Triangle Rising Stars Awards Finalists Announced; Ceremony Set for 6/6

Along with Theatre in the Park, Playmakers Repertory Company and ABC 11, Durham Performing Arts Center is thrilled to present the culmination of this year's Triangle Rising Stars program announced from a record number of applicants. The Triangle Rising Stars Live Showcase and Awards show will take place at DPAC on Monday, June 6 at 7:00pm. starring the student finalists from Triangle-area high school musical productions. Triangle Rising Stars is a non-profit education initiative created in 2010 to celebrate high school theater students who participate and excel with wide-ranging talents in their musical productions. Triangle Rising Stars is a regional qualifying program for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA).

Tickets start at just $10 for the Live Showcase and Awards Show at DPAC are on sale now:

• Online at DPACnc.com
• DPAC Ticket Center: 919.680.2787, 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC
• Ticketmaster.com / Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800.745.3000

*All ticket sales support the Triangle Rising Stars program.

"DPAC is pleased to recognize such amazing local talent from such wide regions of the Triangle at the upcoming Triangle Rising Stars Awards. It is an amazing educational opportunity to experience performing on the DPAC stage as well as the opportunity to be a part of our very own Nederlander program in New York City the Jimmy Awards™," stated Rachel Traversari, Marketing Director at DPAC.

The Triangle Rising Stars Best Actor and Best Actress scholarships will be awarded following a final closed audition process and several days of workshopping and rehearsals to take place leading up to the showcase ticketed event on June 6th. The judging panel began the audition process in the fall by attending and adjudicating high school musicals from a record number of 86 applicants across 26 high schools. As a regional qualifier program, The Triangle Rising Stars Best Actor and Best Actress recipients will also be invited to attend the National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City on June 19-June 28, 2016. This all-expense paid trip allows students from across the country to train with Broadway actors, directors and producers. Their week of coaching, auditions and rehearsals concludes with a sold-out performance on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre (Home of Disney's The Lion King©) where the coveted Jimmy™ Awards for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress are announced.

TRIANGLE RISING STARS BEST ACTRESS FINALISTS:

• Wake County, Apex High School: Ainsley Seiger (Wednesday Addams, The Addams Family)
• Durham County, Durham Academy: Lily Tendler (Hodel, Fiddler on The Roof)
• Wake County, Enloe High School: Kelsey Willard (Baker's Wife, Into The Woods)
• Durham County, Hillside High School: Camryn Sherer (Carmen, Fame)
• Wake County, Holly Springs High School: Cameryn Bost (Elle, Cinderella)
• Wake County, Millbrook High School: Gabrielle Goodman (Annie, Annie Get Your Gun)
• Wake County, Panther Creek High School: Kaylee Terrell (Mary Poppins, Marry Poppins)
• Wake County, Southeast Raleigh High School: Taria Daughtridge (The Witch, Into The Woods)
• Wake County, Ravenscroft School: Gabrielle Phillips (Princess Winifred, Once Upon a Mattress)
• Durham County, Riverside High School: Vanaya Henderson (Princess Winifred, Once Upon a Mattress)

TRIANGLE RISING STARS BEST ACTOR FINALISTS:

• Wake County, Apex High School: Lucas Beckett (Gomez Addams, The Addams Family)
• Durham County, C.E. Jordan High School: Brandon Martin (Benny, In The Heights)
• Durham County, Cresset Christian Academy: Daniel Madden (Javert, Les Miserables)
• Johnston County, Clayton High School: Nicholas Kraft (Daniel, Once On This Island)
• Wake County, Enloe High School: Ricky Hall (Jack, Into The Woods)
• Wake County, Fuquay-Varina High School: Leon Ray (Donkey, Shrek)
• Wake County, Green Hope High School: Jacob Bush (Amos Hart, Chicago)
• Wake County, Holly Springs High School: Andrew Peters (Topher, Cinderella)
• Chatham County, Northwood High School: Connor Lewis (Robbie, The Wedding Singer)
• Wake County, St. Thomas More Academy: Aldani Herrera (Usnavi, In The Heights)

"PlayMakers Repertory Company is thrilled to partner with DPAC again this year as a part of the Triangle Rising Stars program," said Jenny Wales, Education Manager of PlayMakers Repertory Company. "The Talent in the Triangle area is extraordinary and we are pleased to support this fantastic program that allows our area talent an opportunity to perform at DPAC and share the talent here in North Carolina with a national audience at the Jimmy Awards in NYC."

The Triangle Rising Stars Awards event on June 6th will be hosted by Heather Waliga, of ABC 11 News. The 20 finalists will be featured in two group performances, as well as a medley of individual performances where each student will showcase their own solos. Along with the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, accolades will also be given for Best Musical and Best Ensemble. From the participating schools, four finalists have already been chosen for these honors:

BEST MUSICAL:

• In The Heights, C.E. Jordan High School
• Fiddler on The Roof, Durham Academy
• Into The Woods, Enloe High School
• Cinderella, Holly Springs High School

BEST ENSEMBLE:

• The Addams Family, Apex High School
• Thoroughly Modern Millie, Athens Drive High School
• Grease, Cary High School
• Beauty & The Beast, East Chapel Hill High School

For more information about the Triangle Rising Stars Program, visit: http://www.dpacnc.com/trs

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