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Mayo High School and Hennepin Theatre Trust

Announce Fall 2015 Spotlight Education Program Honors

MINNEAPOLIS—Mayo High School and Hennepin Theatre Trust recognized the musical theatre accomplishments of Minnesota students and schools participating in the Trust’s Spotlight Education program for the 2015 fall semester. Spotlight Education is the Trust’s premier education initiative, which supports and honors Minnesota high school students and programs focused on musical theatre. Minnesota native and Broadway performer, and former Spotlight alumnae, Laura Osnes, is the 2015-2016 Spotlight Education spokesperson. This past fall, 47 schools submitted their high school musical for production assessment by theatre professionals and educators on behalf of the Trust. These critiques provided detailed educational feedback for the students and directors in categories ranging from overall production to individual performances. Shows are not compared or ranked against each other, so categories may have multiple honorees. This year’s 2015 fall honorees are listed below. Mayo High School presented CHICAGO and is receiving the following honor(s) for its achievements: Overall Production: Outstanding Overall Performance: Outstanding Ensemble Performance: Outstanding Movement/Dance Performance by an Ensemble: Outstanding Overall Technical Team: Outstanding Student Orchestra: Outstanding Technical Crew: Outstanding A/V Board: Outstanding Costume Crew: Outstanding Individual Awards Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role: Nicole Riddering as Velma Kelly Isabella Loutfi as Roxie Hart Honorable Mention for Performance in a Leading Role:

PRESS CONTACT:

Dale B. Stark 612.455.9537

dale.stark@hennepintheatretrust.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Spotlight Education Fall 2015 Recognition, p. 2 Samuel Hildestad as Billy Flynn Honorable Mention for Performance in a Supporting Role: Caroline Utz as Matron Mama Morton ** Evaluator Shout-Outs: Victoria Sawchuk, Will O’Brian, Jacob Dyck Spotlight Education enriches students’ lives through a performing arts education. The program provides valuable educational, performing and creative experiences for students. These activities help foster essential life skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving and self-expression. Spotlight Education is composed of four initiatives: production assessment, Spotlight Showcase, workshops and master classes, and Critical Review. Spotlight Education schools and students will be recognized at the Spotlight Showcase over two evenings – 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 12 and Monday, June 13 – at the State Theatre. This professionally-produced event highlights the amazing talent of Minnesota high school musical theatre program students and educators who participate in the Spotlight Education program. Tickets for the Showcase go on sale in mid-February. Mayo High School will perform Monday, June 13, 2016!

Spotlight Education Fall 2015 Recognition, p. 3 This year’s 2015 Spotlight Education fall honorees include student and productions from the following schools:

- Anoka High School, The Music Man - Apple Valley High School, 9 to 5 - Becker High School, The Wizard of Oz - Bemidji High School, Shrek the Musical - Buffalo High School, West Side Story - Cambridge-Isanti High School, Legally Blonde - Centennial High School (Circle Pines), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Chanhassen High School, Pippin - Chaska High School, Anything Goes - Chisago Lakes High School, Grease - Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul), Children of Eden - Detroit Lakes High School, Aida - Duluth East High School, The Addams Family - East Ridge High School (Woodbury), Fiddler on the Roof - Eastview High School (Apple Valley), Into the Woods - Edina High School, Crazy For You - Farmington High School, Godspell - Forest Lake Area High School, The Wizard of Oz - Fridley High School, Hairspray - Great River High School (St. Paul), Annie - Healy High School (Pierz), Into the Woods - Hill-Murray High School (Maplewood), Annie - Irondale High School, Meredith Willson The Music Man - Lakeville North High School, Sweeney Todd - Maple Grove High School, Les Miserables - Mayo High School (Rochester), Chicago - Minnetonka High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It - Moorhead High School, Disney’s Tarzan - Mound Westonka High School, Little Shop of Horrors - New Life Academy (Woodbury), Meredith Willson’s The Music Man - North High School (Minneapolis), Bye Bye Birdie - Orono High School, Beauty and the Beast - Osseo High School, The Wizard of Oz - Princeton High School, Aida - Sauk Rapids High School, The Wizard of Oz - Shakopee High School, Camelot - Shattuck-St. Mary’s High School (Faribault), Annie - South St. Paul Secondary School, High School Musical - St. Michael-Albertville (Albertville), Guys and Dolls - Tartan High School (Oakdale), Cinderella - Totino-Grace High School (Fridley), The Addams Family - Watertown-Mayer High School, Beauty and the Beast - Wayzata High School, Beauty and the Beast - White Bear Lake High School, Nice Work If You Can Get It - Winona High School, The Addams Family - Woodbury High School, Thoroughly Modern Millie - Zimmerman High School, Disney’s The Little Mermaid

The complete list of specific recognitions is available online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org. HENNEPIN THEATRE TRUST, owner of the historic Orpheum, State, Pantages and New Century Theatres, is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to arts-inspired community cultural development. We achieve our mission by presenting a rich mix of live performances, creating inspiring arts education experiences and advancing WeDo™ – a thriving West Downtown Minneapolis Cultural District. Visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org. The Spotlight Education program is funded, in part, by the Minnesota State Arts Board through the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

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