Monday, June 4, 2007
The 5th Avenue Award Goes To...
Wells Fargo Sponsors Event Honoring Excellence
in High School Musical Theater
SEATTLE - Tonight, 2,100 high school students from across Washington state packed The 5th Avenue Theatre for the Fifth Annual 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards, sponsored by Wells Fargo. The students screamed at the top of their lungs, jumped and cheered as the award recipients were announced in 21 different categories, ranging from “Outstanding Overall Musical Production” to “Outstanding Lobby Display.”
Much like the nominees for the upcoming Tony Awards will be, the high school theater nominees were dressed to kill and glowing with anticipation. Award presenters included former Seattle Mayor Norman B. Rice and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs Michael Killoren. Also presenting awards and celebrating with the students were many professional actors who have appeared in 5th Avenue productions, as well as high-profile arts and media personalities from organizations such as Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, Seattle Weekly, KOMO TV and KCPQ TV.
Hundreds of students had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform on the historic 5th Avenue stage. Nominees in select categories presented numbers from their shows, and collaborated on song medleys. Dozens of students received honorable mentions and special achievement awards. Students and teachers alike were thrilled to receive recognition for their hard work and dedication, just as accomplished high school athletes have received for decades.
TVW will broadcast The 5th Avenue High School Awards Ceremony, in its entirety, on Wednesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. and again on Friday, June 8 at 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. After June 9, the event may be viewed in streaming video at www.tvw.org and will be available for viewing via Comcast ON DEMAND.
Bellarmine Preparatory School walked away with 3 awards, including Outstanding Overall Musical. A.C. Davis, Edmonds Home School Resource Center, Kentlake, Overlake, Sequim and Thomas Jefferson all received 2 awards each. The complete list of award recipients is:
Outstanding Overall Musical Production
Bellarmine Preparatory School, Urinetown
Outstanding Direction
The Overlake School, The Robber Bridegroom
Outstanding Music Direction
Bellarmine Preparatory School, Urinetown
Outstanding Choreography
Edmonds Home School Resource Center, Gabe Corey, CATS
Outstanding Orchestra
Kentridge High School, Thoroughly Modern Millie
Outstanding Scenic Design
The Overlake School, The Robber Bridegroom
Outstanding Lighting Design
Capital High School, AIDA
Outstanding Costume Design
Kentlake High School, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Outstanding Hair and Make-Up Design
Shorecrest High School, The Wizard of Oz
Outstanding Stage Crew
Thomas Jefferson High School, The Secret Garden
Outstanding Lobby Display
A.C. Davis High School, Carousel
Outstanding Program Design
Richland High School, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Curtis High School, Natalie McClellan and Sonya Meyer as “Violet” and “Daisy Hilton,” Side Show
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Kentlake High School, Eric Hagreen as “Pseudolus,” A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Bellarmine Preparatory School, Katie Peters as “Little Sally,” Urinetown
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Sequim High School, Blake Barnes as “Gideon,” Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Featured Ensemble Role
A.C. Davis High School, Hallie Scott as “Louise,” Carousel
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Featured Ensemble Role
Edmonds Home School Resource Center, Justin Ramsey as “Mungojerrie” and “Mr. Mistofeles,” CATS
Outstanding Performance by a Chorus
Kentwood High School, Roar of the Greasepaint, Smell of the Crowd
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Group
Sequim High School, The Brothers, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Outstanding Performance by an Actor or Actress in a Non-Singing Role
Thomas Jefferson High School, Michelle Pecoraro as “Mrs. Medlock,” The Secret Garden
Special Honors: Outstanding Work by an Ensemble Cast
- Klahowya High School, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown
- Shorewood High School, Urinetown
- Stanwood High School, Godspell
Special Honors: Educational Impact
- Auburn Riverside High School, Seussical
- Eastside Catholic High School, Quilt! A Musical Celebration
- Edmonds Home School Resource Center, The Ragged Child
- Shoreline Christian School, Obstruction Island
Special Honors: Student Achievement
- Darrin Kaschmitte, A.C. Davis High School
- Casey Stephenson, A.C. Davis High School
- Francine Howard, Bethel High School
- Lynn Le, Capital High School
- Caitlin Cowan, Curtis High School
- Maria Griffin, Decatur High School
- Shayla Wood, Edmonds Home School Resource Center
- Madeline Heffernan, Lake Stevens High School
- Joseph Bennett, Liberty High School
- Michael Vos, Lynden Christian High School
- Shane Goldbaum-Unger, Nathan Hale High School
- Kevin Flynn, Olympia High School
- Race Nagley, The Overlake School
- Anna Thomas Henry, Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Kelsey Thorgalsen, Skyline High School
- John Farrey, Stanwood High School
- Cordelia Bickford, Woodinville High School
The 5th Avenue Awards is an important part of the Theatre’s ongoing educational outreach effort that nurtures future artists and audiences. Along with Adventure Musical Theatre, a traveling outreach program which brings original musicals to school throughout Washington, First Friday Workshops, which provide professional training to high school students, and the Student Matinee program, The 5th Avenue Awards demonstrates a firm commitment to arts education.
The 5th Avenue Theatre is Seattle’s premier musical theater. In 1980, the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre began producing and presenting top-quality live musical theater for the cultural enrichment of the Northwest community. The 5th Avenue Theatre maintains a subscription audience of 24,000 and an annual attendance of more than 225,000. It ranks among the nation’s largest and most respected musical theater companies. The theater is committed to encouraging the next generation of theatergoers through its Educational Outreach Program which includes: The Adventure Musical Theatre Touring Company, The 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards, First Friday Workshops, the Student Matinee Program and Spotlight Nights. Unique in its Chinese-inspired design, the exquisite theater opened in 1926 as a venue for vaudeville and film. Today, under the leadership of Managing Director Marilynn Sheldon and Producing Artistic Director David Armstrong, The 5th Avenue Theatre continues to achieve the highest standards in all aspects of artistic endeavors and facility operations, while preserving its artistic, architectural and historic legacy. Visit www.5thavenue.org.
In Washington, Wells Fargo has more than 4,100 team members and 228 banking, mortgage and financial stores. Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $486 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through more than 6,000 stores and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only bank in the U.S., and one of only two banks worldwide, to have the highest credit rating from both Moody’s Investors Service, "Aaa," and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, “AAA.”
Please contact Molly Fortin, Public Relations Manager, at (206) 625-1418 with questions or to schedule individual interviews. Photos available upon request.