Woodland High School Nominated For Shuler Hensley Award

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CARTERSVILLE, GA -- ArtsBridge Foundation, the arts education outreach arm of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, today announced the nominees for the 8th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Better known as the Shuler Hensley Awards, nominees for the event were broadcast via a livestream on GPB.org.

Tony Award-winner and Marietta-native Shuler Hensley joined GPB Sports Anchor Jackie Brittan to announce the nominations. Twenty-eight public and private schools from throughout the state were nominated in 17 categories.

The awards, which showcase the next generation of Georgia’s musical theatre talent, will be presented at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on April 21. GPB will air the show live on its nine-station statewide television network.

Woodland High School Assistant Band Director Wesley Brooks and the band students are nominated for Best Overall Orchestra for the school's production of Catch Me If You Can.

Student Tyler Ledbetter also received an honorable mention in the Best Performance By A Supporting Actor category for the play.

“GPB is very excited to partner with ArtsBridge Foundation and GSU to present the live broadcast of The Shuler Awards,” said GPB President and CEO Teya Ryan. “GPB is dedicated to the advancement of students across the state through our many education initiatives, which include the live broadcasts of high school football games each year, teacher trainings and the development of digital education resources like the Georgia Studies Digital Textbook. This is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight the talented youth of Georgia and encourage their future aspirations.”

The annual event, fashioned after Broadway’s Tony Awards, celebrates excellence in high school musical theatre programs.

A team of more than 60 Atlanta-based arts professionals evaluated the productions of 59 participating high schools. Awards will be presented in the following categories: Overall Production, Ensemble, Show Stopper, Leading Actress and Actor, Supporting Actress and Actor, Featured Performer, Direction, Sound, Costume Design, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Technical Execution, Orchestra, Music Direction and Choreography.

The winners of the Leading Actress and Leading Actor categories will travel to New York City in June to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Jimmy AwardsTM, held at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.

Next month's show will feature performances by the six schools nominated for overall production, the Show Stopper winner, and the leading actor and actress nominees. The 92-member Shuler Student Ensemble will join Shuler Hensley in the opening and finale numbers. Students will walk the Red Carpet beginning at 6 p.m. and curtain is at 7:30 p.m.

As part of a new partnership between ArtsBridge, GPB, and Georgia State University, the show will be broadcast live on nine GPB stations from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Atlanta (WGTV – Channel 8); Augusta (WCES – Channel 20); Chatsworth (WNGH – Channel 18); Columbus (WACS – Channel 25); Macon (WMUM – Channel 29); Pelham (WABW – Channel 14); Savannah (WVAN – Channel 9); Warm Springs (WJSP – Channel 28) and Waycross (WXGA – Channel 8).

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