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2017 Utah High School Musical Theatre Award Nominees Announced

By: May. 01, 2017
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Broadway meets Utah on May 13, 2017 when more than 250 performers from 29 high school productions across the state compete in the seventh annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards at the new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City.

Tickets, just $20, $15 for students, are on sale now at www.ArtTix.org and the Eccles Theater box office. The engagement landing page can be found here.

Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, in partnership with Broadway at the Eccles, produces, sponsors and organizes this event. Special thanks to Chevron, Zions Bank, The Domo Broadway at the Eccles Education Fund, Delta Airlines and Hotel Monaco for their support.

Throughout the year, UFOMT sends professional judges to adjudicate and respond to participating high school productions. Finalists, including schools and individuals, will perform and receive awards in front of a live audience on May 13th at 7 p.m in the Eccles Theater.

Months of preparation culminate on this red-carpet evening hosted by Michael Ballam, founding general director of UFOMT. In addition to the finalist performances, awards will be given for each aspect of the show from performance to technical awards.

"There's nothing like it in the state," said Vanessa Ballam, Utah Festival's education director. She described past ceremonies as "complete euphoria." She explained the high schools are supportive of each other and that while it's a competition, it's more importantly a chance to "celebrate excellence, and a wonderful way to unite the talented students of our state."

Ballam is enthusiastic that moving the awards program to the beautiful Eccles theatre will allow more students to participate and bring more recognition to the stellar student work.

Michael Ballam, the program visionary states, "Utah's youth strive to become high achievers. As a state, we do well to recognize and reward athletic prowess and academic acumen. Until 7 years ago, we had never done so for excellence in this creative forum. The UHSMTA was envisioned to celebrate excellence and tireless efforts of students, teachers, administrators and parents in our high schools, both state-wide and nationally. They create fantastic memories that the participants and observers will never forget." Kevin Nakatani, Utah Festival's co-director of the UHSTMA states, "This event is simply the highlight of my year. The arts are a pursuit of passion and Utah high school students, and the faculty that guide them in these productions, have it in spades. We are grateful to bring them together for one night to celebrate that passion and the incredible talent the youth in this state possesses."

The winners in the UHSMTA Best Actor and Actress categories will be sponsored to participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City this June. During this week-long intensive, students from across the country rehearse, attend master classes, receive one-on-one coaching from theatre professionals, work with casting agents, and rub shoulders with Broadway professionals. The week in New York culminates in a live awards show on June 26th at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre where the Jimmy™ Awards for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress will be presented. Scholarships for the 2017 Jimmy™ Awards include the opportunity for merit and need-based assistance to attend NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and New Studio on Broadway: Acting and Music Theatre contingent upon acceptance into the prestigious schools.

Best dress or formalwear is encouraged for the May 13th Awards Show at the Eccles Theatre.

Tickets, just $20, $15 for students, are on sale now at www.ArtTix.org and the Eccles Theater box office. The engagement landing page can be found here.


2017 UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS:
Finalists by Category

Best Musical Finalists

Alta High The Music Man

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Highland High Seussical

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Logan High Crazy for You

Northridge High Fiddler on the Roof

Ogden High The Sound of Music

Park City High Little Women

Uintah High Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Actor Finalists

Preston Rowland (Edward Bloom) Cottonwood High

Gabriel Armstrong (Narrator) DaVinci Academy

Liam Hunsaker (Jekyll/Hyde) Layton High

McKay Horton (Eric) Layton High

Alex Lambert (Bobby Child) Logan High

Jason Neighbor (Bobby Child) Parowan High

Levi Hopkins (Gomez Addams) Ridgeline High

Brant Johnson (Caractacus Potts) Uintah High

Boston Curnow (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) Viewmont High

Preston Smith (Prince/Beast) Woods Cross High

Best Actress Finalists

Jessica Lewis (Miriam) DaVinci Academy

Sariah Pratt (Ariel) Layton High

Nalani Matthias (Polly Baker) Logan High

Morgan Jepson (Amneris) Northridge High

Emma Wadsworth (Maria Rainer) Ogden High

Alexa Wilcox (Jo March) Park City High

Matraca Bartel (Judy Bernly) Saint Joseph Catholic High

Jenna Urry (Eliza Doolittle) Skyline High

Taylore Cahoon (Brenda Strong) Viewmont High

Abigail Watts (Belle) Woods Cross High

Best Supporting Actor Finalists

Kaden Garcia (George Poppet) Fremont High

Thomas Moore (Roger) Juan Diego Catholic High

Liam Hunsaker (Sebastian) Layton High

Holden Smith (Sir Danvers Carew) Layton High

Dallin Clark (Bela Zangler) Logan High

Bailey King (Perchik) Northridge High

Jack Bell (Mereb) Northridge High

Caden Tudor (Nicely-Nicely Johnson) Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts

Seth Pike (Freddy Eynsford-Hill) Skyline High

Jackson Adams (Gaston) Woods Cross High

Best Supporting Actress Finalists

Karin Allred (Jenny Hill) Cottonwood High

Angela Wright (Mother Superior) East High

Brie Bauer (Marty) Juan Diego Catholic High

Aubrianna Servoss (Ursula) Layton High

Mackenzie Turner (Lucy Harris) Layton High

Rylee Jensen (Aida) Northridge High

Savannah Coburn (Liesl von Trapp) Ogden High

Eileen Riley (Marmee) Park City High

Elizebeth Swink (Alice Beineke) Ridgeline High

Emma Duffin (Mrs. Potts) Woods Cross High

Best Cameo Finalists

Kylan Goodwin (Charlie Cowell) Alta High

Aria Critchley (Sister Mary Robert) East High

Kailey Going / Daniel Anson (Things) Highland High

Reilly Eder (Miss Lynch) Juan Diego Catholic High

Danielle Reid (Nellie) Layton High

Tatiana Chudy (Margaret) Saint Joseph Catholic High

David van Frankenhuijsen (Announcer) Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts

Mekenzie Davies (Mrs. Hopkins) Skyline High

Connor Talbot / Aidan Piner (Boris & Goran) Uintah High

Liz Hewlett / Kayli McCoy (Spiker & Sponge) Viewmont High

Dre Hay (LeFou) Woods Cross High

Best Director Finalists

Cottonwood High Big Fish

Highland High Seussical

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Logan High Crazy for You

Northridge High Fiddler on the Roof

Ogden High The Sound of Music

Park City High Little Women

Uintah High Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Viewmont High Catch Me if You Can

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Choreography (Faculty) Finalists

Alta High The Music Man

Cottonwood High Big Fish

East High Sister Act

Highland High Seussical

Logan High Crazy for You

Northridge High Aida

Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts Guys & Dolls

Uintah High Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Viewmont High Catch Me if You Can

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Set Design (Faculty) Finalists

Bountiful High Into the Woods

Cottonwood High Big Fish

Fremont High Redhead

Highland High Seussical

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Logan High Crazy for You

Ogden High The Sound of Music

Park City High Little Women

Uintah High Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Costume Design (Faculty) Finalists

East High Sister Act

Fremont High Redhead

Highland High Seussical

Juan Diego Catholic High Grease

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Ogden High The Sound of Music

Parowan High Crazy for You

Skyline High My Fair Lady

Uintah High Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Lighting Design (Faculty) Finalists

Cottonwood High Big Fish

Fremont High Redhead

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Logan High Crazy for You

Northridge High Aida

Northridge High Fiddler on the Roof

Ogden High The Sound of Music

Park City High Little Women

Uintah High Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Technical Crew Finalists

Alta High The Music Man

Bountiful High Into the Woods

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Highland High Seussical

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Northridge High Aida

Ogden High The Sound of Music

Park City High Little Women

Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts Guys & Dolls

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Orchestra Finalists

Alta High The Music Man

Cottonwood High Big Fish

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Highland High Seussical

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Northridge High Fiddler on the Roof

Park City High Little Women

Ridgeline High The Addams Family

Skyline High My Fair Lady

Viewmont High Catch Me if You Can

Best Ensemble Finalists

Alta High The Music Man

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Highland High Seussical

Layton High Jekyll & Hyde

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Logan High Crazy for You

Northridge High Aida

Northridge High Fiddler on the Roof

Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts Guys & Dolls

Woods Cross High Beauty & the Beast

Best Choreography (Student) Finalists

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Layton High Jekyll & Hyde

Layton High The Little Mermaid

Ogden High A Funny Thing Happened...

Viewmont High James and the Giant Peach

Best Set Design (Student) Finalists

Clearfield High Elf, Jr.

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Layton High Jekyll & Hyde

Ogden High A Funny Thing Happened...

Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts Guys & Dolls

Viewmont High James and the Giant Peach

Best Lighting Design (Student) Finalists

Clearfield High Elf, Jr.

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Layton High Jekyll & Hyde

Ogden High A Funny Thing Happened...

Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts Guys & Dolls

Skyline High My Fair Lady

Skyridge High Beauty & the Beast

Viewmont High Catch Me if You Can

Viewmont High James and the Giant Peach

Best Costume Design (Student) Finalists

Clearfield High Elf, Jr.

DaVinci Academy Fly by Night

Layton High Jekyll & Hyde

Northridge High Aida

Ogden High A Funny Thing Happened...

Saint Joseph Catholic High 9 to 5

Viewmont High James and the Giant Peach



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