Theater Group Recognizes New Life Academy of Woodbury

New Life Academy of Woodbury and Hennepin Theatre Trust recently announced the fall 2011 honorees from Minnesota high schools—recognizing theatre accomplishments by school and category for the 2011-12 SpotLight Musical Theatre Program.

Now in its seventh year, SpotLight is Hennepin Theatre Trust’s flagship educational initiative which honors, supports and advocates for Minnesota high school musical theatre students and programs. This year, a record 56 schools, including 13 new schools and nine from greater Minnesota, are presenting musicals made possible by the collaboration of almost 5,000 students and are annually seen by an estimated 105,000 audience members.

New Life Academy presented Beauty and the Beast in November and for its achievements is receiving the following honors:

• Honorable Mention for Overall Performance
• Savana Buchowski as Belle; Honorable Mention Performance in a Leading Role
• Joe Hunt as Lumiere; Honorable Mention Performance in a Supporting Role
• Shelby Derrick as Wardrobe; Honorable Mention Performance in a Supporting Role
• Micah Cathey as Cogsworth; Honorable Mention Performance in a Supporting Role
• Claire Hawkins, Amanda Heidman and Ally Lamb as Silly Girls; Honorable Mention Performance by a Featured Ensemble

The SpotLight Musical Theatre Program honors high school musicals and students by recognizing their extraordinary achievements and develop young talent in Minnesota’s high school musical theatre programs. New Life Academy and its musical theatre students will also be honored at SpotLight’s culminating event, the seventh annual SpotLight Showcase, scheduled this year at 7 p.m., Monday, June 11, 2012 at the Orpheum Theatre.

This gala evening celebrates and honors high school musical theatre accomplishments by featuring dynamic student performances mixed with award presentations. Last year’s event sold out and featured nearly 1,000 Minnesota students performing on the Orpheum stage. Tickets will go on sale at a later date.