Pittsburgh CLO's 2021 Gene Kelly Award Winners Announced

Pittsburgh CLO honored Allegheny County's finest high school performers at the 30th Annual Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater on Saturday, May 29, 2021.

Named for legendary performer and Pittsburgh native Gene Kelly, the celebration emphasizes the importance of arts education and rewards the time, energy and dedication that local high schools devote to their musical productions each spring.

The event featured performances from the 2021 nominees and students from the participating schools as well as a special message from guest of honor, Patricia Ward Kelly, the wife of the late actor for whom the awards are named.

As many high schools were unable to produce their annual spring musicals and are still struggling with the implications of the pandemic, Pittsburgh CLO made a shift from the traditional in-person Gene Kelly Awards Ceremony to a virtual one. After holding several town hall meetings and conversations with previous participants and area teachers, the need to resume this unique and beloved event became more pressing. As we continued to adapt to the ever-changing new normal, staff, volunteers, and school representatives have been worked diligently behind the scenes to put together this first-ever online Gene Kelly Awards ceremony. One of the most exciting aspects of this year's online format was that all high school students living in Allegheny County were able to participate.

"Since its beginning in 1991, the Kelly Awards has recognized the incredible talent of students across Allegheny County," said Executive Producer, Mark Fleischer. "While we can't be together in person at the Benedum, gathering virtually will allow us to applaud the ingenuity and perseverance of students, teachers, and school communities. In a time when we need the arts the most, they have found new ways, despite seemly insurmountable obstacles, to ensure musical theater remained a part of their school year."

In 2009, CEO Van Kaplan brought Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards into the national spotlight by co-founding The Jimmy Awards / The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, based on its own revered program. Originally, 16 existing regional awards programs participated. Due to the growth in popularity of high school musicals, 36 programs will participate in this year's event and culminating performance on Broadway.

Pittsburgh CLO congratulates the 2021 Gene Kelly Awards winners, nominees and the following 31 participating Allegheny County high schools: Avonworth High School, Baldwin High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Central/Oakland Catholic, Chartiers Valley High School, Deer Lakes High School, Elizabeth Forward High School, Hampton High School, Keystone Oaks, McKeesport Area High School, Montour High School, Moon Area High School, North Hills Senior High School, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Penn Hills High School, Pine-Richland High School, Pittsburgh Allderdice, Pittsburgh CAPA, Plum Borough Senior High, Quaker Valley High School, Redeemer Lutheran School, Riverview, Serra Catholic High School, Sewickley Academy, Shady Side Academy, South Fayette, Springdale Jr-Sr High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, West Allegheny, Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School, Woodland Hills.

The Recipients of the 2021 Gene Kelly Awards are:

Best Supporting Actor

Desmon Jackson of Woodland Hills

Best Supporting Actress

Ellie Tongel of Plum Borough Senior High

Best Actor

Tyler Guinto-Brody of Elizabeth Forward High School

Best Actress

Audrey Logan of South Fayette High School

The winners for Best Actor and Best Actress will represent Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards in the 12th Jimmy Awards / The National High School Musical Theatre Awards which will be presented virtually on July 15. The Jimmy Awards /NHSMTA, otherwise known as The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, was established in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances, a division of The Nederlander Organization, to elevate the importance of theatre arts education in schools and reward excellence in student performance. The program impacts over 140,000 students annually who participate in high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by over forty professional theatres throughout the US.

Since its inception, NHSMTA has been the catalyst for more than $4,000,000 in educational scholarships awarded to deserving young performers. Also known as The Jimmy Awards, named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, this year-round program is administered by The Broadway League Foundation Inc.

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