San Jose Stage Company Hosts 1st Annual Bay Area High School Musical Theatre Showcase Today

San Jose Stage Company has announced the first annual Bay Area High School Musical Theatre Showcase. In conjunction with The Fourth Annual Stage Top Honor Awards, participating schools are invited to have their students audition in the Bay Area High School Musical Theatre Showcase. This will be the first annual showcase that will present and celebrate some of the best high school musical theatre performers in the Bay Area.

The showcase will consist of 20-25 students from across the Bay Area, singing some of the best songs that Broadway has to offer. Not only will the students be showcasing their talents to each other, friends and family, but also to industry professionals, professors and casting directors, who will be invited to join the theatre at its showcase event today, January 26th, 2013 at 7:30pm at San Jose Stage Company, 490 South First Street, San Jose, Calif.

"One of the most successful aspects of The Stage Top Honor Awards is the exciting Red Carpet Awards Event in June each year, held at the California Theatre. Over 1,100 public and private high school students from all over the Bay Area have the opportunity to perform for each other and it's a night that's filled with energy and excitement," said Spencer Williams, The Stage's Education Director. "This showcase performance will allow us to capture some of that same spirit by featuring the most talented young performers in our region in a more intimate, personalized setting. In addition, the students will receive input from industry professionals on their auditioned material so that the culminating performance will be a spectacular show highlighting the amazing high school talent we have in the Bay Area."

In order to be eligible for an audition, the student's school must be participating in the 2013 Stage Top Honor Awards.

Audition Information:

Students whose schools are participating in the 2013 Stage Top Honor Awards are invited to make an appointment for an audition time on:
Sunday, December 9th, 2012 - 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Sunday, December 16th, 2012 - 5:00pm to 9:00pm (possible callbacks)

Email the director, Mr. Spencer Williams, at stagetophonorawards@gmail.com or swilliams@thestage.org to schedule an appointment.

Students are invited to bring two contrasting musical theatre pieces - 32 bars or two minutes each song for the audition. An accompanist will be provided. Students will have a total of five minutes for the audition. Please bring two copies of your headshot and resume. Please note your audition song will be the one you will perform in the January showcase (choose accordingly). If you would like to sing a duet or trio, you may audition with other students.

Students must be available for all rehearsals and the performance, as the schedule is restricted and limited.

Rehearsal Schedule (at San Jose Stage Company):
Monday, January 14th, 2013 - 6 to 10pm
Monday, January 21st, 2013 - 6 to 10pm
Saturday, January 26th, 2013 - 1 to 5:30pm

Performance Schedule (at San Jose Stage Company):
Saturday, January 26th, 2013 - Call: 6:30pm
Saturday, January 26th, 2013 - Performance: 7:30pm

Tickets will be available in January on San Jose Stage Company's website at www.thestage.org.

Private and public high school musical theatre programs in the Bay Area are invited to participate in The Stage Top Honor Awards, modeled after Broadway's Tony Awards, with a culminating Gala Ceremony with awards and performances by the nominated high schools. The program is in partnership with Broadway San Jose and has been supported by Michelson Family Foundation, Heritage Bank of Commerce, Symphony Silicon Valley and CreaTV.

The Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress receive an all-expense paid trip to New York to compete in The National High School Musical Theater Awards, also know as the Jimmy Awards. Students from 30 awards programs from around the nation participate in 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 are presented. The week-long program was featured in Broadway or Bust, a three-part PBS documentary, which aired in September.

Recognition of outstanding achievement by students, designers, directors and educators will be made in the areas of performance, design, direction, choreography, technical production and overall production excellence.

The adjudicators (comprised of theatre professionals, performing artists, designers, and theatre arts educators) will fan out across the Bay Area between the beginning of November to April to evaluate the participating high school's musical theatre production. The adjudicators will then make nomination recommendations in various performance and production categories. The Gala Ceremony will showcase and recognize the nominated students and take place in June 3, 2013.
For more information, see www.thestage.org/edu_awards.php.

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