Blockbuster Awards Ceremony Celebrates Georgia's High School Musical Theater Excellence Celebrating Fifth Anniversary of the Shuler Hensley Awards with Record Setting Participation

The "Tony Award" style event celebrating excellence in Georgia high school musical theater. An evening of celebration and the announcement of award recipients in 16 categories. The evening is filled with performances by the six overall production nominees, leading actor and actress the Shuler Student Ensemble with special appearances by Shuler Hensley. End Quote

It's an incredible honor, said Shuler Hensley, to be so closely linked to this community where it all started for me.

Atlanta, GA (1888PressRelease) April 14, 2013 - Georgia high school musical theater will light up the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre stage on April 18th, for the Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards, the Shuler Hensley Awards (GHSMTA) celebrating excellence in high school musical theater. In this fifth anniversary year the program has the largest number of both schools and ensemble members in its history. A total of 47 high schools from throughout the state representing 16 school districts and a total of 73 ensemble members are participating. A list of all nominees canbe found at www.shulerawards.org .

"How better to recognize and encourage a new generation of artists and audiences than through programs that give expression to young people's talent and embody a spirit of camaraderie and celebration," said Michael S. Taormina CFE, Cobb Energy Centre managing director. "The Awards do exactly that, and we are honored to have this initiative among the offerings of ArtsBridge, the arts education program of Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation."

Two Shuler Award recipients will take away more than a gleaming, glass trophy. The award-winning leading actor and actress will be eligible to compete this summer in the National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA), The Jimmy™, on Broadway in New York City.

Red Carpet, Music and Merry-Making
Conceived as an annual showcase and celebration for high school theater education programs, the GHSMTA is an initiative of the Cobb Energy Centre Foundation educational outreach program, ArtsBridge. The Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards are supported by the Cobb Energy Centre Foundation through private contributions and sponsorships. Sponsorship support has been received from presenting sponsor The Georgia Lottery and supporting sponsors Channel 2 - WSB-TV & ME-TV, Delta Community Credit Union, BB&T Bank, Cherry Bekaert Accounting, Subway-Akers Mill, Kia Motors, Chipotle, Barbizon, Staging Direction Inc. and Magnum Companies. A special thanks to Lillie Glassblowers for the custom design and production of the Shuler Award trophy.

The Awards are fashioned after Broadway's Tony Awards beginning with a glamorous red carpet event at 6:00 p.m. and the curtain will rise at 7:30 p.m. The awards will air on ME-TV, WSB-TV's digital channel and can be viewed on Channel 248 on Comcast and 127 on Charter. Jovita Moore and Fred Blankenship, Channel 2 news anchors will co-host the show.

The show will include performances from the six schools nominated for best overall production, leading actor and actress nominee medleys. A highlight of the show will be cameo appearances by Shuler Hensley. The Shuler Student Ensemble, representing the schools participating in this year's competition, performs the opening and finale production numbers.

"The evening is about much more than awards," comments Courtney Reed, director of education and community outreach for the Foundation. "On this occasion, where high school theater students and teachers from across the state showcase their talents and receive a much deserved standing ovation from arts professionals, community leaders and adoring fans and families. This program is about celebrating theater and the power behind arts in education. Everyone wins."

Atlanta Musical Theater . . . "in safe hands"
Over the course of the past seven months, a group of over 40 Atlanta-based professionals from the arts community fanned out across Georgia to evaluate and provide professional feedback to high school performances.

The Cobb Energy Centre awards are named for Marietta native, Shuler Hensley, a Tony award winning actor.

"It's an incredible honor," said Hensley, "to be so closely linked to this community where it all started for me." Having grown up in the arts, Shuler recalled the "magic" of actor-audience relationships. He also remembers that for students participating in high school musicals and plays, the afterglow fades quickly. The Awards celebrate student achievement and promote the power behind arts education. "So this is exciting and somewhat long overdue," Hensley said. "It's really all about putting the young people in the spotlight and having them feel inspired and rewarded."

Shuler Hensley has appeared on Broadway as The Monster in Young Frankenstein (which he reprised on the U.S. national tour); Kerchak in Tarzan; Jud Fry in Oklahoma! (also at The National Theatre and London's West End), earning him Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Olivier awards; and Javert in Les Misérables. He has been seen Off-Broadway in Fiorello!, The Whale, Silence! The Musical, Sweet and Sad, That Hopey Changey Thing, and The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Mr. Hensley's other credits include Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, All About Us, The Phantom of the Opera (as The Phantom), and The Most Happy Fella at Lincoln Center's American Songbook series. His opera appearances have included Berg's Wozzeck and Blitzstein's Regina. Mr. Hensley has performed with the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and the New World Symphony orchestras. His television credits include The Americans, Ed, Deadline, Gary Powers, Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Intent, and The Jury. Mr. Hensley has appeared in the films After.Life; The Legend of Zorro; Van Helsing; Monday Night Mayhem; Someone Like You; The Bread, My Sweet; and Opa! This past year, he was awarded "Stage Performance of the Year" by New York magazine in recognition for his work in The Whale.

Excellence and Exposure
Hensley's participation and the students' enthusiasm aren't the only things that will give the ceremony pace and pizzazz. The awards are being directed by Courtney Reed and experienced professionals from the theatre industry including: Craig McMahon, producer, Michael Fauss, music director/arranger/conductor, Leigh Ann Shaw, assistant music director/arranger and Meg Gillentine, choreographer. McMahon is an Emmy award winning professional, Fauss' credits include work on Broadway as well as international and regional theatre, Shaw experience includes extensive work in professional, community and education music and theatre and Gillentine has extensive experience in Broadway musicals including, Cats, Fosse and The Frogs.

Ultimately, based on the professional evaluators' feedback-as certified by the Atlanta accounting firm, Cherry Bekaert Accounting -the Shuler will be bestowed in 16 categories: overall production, direction, musical direction, choreography, orchestra, scenic design, lighting design, costume design, sound design, technical execution, ensemble, leading actor and actress, supporting actor and actress, featured performer. During the evening's presentations, scholarships will be presented including the Broadway Dreams Foundation's Performance and Technical Scholarships, Doris Corrie Russell Dance Scholarship, and the Morrell Memorial Music Scholarship. Additionally, a grant for scenic design will be given by Jubilee Cultural Arts Alliance.

Tickets for the awards are $16.00 each plus applicable fees. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster.com, any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-653-8000 or purchased in person at the Bank of North Georgia Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre. Box office hours are Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., closed on Sundays. The box office is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339.

For general information on the GHSMTA program, call 770-916-2800 or visit www.shulerawards.org.
About Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is charged with securing financial resources for the Foundation's community and educational outreach activities including its signature, ArtsBridge education program. Additional information about the foundation and ways to contribute is available at www.cobbenergycentre.com.

About ArtsBridge Education Program
Through the support of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation, ArtsBridge produces quality arts education and community outreach programs designed to inspire creativity and foster the next generation of artists and art supporters. Since its inception in 2007, ArtsBridge has served over 185,000 students and educators from over 26 public school districts, private schools, home school programs, and after school programs. ArtsBridge programs include field trips, master classes, workshops, artists in schools, and The Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards, the Shuler Hensley Awards- www.shulerawards.org. ArtsBridge creates collaborative partnerships with prominent arts organizations to present the best quality arts education programs to Georgia students and educators. These collaborative partnerships include: The Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Kennesaw State University College of the Arts, Georgia Ballet, Georgia Shakespeare, and the Gas South Broadway Series. Additional information about ArtsBridge available at www.cobbenergycentre.com/education .

About Cobb Energy Centre
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, a $145 million, state-of-the-art facility, is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway in northwest Atlanta, inside the Perimeter. Cobb Energy Centre is metro Atlanta's premier venue for opera, concerts, Broadway shows, ballet, educational performances, family shows and corporate meetings and events. The Centre hosts four resident companies, the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Ballet, ArtsBridge and the Gas South Broadway Series. The facility includes the 2,750-seat John A. Williams Theatre, 10,000-square-foot Kessel D. Stelling Ballroom and other meeting spaces, 1,000 on-site parking spaces, and full-service food and beverage capabilities. The Centre, part of the Cobb Galleria complex, is governed by the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority. Additional information about the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre is available at www.cobbenergycentre.com .

About the National High School Musical Theater Awards
The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) is a celebration of outstanding student achievement in high school musical theater. The program recognizes individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performance, and honors teachers and their schools' commitment to excellence in performing arts education.

The fifth annual National High School Musical Theater Awards will be held on Monday, July 1, 2013, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. Activities will commence on Wednesday, June 26, with rehearsals, master classes, private coaching and interviews with theater professionals leading up to the live awards show where the Jimmy™ Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress will be presented. The program will conclude on Tuesday, July 2, 2013.

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