Iowa High School Musical Theatre Awards Name Two Students as Triple Threat Recipients

DES MOINES, Iowa - In a surprise announcement tonight during the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase at the Des Moines Civic Center, Des Moines Performing Arts named two Triple Threat Award recipients. They are:

· Lincoln Ginsberg, George Washington High School, Cedar Rapids

o Ginsberg played "Riff" in West Side Story

· Jessica Martens, Valley High School, West Des Moines

o Martens played "Dorothy" in The Wizard of Oz

As Triple Threat Award recipients, Mr. Ginsberg and Ms. Martens will represent Iowa at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City, June 24-30, 2015. They will join students from across the country for a week of private coaching, master classes and rehearsals from Broadway professionals. Mr. Ginsberg and Ms. Martens week will culminate with a final performance on Monday, June 29 at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney's The Lion King on Broadway.

Des Moines Performing Arts, who presents the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, is a partner of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards. To identify Iowa's two student representatives at Nationals, the Triple Threat Award program was created. The Triple Threat Award recognizes students who are a "triple threat," demonstrating excellent acting, dancing and vocal talents. Additionally, the Triple Threat Award recognizes students who exemplify the spirit of the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards.

This year, 22 students from participating Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards schools auditioned for the Triple Threat Award. The students were invited to audition based on the strength of their performances in their school musical production in a qualifying leading role. On the evening of Saturday, May 30 and during the day on Sunday, May 31, the Triple Threat Award nominees auditioned, worked with Broadway veterans and received private coaching from local university faculty at the Civic Center.

In addition to announcing the Triple Threat Award recipients, Des Moines Performing Arts announced that two Triple Threat nominees received a full scholarship to the STAGEright Broadway Experience, a week-long Broadway intensive workshop at the Des Moines Civic Center in July.
The STAGEright Broadway Experience scholarship recipients are:

· Elaina Bayse, Dallas Center-Grimes High School

o Bayse played "Hodel" in Fiddler on the Roof

· Cal Reed, Roosevelt High School, Des Moines

o Reed played "Edna Turnblad" in Hairspray

About the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards

In 2012, Des Moines Performing Arts launched the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, the organization's year-long education initiative that honors young musical theater artists for their outstanding achievements. Throughout the school year, performing arts professionals and educators served as adjudicators to review musical productions and offer constructive feedback to each of the participating high schools. In the program's third year, 30 Iowa high schools within 125 miles of the Civic Center participated.

Culminating this year's Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards was tonight's Awards Showcase. Based on the adjudicators' feedback, several awards were presented at the Awards Showcase including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lead and Supporting Performers, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Technical Achievement. The Awards Showcase also featured inter-school medleys and performances from the musical productions the students presented during the school year.

Check out photos from the Awards Showcase at https://www.facebook.com/IowaHighSchoolMusicalTheaterAwards.

For more information about the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, visitDesMoinesPerformingArts.org.

About Des Moines Performing Arts

Des Moines Performing Arts is a private not-for-profit organization celebrating 35 years of presenting the performing arts to Iowa and the surrounding states on three stages in Des Moines - the Civic Center, Stoner Theater and the Temple Theater. The organization also operates Cowles Commons (formerly Nollen Plaza), a longtime Des Moines landmark currently under renovation. Des Moines Performing Arts is a presenter of major Broadway and educational touring companies, performers and groups, and is home to many local and regional groups, including the Des Moines Symphony. All performances of the Broadway Series are supported by Willis Auto Campus. All performances at the Temple Theater are supported by Prairie Meadows. All performances of the Family Series are supported by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. For more information, visit DesMoinesPerformingArts.org.

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