Nominees Announced For Gene Kelly Awards

Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh are proud to announce the nominees for the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in high school musical theater. The awards show will take place on May 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Over the past three months, a panel of 32 judges have attended the performances by the following 28 Allegheny County high schools: Avonworth, Baldwin-Whitehall, Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Deer Lakes, Hampton Township, Keystone Oaks, McKeesport, North Catholic, North Hills, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Pittsburgh Allderdice, Pittsburgh CAPA, Pittsburgh Perry, Pittsburgh Schenley, Plum, Riverview, Shady Side Academy, Springdale, Vincentian Academy,West Mifflin, Winchester Thurston and Woodland Hills.

The panel of judges was comprised of performing arts educators, arts administrators, entertainment professionals and performers. On May 1, these judges met for a final discussion and a review of highlights from each high school performance. The scoring was then tabulated by Deloitte Consulting, LLP.

The Gene Kelly nominees are:

Best Lighting Design:

Avonworth, "Into the Woods" Baldwin-Whitehall, "The Wizard of Oz" Bishop Canevin, "Anything Goes" Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, "Hello, Dolly!" Riverview, "Jesus Christ Superstar" Woodland Hills, "The Wizard of Oz"

Best Costume Design:

Bishop Canevin, "Anything Goes" Keystone Oaks, "Barnum" North Hills, "Oliver!" Pittsburgh CAPA, "Anna Karenina" Winchester Thurston, "The King and I" Woodland Hills, "The Wizard of Oz"

Best Scenic Design:

Baldwin-Whitehall, "The Wizard of Oz" Chartiers Valley, "The Wedding Singer" Hampton, "Anything Goes" McKeesport, "Once Upon a Mattress" West Mifflin, "Oklahoma!" Woodland Hills, "The Wizard of Oz"

Best Direction:

Baldwin-Whitehall North Hills Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Pittsburgh CAPA Pittsburgh Schenley Woodland Hills

Best Choreography:

Baldwin-Whitehall Chartiers Valley North Hills Pine-Richland Pittsburgh Schenley Woodland Hills

Best Crew/Technical Execution:

Baldwin-Whitehall Chartiers Valley North Hills Penn Hills West Mifflin Woodland Hills

Best All-Student Orchestra:

North Hills, "Oliver!" Pine-Richland, "Carousel" Pittsburgh CAPA, "Anna Karenina" Pittsburgh Schenley, "Return to the Forbidden Planet" Plum, "42nd Street" West Mifflin, "Oklahoma!"

Best Ensemble:

Baldwin-Whitehall North Hills Pine-Richland Pittsburgh CAPA Pittsburgh Schenley Woodland Hills

Best Supporting Actress:

Loni Ben-Zavi, Pittsburgh Schenley, "Return to the Forbidden Planet" Arielle Katcher, Pine-Richland, "Carousel" Christine Lamendola, Pine-Richland, "Carousel" Rachel Miller, Chartiers Valley, "The Wedding Singer" Marie Popovich, Baldwin-Whitehall, "The Wizard of Oz" Chelsea Stewart, Avonworth, "Into the Woods"

Best Supporting Actor:

Luke Halferty, Central Catholic, "Kiss Me, Kate" Teddy McKenna, Pittsburgh CAPA, "Anna Karenina" Connor McRory, Chartiers Valley, "The Wedding Singer" Nick Ruffing, West Mifflin, "Oklahoma!" Francesco Salpietro, Pine-Richland, "Carousel" Justin Spittel, Pittsburgh Allderdice, "Beauty and the Beast"

Best Actress:

Elizabeth Bailey, Pittsburgh CAPA, "Anna Karenina" Kirsten Hoover, North Hills, "Oliver!" Teressa LaGamba, Pittsburgh Schenley, "Return to the Forbidden Planet" Caitlin O'Connor, OLSH; "Hello, Dolly!" Andrea Weinzierl, Avonworth, "Into the Woods" Erin Zarisnak, Baldwin-Whitehall, "The Wizard of Oz"

Best Actor:

Troy Beaudry, North Hills, "Oliver!" Timothy DeVita, Woodland Hills, "The Wizard of Oz” Michael Ellwood, Pittsburgh Schenley, "Return to the Forbidden Planet" Kian McCollum, Chartiers Valley, "The Wedding Singer" Bobby Podolinski, Vincentian, "Children of Eden" Shawn Russman, Baldwin-Whitehall, "The Wizard of Oz"

The nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress will be competing for the opportunity to represent Pittsburgh CLO’s Gene Kelly Awards in the first ever National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City on Monday, June 29.

Best Musical/Budget Category I:

North Catholic, "Anything Goes" Pittsburgh CAPA, "Anna Karenina" Pittsburgh Schenley, "Return to the Forbidden Planet"

Best Musical/Budget Category II:

Avonworth, "Into the Woods" Chartiers Valley, "The Wedding Singer" Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, "Hello, Dolly!"

Best Musical/Budget Category III:

Baldwin-Whitehall, "The Wizard of Oz" North Hills, "Oliver!" Woodland Hills, "The Wizard of Oz"

Again this year, Pittsburgh CLO announced the Gene Kelly Scholarships. The CLO will award cash scholarships to high school seniors who have applied and been accepted to a school for the performing or technical arts. Each of the 28 Gene Kelly schools were allowed to nominate one student who has excelled within his/her high school musical theater program for these merit-based scholarships. Each nominee auditioned before a panel of judges on May 1. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on May 23.