune Awards which will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Developed by TUTS, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. After reviewing and evaluating the 45 participating Houston-area high school productions during the 2008-2009 school year, a team of 29 Houston-based theatre professionals made 152 nominations in 15 categories.

The following high schools and individuals were nominated:

Best Musical:
Episcopal High School: Pippin
Friendswood High School: Brigadoon
Kingwood High School: Peter Pan
Klein Collins High School: Zombie Prom
Seven Lakes High School: Once Upon A Mattress
Spring Woods High School: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
St. Agnes Academy: Les Miserables
Stratford High School: Barnum

Best Leading Actor:
Clear Springs High School: Jason Broussard (J. Pierrepont Finch) How to Succeed. , Episcopal High School: Ben Estus ( Pippin) Pippin
Friendswood High School: Ryan Frenk (Tommy Albright) Brigadoon
Klein Collins High School: Jackson Perrin (Jonny Warner) Zombie Prom
Klein High School, Jacob Buras (Sky Masterson) Guys and Dolls
Seven Lakes High School: Remington Stanberry (Prince Dauntless) Once Upon A Mattress
St. Agnes Academy: Walker Smith (Valjean) Les Miserables
St. Agnes Academy: Rhemà Sloan (Javert) Les Miserables
Stratford High School: Al Fallick (P.T. Barnum) Barnum

Best Leading Actress:
Cypress Ridge High School: Lindsey Fuson (Mrs. Lovett) Sweeney Todd
James E Taylor High School: Laura Smolik (Cinderella) Cinderella
Klein Collins High School: Kaitlyn Donovan (Toffee) Zombie Prom
Memorial High School: Candice Pink (Belle) Beauty And The Beast
Pasadena Memorial High School: Kristin Massa (Sarah Brown) Guys and Dolls
Seven Lakes High School: Julia Rucker (Princess Winnifred) Once Upon A Mattress
St. Agnes Academy: Meeka Opong (Eponine) Les Miserables
Stratford High School: Stephanie Cooksey (Chairy Barnum) Barnum
Westchester Academy: Martha Patton (Peter Pan) Peter Pan

Best Supporting Actor:
Bellaire High School: Malcolm Walker (Pluto) The Frogs
Clear Springs High School: Stephen Ratliff (Bud Frump) How to Succeed.
Dobie High School: Bryan Burleigh (Marcellus) The Music Man
Episcopal High School: Andrew Tharp (Charles) Pippin
Friendswood High School: Nicholas Vennekotter (Jeff Douglas) Brigadoon
G.W. Carver Magnet High School: Donte Wright (Jimmy Early) Dreamgirls
Klein High School: Michael Chiavone (Nathan Detroit) Guys and Dolls
Magnolia High School: Zak Carroll (Stepsister Joy) Cinderella
Memorial High School: Taylor Harper (Gaston) Beauty And The Beast
Morton Ranch High School: Dalton Hutto (Scarecrow) Wizard of Oz
Northland Christian School: Derek Manning (Bud Frump) How to Succeed.
Seven Lakes High School: Brett Donaldson (King Sextimus) Once Upon A Mattress
Spring Woods High School: The Brothers, Joseph.Dreamcoat
St. Agnes Academy: Jared Castillo (Marius) Les Miserables

Best Supporting Actress:
Clear Spings High School: Devin Whitten (Smitty) How to Succeed.
Cypress Falls High School: Genevieve Simmons (Queen Aggravain) Once Upon A Mattress
Episcopal High School: Alex Arthur (Fastrada) Pippin
Friendswood High School: Jennifer Finch (Meg Brokie) Brigadoon
G.W. Carver Magnet High School: Angela Flakes (Lorrell Robinson) Dreamgirls
James E Taylor High School: Randi Garza (Fairy Godmother) Cinderella
John Cooper School: Whitney Brandt (Cat in the Hat) Seussical
Klein Collins High School: Hannah Miller (Miss Strict) Zombie Prom
Klein Forest High School: Alyssa Martinez (Chiffon) Little Shop Of Horrors
Pasadena Memorial High School: Emily Rhule (Adelaide) Guys and Dolls
Sam Rayburn High School: Alma Zavala (Lina Lamont) Singin 'in The Rain
St. Agnes Academy: Elizabeth Kajs (Fantine) Les Miserables
St. John's School: Katharine Romefelt (Silvia) Two Gentlemen of Verona-The Musical
Stratford High School: Lizzie Wild (Jenny Lind) Barnum

Best Featured Performer:
Cypress Falls High School: Hannah McClellan (Lady Mabelle) Once Upon A Mattress
Friendswood High School: Rachel Davidson (Maggie Anderson) Brigadoon
John Cooper School: Caitlin O'Neill (Sour Kangaroo) Seussical
Kingwood High School: The Indians, Peter Pan
Kinkaid School: Andrew Brown (Thenardier) Les Miserables
Klein High School: Nathan Spell (Nicely-Nicely Johnson) Guys and Dolls
Pasadena Memorial High School: Alex Segura (Nicely-Nicely Johnson) Guys and Dolls
Spring Woods High School: Mark Frazier (Judah/ Benjamin Calypso) Joseph.Dreamcoat
St. Agnes Academy: Ian Bouillion (Thenardier) Les Miserables
St. Agnes Academy: Matt Hawes (Gavroche) Les Miserables
Stratford High School: Karina Ruiz (Joice Heth) Barnum
Westchester Academy: Michelle Lin (Curly) Peter Pan

Best Direction: Bellaire High School, Episcopal High School, Friendswood High School, Kingwood High School, Klein Collins High School, Seven Lakes High School, St. Agnes Academy, Stratford High School

Best Choreography: Bellaire High School, Cypress Falls High School, Episcopal High School, Friendswood High School, Houston Christian High School, John Cooper School, Kinkaid School, Klein Collins High School, Klein Forest High School, Klein High School, Spring Woods High School, St. John's School

Best Musical Direction: Episcopal High School, Friendswood High School, Klein Collins High School, Klein High School, Seven Lakes High School, St. Agnes Academy, St. John's School, Stratford High School

Best Orchestra: Austin High School, Bellaire High School, Clear Brook High School, Clear Lake High School, Clements High School, Cypress Ridge High School, Friendswood High School, G.W. Carver Magnet High School, James E Taylor High School, Klein High School, Memorial High School, Morton Ranch High School, North Shore Senior High, Seven Lakes High School

Best Scenic Design: Cypress Ridge High School, Episcopal High School, Friendswood High School, Houston Christian High School, John Cooper School, Kingwood High School, Klein Collins High School, Magnolia High School, Seven Lakes High School, St. John's School, Stratford High School, Westchester Academy

Best Costume Design: Cypress Falls High School, Episcopal High School, Houston Christian High School, Kingwood High School, Klein Collins High School, Seven Lakes High School St. John's School, Stratford High School,

Best Lighting Design: Episcopal High School, Friendswood High School, Kingwood High School, Klein High School, Seven Lakes High School, Spring Woods High School, St. John's School, Stratford High School

Best Crew/Technical Execution: Episcopal High School, Friendswood High School, Kingwood High School, Magnolia High School, Seven Lakes High School, St. Agnes Academy, Stratford High School, Westchester Academy

Best Ensemble/Chorus: Clear Springs High School, Episcopal High School, Klein Collins High School, Klein High School, Seven Lakes High School, St. Agnes Academy, Stratford High School, Westchester Academy

TUTS' Tommy Tune Awards are designed not only to acknowledge remarkable musical theatre talent at the high school level, but also to encourage future development. TUTS will present eight scholarships to outstanding participating students of the Tommy Tune Awards. Students under consideration were required to meet specific criteria set out by the Scholarship Committee, as well as submit an application and essay. The scholarship committee, composed of TUTS administrative and education staff, board members, and community leaders, has carefully reviewed all of the applications and will announce scholarship recipients during the awards ceremony.

In addition to the Tony-awards-style ceremony, the evening will feature performances from nominees in the Best Musical category, a musical medley with this year's Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress nominees, and a grand finale including two students from each participating school.

The Theatre Under The Stars Tommy Tune Awards are named for Houston native and Lamar High School alumnus, Tommy Tune. A performer, director, and choreographer, Tune received nine Tony Awards for the following productions: Seesaw, My One and Only, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Nine, Grand Hotel, and The Will Rogers Follies. Most recently, Mr. Tune directed the new musical, Turn of the Century, at the esteemed Goodman Theatre in Chicago. The show, slated for Broadway, was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice of Jersey Boys fame. This year, Mr. Tune marks his 50th year in show business with his latest tour, Steps in Time, A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance.

The Tommy Tune Awards ceremony is open to the general public, and tickets will be available for purchase beginning on April 8, 2009. For information on the 2009 Tommy Tune Awards ceremony, call (713) 558-2600.

Title sponsors for the Tommy Tune Awards include Steve & Leticia Trauber. Theatre Under The Stars also thanks ABC-13, The Brown Foundation, Conoco Phillips, Houston Chronicle as well as Marsha and David Taylor for their support of the Tommy Tune Awards.

Founded in 1968, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston's acclaimed non-profit musical theatre company and is currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge. Dedicated to producing new works and classic masterpieces, the 2008-2009 "Wow! What a Season!" celebrates TUTS' 41st Season of bringing world-class musical theatre to Houston audiences. TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public in 1968 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, and is the only Houston arts organization that has performed there free to the public every year since the building opened. Since its founding by Frank M. Young, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres such as Disney's Beauty and the Beast, as well as International tours including Debbie Reynolds in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Juliet Prowse in Mame, Robert Goulet in Man of La Mancha, the Tony Award-winning revival of Carousel and the Deaf West Theatre production of Big River. As a way to continue the tradition of musical theatre, TUTS' Humphreys School of Musical Theatre provides instruction and stage experience for more than 1,700 students annually through both The Academy and The Studio, which allow students to flourish in a year-round schedule of classes. Housed in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's High School Musical theatre programs.
Visit TUTS.com for more information.

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