Pittsburgh CLO'S Annouces 2008 Gene Kelly Award Winners

A near capacity crowd gathered at the Benedum Center as Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh honored Allegheny County's finest high school performers at the 18th Annual Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater on Saturday, May 24, 2008.

Named for legendary performer and Pittsburgh native Gene Kelly, the annual celebration emphasizes the importance of arts education and recognizes the time, energy and dedication that local high schools devote to their musical productions each spring.

Patterned after the Tony® Awards, the ceremony included live performances by the Best Musical nominees along with the Best Actor/Actress nominees. Each nominated school performed a five-minute selection from their respective shows. Special guest presenters included local television personalities and Gene Kelly's widow, Patricia Ward Kelly.

Pittsburgh CLO congratulates the 2008 Gene Kelly Awards winners, nominees and the following 28 participating Allegheny County high schools: Baldwin-Whitehall, Bishop Canevin, Brentwood, Carrick,

Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Deer Lakes, Eden Christian Academy, Hampton, Keystone Oaks, McKeesport, North Catholic, North Hills, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH),

Perry Traditional Academy, Pine-Richland, Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), Plum, Quaker Valley, Riverview, Saint Joseph, Schenley, Shaler, Taylor Allderdice, West Mifflin, Winchester Thurston and Woodland Hills.

The Charles Gray Award for Special Achievement in Arts Education was also presented during the festivities. Brentwood's Elroy Elementary was commended for integrating the arts through various subject areas.  Elroy Elementary incorporates creative movement lessons within its Physical Education classes and arts specialists work closely and collaborate with classroom teachers.  Last fall, the school even used arts to help children through the healing process when the school suffered the unexpected loss of their principal.

Again this year, Pittsburgh CLO awarded the Gene Kelly Scholarships.  These cash awards totaling $11,500 were presented to three high school seniors who have applied and been accepted to a school for the performing or technical arts.  This year's recipients include: Jaron Frand from the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), Dylan Putas from Bishop Canevin and Kassandra Humberson from Winchester Thurston. These merit-based scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of Sandra and Seymour Baskin, Paul E. Block, Virginia S. Nicklas in memory of Gene Kelly, Sandra Short, Mary Alice Tripp in memory of Art Tripp, Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Williams.

This year, for the first time, the CLO Ambassadors awarded $4,500 in scholarships to three college-bound students, who will be pursuing a major outside of the arts.  The 2008 Ambassadors' Scholarship winners were Matthew Critchfield of the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), Austin Gohn of Northgate and Jeffrey Markanich of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH).

In addition, Dr. Paul Hennigan, President of Point Park University, presented Sarah Chybrzynski from Woodland Hills, a $20,000 four year scholarship to attend Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts as a Musical Theater major.

Now in its sixth year, The Kelly Critics program is a unique partnership between the Pittsburgh CLO and Dr. Christopher Rawson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. For the first time this year, Dr. Rawson presented the Kelly Critics Award.  The Award was given to Chartiers Valley's Casey McDermott for excellence in writing theatrical critiques.

The Recipients of the 2008 Gene Kelly Awards are:

Best Scenic Design
Woodland Hills
 
Best Costume Design
Pine-Richland

Best Lighting Design
Woodland Hills

Best All-Student Orchestra
Taylor Allderdice
 
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Michael Campayno of Central Catholic

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Teressa LaGamba of Schenley

Best Ensemble
Pine-Richland

Best Crew/Technical Execution
Hampton

Best Choreography
Central Catholic

Best Direction
North Catholic                                    
 
Best Actor
Cody Hoellerman of Pine-Richland

Best Actress
Sarah Chybrzynski of Woodland Hills

Best Musical

Budget Level I:
Schenley                   

Budget Level II:
Central Catholic

Budget Level III:
Pine-Richland

Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards are co-presented by the University of Pittsburgh with additional support provided by American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, National City, Virginia S. Nicklas and the CLO Ambassadors.

The Charles Gray Award is made possible by the Roy A. Hunt Foundation.

The Pittsburgh CLO would also like to thank The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust for the use of the Benedum Center and Deloitte for acting as the official auditor for the Gene Kelly Awards.

Since 1946, the Pittsburgh CLO has been the driving force behind live musical theater in Pittsburgh and the entire Southwestern Pennsylvania region.  Pittsburgh CLO is a not-for-profit arts organization that appreciates the support of over 200,000 patrons each year.  Its dedication to the musical theater art form extends beyond the summer season with such programs as the CLO Academy, the CLO Mini Stars, the Gene Kelly Awards, the Construction Center for the Arts and the CLO Cabaret.