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Thursday, May 15, 2003

By Christopher Rawson, Post-Gazette Drama Critic

The big second-floor rehearsal hall at Benedum Center was filled to overflowing yesterday afternoon for the presentation of medals signifying nominations for the 13th Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater.

Van Kaplan of Pittsburgh CLO presided, lauding everyone connected with the 28 participating Allegheny County schools for generating spirited fun and achievement. He then announced 81 nominations in 21 categories as students, teachers and parents -- all of whom had been notified about the nominations in advance -- clapped and cheered.

Riverview's "Guys and Dolls" leads all schools with 10 nominations. Baldwin's "West Side Story" is close behind with nine, and North Allegheny's "Les Miserables" and Woodland Hills' "Hello Dolly!" each have eight.

Tied with five are Bishop Canevin's "Kiss Me Kate," Pine-Richland's "Guys and Dolls" and Schenley's "Lucky in the Rain." Northgate's "The Pajama Game" and Winchester Thurston's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" have four nominations and Chartiers Valley's "West Side Story" has three.

Just three schools were shut out, including the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, which created its own musical revue and included a few alumni at some performances, causing difficulties of assessment for the judges. But musical director David Pressau showed up with 17 CAPA students to receive certificates of participation "and to be supportive of those students who were nominated."

One nominee for lead actress, Ashley Gaines of Woodland Hills, said she was "elated that our musical got recognized as a whole. We're a team."

In a daylong meeting Saturday, the panel of judges -- performing arts educators and administrators, entertainment professionals, performers and critics -- debated and reviewed taped highlights from each high school. The scoring was then tabulated by Deloitte & Touche LLP. There was apparently nothing to warrant the special judges award presented in previous years.

The Kelly Awards gala will be 7:30 p.m. May 31 at Benedum Center, when the nine schools nominated for best musical will perform excerpts. Among the presenters will be Gene Kelly's widow, Patricia Ward Kelly.

The gala is always sold out, but tickets are still available at 412-456-6666.

The awards are sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh, with additional support provided by American Eagle Outfitters and the CLO Ambassadors.

Nominations for 2003 Gene Kelly Awards:

BUDGET LEVEL 1

Schools entered: CAPA, "Retrospective"; Deer Lakes, "Oliver!"; North Catholic, "Bye Bye Birdie"; Northgate, "The Pajama Game"; Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, "The Sound of Music"; Perry Traditional, "Once Upon a Mattress"; St. Joseph, "Honk!"; South Allegheny, "Cinderella"; Steel Valley, "Grease"; Trinity Christian, "Fiddler on the Roof"; Vincentian, "Bye Bye Birdie"; Winchester Thurston, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

Sets: Deer Lakes, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Steel Valley.

Lighting: Deer Lakes, St. Joseph, Winchester Thurston.

Costumes: Northgate, South Allegheny, Trinity Christian School.

Best overall: Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Winchester Thurston.

BUDGET LEVEL 2

Schools entered: Bishop Canevin, "Kiss Me, Kate"; Brentwood, "Smile"; Chartiers Valley, "West Side Story"; McKeesport, "The Pajama Game"; Quaker Valley, "Smile"; Riverview, "Guys and Dolls"; Schenley, "Lucky in the Rain"; Seton-La Salle, "Damn Yankees."

Sets: Bishop Canevin, Chartiers Valley, Riverview.

Lighting: Bishop Canevin, Chartiers Valley, Riverview.

Costumes: Brentwood, Riverview, Seton-La Salle.

Best overall: Bishop Canevin, Riverview, Schenley.

BUDGET LEVEL 3

Schools entered: Baldwin, "West Side Story"; Central Catholic, "Footloose"; Montour, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"; North Allegheny, "Les Miserables"; Pine-Richland, "Guys and Dolls"; Plum, "The Music Man"; Springdale, "Godspell"; Woodland Hills, "Hello, Dolly!"

Sets: Baldwin, Pine-Richland, Woodland Hills.

Lighting: Baldwin, Pine-Richland, Woodland Hills.

Costumes: Montour, North Allegheny, Woodland Hills.

Best overall: Baldwin, North Allegheny, Woodland Hills.

ALL LEVELS

Direction: Baldwin, North Allegheny, Northgate, Riverview, Woodland Hills.

Choreography: Baldwin, Chartiers Valley, Riverview, Schenley, Woodland Hills.

Crew/technical execution: Baldwin, Bishop Canevin, Pine-Richland, Seton-La Salle, Woodland Hills.

All-student orchestra: Perry Traditional Academy, Pine-Richland, Schenley, Springdale, Winchester Thurston.

Ensemble: Baldwin, North Allegheny, Riverview, Quaker Valley, Schenley.

Supporting actor: Joe Balestrino as Willard, Central Catholic; John Graham as Bernardo, Baldwin; Dan Joyner as Pharaoh, Winchester Thurston; Christian Ortiz as Thenardier, North Allegheny; Ben Reed as Benny Southstreet, Pine-Richland.

Supporting actress: Jaimie Finseth as Gertrude Stein, Schenley; Kaleigh King as Eponine, North Allegheny; Emily McGill as Gladys, Northgate; Deana Muraco as Anita, Baldwin; Jenna Noel as Fantine, North Allegheny.

Lead actor: Trey Compton as Javert, North Allegheny; Alex DiClaudio as Sky Masterson, Riverview; Ryan Kofford as Harold Hill, Plum; Ryan Ogrondy as Sid, McKeesport; Quinn Shannon as Fred/Petruchio, Bishop Canevin.

Lead actress: Ashley Gaines as Dolly, Woodland Hills; Elise Hindmarsh as Sarah Brown, Riverview; Caroline Nicolian as Princess Winnefred, Perry Traditional; Krystal Prosky as Miss Adelaide, Riverview; Carrie Zosack as Babe, McKeesport.