Pittsburg CLO Announces Gene Kelly Award Nominees

Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh are proud to announce the nominees for the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater.  The awards show will take place on Saturday, May 24, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.
 
Over the past three months, a panel of 25 judges have attended the performances by the following 28 Allegheny County high schools: Baldwin-Whitehall,  Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Carrick, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Deer Lakes, Eden Christian Academy, Hampton, Keystone Oaks, McKeesport,  North Catholic, North Hills, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH),  Perry Traditional Academy, Pine-Richland,  Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA),  Plum, Quaker Valley, Riverview, St. Joseph, Schenley, Shaler, Taylor Allderdice, West Mifflin, Winchester Thurston and Woodland Hills. 
 
The panel of judges was comprised of performing arts educators, arts administrators, entertainment professionals and performers.  On May 2, these judges met for a final discussion and to review of highlights from each high school's production.  The scoring was then tabulated by Deloitte. The Nominees for the 2008 Gene Kelly Awards are:
 
Best Scenic Design
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
Hampton                                                Into the Woods
North Catholic                                      Seussical
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
St. Joseph                                              Once on This Island
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
Best Costume Design
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
Eden Christian Academy                    Narnia, the Musical
North Catholic                                      Seussical
Perry Traditional Academy                Urinetown
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
               
 
Best Lighting Design
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
North Catholic                                      Seussical
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Quaker Valley                                       Footloose
Riverview                                              Aida
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
                Best All-Student Orchestra
CAPA                                                    Children of Eden
Hampton                                                Into the Woods
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Plum                                                       Singin' in the Rain
Taylor Allderdice                                 Footloose
West Mifflin                                         The Wiz
 
                Best Supporting Actor
Michael Campayno                              Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Gaston"
Alex Cosentino                                     Riverview                                              Aida                                       "Mareb"
Brad Pietryga                                        Plum                                                       Singin' in the Rain              "Cosmo Brown"
Nicholas Rushe                                    Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Lumiere"
Ted Stevenson                                     Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Lumiere"
Shaun Umpleby                                    West Mifflin                                         The Wiz                                  "The Wiz"
 
Best Supporting Actress
Hannah Belmonte                                Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Mrs. Potts"
Katie Esswein                                       North Hills                                             Dames at Sea                        "Joan"
Maddie Georgi                                      Hampton                                                Into the Woods                     "Little Red"
Barbara Johnson                                  Winchester Thurston                          Once on This Island            "Andrea"
Arielle Katcher                                     Pine-Richland                                       Seussical                               "Mayzie"
Teressa LaGamba                                 Schenley                                                All Shook Up                        "Sylvia"
 
Best Ensemble
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
North Hills                                             Dames at Sea
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart            Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Schenley                                                All Shook Up
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
Best Crew / Technical Execution
Baldwin-Whitehall                               Beauty and the Beast
Hampton                                                Into the Woods
North Catholic                                      Seussical
Keystone Oaks                                     Brigadoon
West Mifflin                                         The Wiz
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
Best Choreography
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
North Catholic                                      Seussical
North Hills                                             Dames at Sea
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Plum                                                       Singin' in the Rain
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
Best Direction
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
Hampton                                                Into the Woods
North Catholic                                      Seussical
North Hills                                             Dames at Sea
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
Best Actor
Jaron Frand                                           CAPA                                                    Children of Eden                 "Adam/Noah"     
Cody Hoellerman                                 Pine-Richland                                       Seussical                               "Cat in the Hat"
Jeff Markanich                                      Our Lady of the Sacred Heart            Joseph and the Amazing… "Joseph"
Kian McCollum                                    Chartiers Valley                                    All Shook Up                        "Chad"
Bobby Neumeyer                                 Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Beast"
Dylan Putas                                          Bishop Canevin                                    Seussical                               "Cat in the Hat"
 
Best Actress
Sarah Chybrzynski                               Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Belle"
Lauren Gigliotti                                     Pine-Richland                                       Seussical                               "Gertrude"
Jane Jeffries                                          Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast          "Belle"
Sarah-Jane Kirkland                             Schenley                                                All Shook Up                        "Natalie"
Yin Yin Ou                                             Winchester Thurston                          Once on This Island            "Ti Moune"
Ally Scalo                                              North Catholic                                      Seussical                               "Gertrude"
Best Musical
 
Budget Category I
CAPA                                                    Children of Eden
Perry Traditional Academy                Urinetown
Schenley                                                All Shook Up
 
Budget Category II
Central Catholic                                    Beauty and the Beast
Hampton                                                Into the Woods
North Catholic                                      Seussical
                               
Budget Category III
North Hills                                             Dames at Sea
Pine-Richland                                       Seussical
Woodland Hills                                    Beauty and the Beast
 
Again this year, Pittsburgh CLO will offer the Gene Kelly Scholarships.  The CLO will award cash scholarships totaling $11,500 to high school seniors who have applied and been accepted to a school for the performing or technical arts.  Each of the 28 Gene Kelly schools were allowed to nominate one student who has excelled within his/her high school musical theater program.  Each nominee auditioned before a panel of judges on May 2.  These merit-based scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of Sandra and Seymour Baskin, Paul E. Block, Virginia S. Nicklas in memory of Gene Kelly, Sandra Short, Mary Alice Tripp in memory of Art Tripp, Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Williams. 
 
This year for the first time, the CLO Ambassadors will be providing a scholarship to a college-bound student from one of the participating schools.  This scholarship is open to students who are pursuing majors outside of the arts.  This scholarship is awarded to a student whose work on their musical exemplifies enthusiasm, dedication and an appreciation for the collaborative efforts of theater.
 
Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards are co-presented by the University of Pittsburgh with additional support provided by American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, National City, Virginia S. Nicklas and the CLO Ambassadors.
 
Deloitte is the official auditor for Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards.
           
Tickets to the Awards Ceremony will be available to the public on Monday, May 12.  For tickets, call 412-456-6666.       
 
Pittsburgh CLO is also pleased to announce that Gene Kelly's widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, will once again participate in the awards show.
 
The Gene Kelly Awards will be broadcast live on the Lightboard at Theater Square (Jumbotron).  This "Party on the Plaza" is free and open to the public.  Students, teachers, family and high school musical theater fans can gather in Katz Plaza at the corner of Seventh Street and Penn Avenue for a great view of the Lightboard broadcast.  Audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for a fun-filled evening.