The Ovation Awards
The Michigan State University Federal Credit Union for Arts & Creativity at Wharton Center for Performing Arts is pleased to announce that high schools in the state of Michigan are invited to participate in the 1st annual Ovation Awards, the Michigan Chapter of the National High School Musical Theater Awards.
The National High School Musical Theatre Awards program is designed to be a celebration of outstanding student achievement in high school musical theatre. This program recognizes individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performance and honors teachers and their school’s commitment to excellence in performing arts education.
The MSU Federal Credit Union Institute for Arts & Creativity at Wharton Center offers meaningful, participatory lifelong learning programs at Wharton Center and throughout the state for participants of all ages. Through programs like Take It From The Top, Artists-in-Residencies, the Stratford Immersion Project, and the Young Playwrights Festival, we are continuously introduced to high school students who have a love of the performing arts and a raw talent in vocal, dance, and/or performing.
Since high school musicals are often the first creative outlet available to emerging performing artist, they offer a unique ability to promote participation and allow for enjoyment of the live arts in every community in the nation. This awards program recognizes and celebrates the value of participation and achievement in the performing arts and creates a pathway to connect promising high school performing artists with the professional theatre industry.
A panel of judges will select two winners of the 2011-12 Ovation Awards and they will receive a $1,000.00 scholarship as well as roundtrip airfare, room and board, and move on to participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City in June 2012. In addition to competing for the national title, each student will spend a week with Broadway professionals, producers, directors and casting agents to further their knowledge and talent. In addition, the winners will also be given a full scholarship to Take It From The Top, Wharton Center’s Summer Broadway Intensive offered in Grand Rapids, Traverse City and East Lansing.
Applications must be received no later than 5:00pm on Friday, April 20, 2012.
All lead female and male characters in a 2011-12 high school musical production will be eligible to participate in The Ovation Awards. Schools or teachers may submit one student per school for consideration in the Best Performance by an Actor and/or Best Performance by an Actress category.
