Students from 21 Local High Schools Receive 'Applause' Awards for Outstanding Work in Musical Theater

Musical theater students from 21 local high schools are getting exciting news: they'll receive an "Applause Award" from the Dr. Phillips Center for their performance this year ... and they may be selected to represent Central Florida in a national musical theater competition in New York this June.

Modeled after the American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards, the Dr. Phillips Center "Applause Awards" are presented in 21 different categories, including Outstanding Musical, Lead and Supporting Performers, Director, Choreographer, and Set and Costume Design. An awards show is being planned for Saturday, June 1 at the Dr. Phillips Center, with tickets available to the public at drphillipscenter.org.

Nine local high schools received the highest honors for outstanding musical, including: Boone, Cypress Creek, Dr. Phillips, Lake Nona, Timber Creek, University, Windermere, Cornerstone Charter Academy and Harrison School for the Arts. Harrison, located in Lakeland, topped the list with a total of 12 Applause Awards. First-time winners Cornerstone Charter Academy, located in Pine Hills, received 11 Applause Awards this year. Productions ranged from classics such as The Pajama Game and The Sound of Music to contemporary hits like Catch Me If You Can and Bright Star.

A total of 29 students throughout the region are also being recognized as "outstanding lead performer." From that group, one male and one female performer will go on to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, or Jimmy Awards, in New York. In 2017, both students from Orlando won the Jimmy Awards - the first time that both "Best Actress" and "Best Actor" came from the same program and city. This year's winners will be announced at the Dr. Phillips Center's June 1 awards show.

"We're honored to host this annual program which nurtures and showcases the remarkable artistic talent of our young people. This program is a significant part of our vision. The dedication of our education team and the local professionals who adjudicated over 50 productions this year is matched only by the level of talent and commitment of the students," said Kathy Ramsberger, president and CEO of the Dr. Phillips Center. Adjudications of 51 musical theater productions spanned the nine months of this school year.

"The students collectively invest thousands of hours for each production, and are supported by a vast network of teachers, administrators and parents. Through the recognition and encouragement of The Applause Awards, the arts center is able to have a tremendous impact on Central Florida high school arts programs."

The Applause Awards are supported in part by Publix Supermarkets. For more information and tickets to the Applause Awards show, visit www.drphillipscenter.org or call the Dr. Phillips Center box office at 844.513.2014.

For a full list of winners visit drphillipscenter.org/applauseawards.

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