WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Oscar Sales, Jr. May 12, 2004: On Monday, June 7th at 7pm, the Helen Hayes Theatre Company and the White Plains Performing Arts Center will hold the 6th Annual High School Musical Theatre Awards. Award categories cover the entire spectrum of musical production, from Overall Production of a Musical to Outstanding Lobby Display. The winners will be given the coveted award (known affectionately as “The Helen”) in a glamorous, star-studded ceremony that will be held simultaneously in Nyack and in White Plains with a live satellite feed.
This year the Helen Hayes High School Theatre Awards, designed to encourage and reward exceptional accomplishments in the production and performance of high school musicals, involved 25 schools from Rockland, Bergen & Westchester counties. The awards have grown in prestige since its first year in 1999. And this year, each theatre will have its own Master of Ceremonies, Musical Director and celebrity award-presenters. Some of the awards and performances will take place at the HHTC and other awards and performances will take place at the WPPAC. Using satellites that are orbiting 23,000 miles over the equator, a video will link both theatres to the ceremony.
Danielle Rudess, Director of the Helen Hayes Youth Theatre and Producer of the Theatre Awards, said, “We are so excited about the awards this year, and not only because of the satellite. The productions this year have risen to level that many rival professional productions. The awards get harder and harder every year. The kids and their teachers are so dedicated and talented that it makes it hard to award one winner in each category. I know these great productions not only foster pride for the schools but, increase the support for the high school drama departments from school administrators and from parents.” She added, “This is so important because drama training has so much to offer students: reinforcing literacy skills, public speaking, self-esteem, and ‘team’ building.”
The ceremony, modeled after the Tony and Academy Awards, will feature musical numbers from the productions nominated for Best Overall Production of a Musical plus a medley of songs performed by the nominees for the Best Actress and Best Actor in a Leading Roll. Jim Fyfe and John Patrick Schutz will serve are Masters of Ceremony and Neil Berg and Jordan Rudess will be the musical directors. The awards will be presented to students by an array of celebrities and luminaries from the theatrical world and from the local community. While the list of presenters for this year is still being formed, past presenters have included Tony Award winners and nominees: Gwen Verdon, Tony Walton, Rupert Holmes, Donna Murphy, William Ivey Long, Don Pippin, Marvin Laird, Priscilla Lopez and many more.
The Helen Hayes High School Theater Awards will take place on Monday, June 7th at 7pm at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company in Nyack and the White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains. Tickets are $27. For tickets, please call the Helen Hayes Box Office at 845-358-6333 or the White Plains Performing Arts Center at 888-977-2250.
Following is a list of participating schools for the 2004 Theatre Awards.
Rockland County
Clarkstown North “Bye Bye Birdie”
Rockland Country Day “Into the Woods”
Spring Valley H.S. “On The Town”
Tappan Zee H.S. “42nd Street”
Westchester County
Archbishop Stepinac “The Scarlet Pimpernel”
Briarcliff H.S. “Joseph…”
Bronxville “Grease”
Eastchester “Me and My Girl”
Fox Lane “Starmites”
Harrison “Barnum”
New Rochelle “A Funny Thing…Forum”
Ossining H.S. “The Wiz”
Pelham “Mystery of Edwin Drood”
Rye Neck “Bye Bye Birdie”
Somers “Into the Woods”
Tuckahoe “Sound of Music”
Westlake “Meet Me in St. Louis”
Woodlands “The Wiz”
Bergen County
Academy of the Holy Angels “Anything Goes”
Fairlawn H.S. “Company”
New Milford “Damn Yankees”
Northern Highlands H.S “Music Man”
Northern Valley “How to Succeed…”
Saddle River Day School “How to Succeed…”
St. Joseph’s “Les Mis”
