STAGE TUBE: Behind-the-Scenes of the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards

A celebration of musical talent from Iowa high school students will soon take the Des Moines Civic Center stage. On Monday, June 6, 2016 at 7:00 p.m., Des Moines Performing Arts will present the fourth annual Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase that will recognize 34 high schools from across the state. The program has continued to grow by leaps and bounds since nine schools first participated during its inaugural year in 2012. Check out the preview video!

Tickets to the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase, which start at $15, are on sale now at DesMoinesPerformingArts.org, the Civic Center Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations and charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000.

The Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards is a year-long education program launched by Des Moines Performing Arts. Throughout the school year, performing arts professionals and educators serve as adjudicators to review musical productions and offer constructive feedback to each of the participating high schools. Des Moines Performing Arts also offers learning opportunities for participating students where they can explore the performing arts industry. Many of these experiences are facilitated by artists from touring productions that come to the Civic Center.

Based on the adjudicators' feedback, students and productions will be honored at the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase on June 6. Students and productions are acknowledged in several different categories including: Outstanding Musical Production, Outstanding Performance in a Lead or Supporting Role, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Technical Achievement. Additionally, the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase will feature entertainment from more than 400 high school students representing their schools' musical productions. They will perform excerpts from their musical productions, as well as collaborative inter-school medleys.

This year, all high schools within 125 miles of Des Moines Performing Arts were invited to take part in this program. The 34 participating schools and their productions include:

• Algona High School - ANNIE
• Ankeny Centennial High School - DAMN YANKEES
• Ankeny High School - THE MUSIC MAN
• BCLUW High School (Conrad) - THE WIZARD OF OZ
• Bondurant-Farrar High School - GODSPELL
• Carlisle High School - BYE BYE BIRDIE
• Centerville High School - HONK!
• Dowling Catholic High School (West Des Moines) - BYE BYE BIRDIE
• East High School (Des Moines) - DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
• Fairfield High School - GUYS AND DOLLS
• Forest City High School - SHREK THE MUSICAL
• Fort Dodge Senior High School - CRAZY FOR YOU
• George Washington High School (Cedar Rapids) - LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL
• Grinnell High School - ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
• Hoover High School (Des Moines) - 13
• Hudson High School - THE WIZARD OF OZ
• Indianola High School - ANYTHING GOES
• John F. Kennedy High School (Cedar Rapids) - THE PAJAMA GAME
• Johnston High School - FOOTLOOSE
• Knoxville High School - LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL
• Linn-Mar High School - THE MUSIC MAN
• Maharishi School (Fairfield) - ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
• Mount Vernon High School - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
• Nevada High School - GUYS AND DOLLS
• North Polk High School (Alleman) - DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
• Norwalk High School - GREASE
• Ottumwa High School - OKLAHOMA
• Pella Christian High School - WEST SIDE STORY
• Roosevelt High School (Des Moines) - SHREK THE MUSICAL
• Southeast Polk High School - THE ADDAMS FAMILY
• Union High School (La Porte City) - STATE FAIR
• Waukee High School - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
• Williamsburg High School - THE ADDAMS FAMILY
• Winterset High School - DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

In addition to recognition and student performances, the Triple Threat Award winners will be revealed at the Awards Showcase. The Triple Threat Award is given to one young man and one young woman who will represent Iowa at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City in late June. The two recipients will spend 10 days at the National Awards, up from seven days last year.

For more information about the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, please visit:http://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/education/k-12/musical-theater.php.

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