Monday, June 7 7:00 PM Holland Center Outdoors
8th annual
showcase
Masks recommended
nebraska high school theater academy 2020/2021 showcase “Opening Up” from Waitress.......................................................................................................................................Virtual Showcase Ensemble Welcome.........................................................................................................................................................................................................Joan Squires O-pa President Outstanding Educator Award..................................................................................................................................................................Mark Harman Fremont High School Outstanding Achievement in Stage Management............................................................................................................................Ian Hogeland Lincoln Southwest High School Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Design....................................................................................................................................Jazlyn Adams Scottsbluff High School Outstanding Achievement in Scenic & Costume Design......................................................................................................Samantha Spencer Millard West High School Backstage Excellence Awards..............................................................................................................................................Columbus High School Wood River Rural Schools Senior of the Year................................................................................................................................................................................................Ian Cullin Norfolk High School National Finalist Medley..............................................................................................................................................................Outstanding Actors: Wayne Hudson II, Millard North High School Matthew Wilson, Elkhorn South High School Andrew Milburn, Chadron High School Robbie Exstrom, Kearney High School Nathan Hiykel, Blair High School Julian Hinrichs, Westside High School John Greisen, Lincoln Southwest High School National Finalist Medley........................................................................................................................................................Outstanding Actresses: Isabel Gott, Omaha South Magnet High School Lateisha Ngoi, Chadron High School Saylor Wilterding, Kearney High School Audrey Saucier, Omaha Burke High School Shannon Engel, Fremont High School Regan Wiseman, Waverly High School Isabella Reilly, Millard West High School Announcement of National Nominees for Jimmy Awards Closing.........................................................................................................................................................................................................Andy Cassano O-pa Vice President of Programming & Education Broadway Medley...........................................................................................................................................................Virtual Showcase Ensemble
Nebraska High School Theater Academy Showcase - 2
artistic team Kevyn Morrow | Host Broadway performer Kevyn Morrow graduated from Omaha Northwest High School and is a longtime Teaching Artist for Omaha Performing Arts’ Nebraska High School Theater Academy. Performance credits include: Broadway; Currently in MOULIN ROUGE, THE COLOR PURPLE (revival), BANDSTAND, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, DREAM, SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ, A CHORUS LINE (1990 closing company), DREAMGIRLS (revival), LEADER OF THE PACK. West End; Ragtime (Olivier Best Actor Nominee), 125th Street. Off-Broadway: WHILE I YET LIVE, BLUE, BOYS IN THE BAND. Regional; The Lion in Winter, The First Wives Club (NAACP Best Actor Nominee), Driving Miss Daisy, Les Miserables, Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean, Pajama Game, The Three Musketeers, Tambourine to Glory (Helen Hayes Best Actor Nominee). Film; Fair Market Value, Estella Scrooge, The Trade, Stayin Alive. Television; Colin in Black and White, When They See Us. Recurring; The Pat, Elementary, Hope and Faith, Ed. Guest Star; SVU, Instinct, Person of Interest, The Good Wife, Hostages, Law and Order, Coach, Murphy Brown.
Ray Mercer | Choreographer Ray Mercer is a native of Omaha, NE, and started his dance training at the University of New Orleans. He is presently in his 17th year as a dancer and fight captain in Disney's THE LION KING on Broadway. Other performance credits include projects with Garth Fagan, George Faison, Aretha Franklin, Kevin Iega Jeff, Louis Johnson, Rod Stewart, and two years on the national tour of THE LION KING, as well as Chicago's Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (company member), and Boston Ballet (guest artist). Throughout his tenure on Broadway, Mercer has also donated his time to create work for various initiatives within Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (Dancers Responding to AIDS, Fire Island Dance Festival, Red Bucket Follies, and more). His presentations earned the coveted 'Best Onstage Presentation Award' a record ten times, making him the most celebrated choreographer at BC/EFA's annual fundraising events, which raise millions of dollars each year to provide support to members of the theatre community. This accomplishment, coupled with creations for premiere dance companies (Ailey II, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, New Jersey Ballet, the Pensacola Ballet, Philadanco), landed him among New York City's most innovative, multiskilled director/choreographers. A dynamic, virtuosic mover, Ray walks in the legacy of Black dance progenitors, carrying both the historical and the vanguard in his body. He is uncannily facile in creating work that surprises and delights. His ability to lead in partnership with his dancers forges space for them to execute movements that they previously thought impossible. This excitement adds to the infectious, disarming expression that characterizes his body of work. Ray Mercer is the resident choreographer for the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts program and Philadanco. He is Artist in Residence at Omaha Performing Arts, and tall poPpy Artists. The Smithsonian Museum commissioned and archived his work Hamdan: Through The Gate Of Tears. Ray's theatrical contributions include work as the choreographer of Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera at The New York Musical Theatre Festival, In Our America, directed by Liesl Tommy, for Broadway for Biden, developing arts in education programs, and mentoring young theater artists. Awards and recognition: • Joffrey Ballet’s Choreographers of Color Award (recipient) • Capezio Ace Awards (finalist) • The New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Dance Magazine, and Movmnt Magazine (features/mentions)
Nebraska High School Theater Academy Showcase - 3
2020/2021 participating schools Abraham Lincoln High School
Lincoln Southeast High School
Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School
Lincoln Southwest High School
Bellevue East High School
Lourdes Central Catholic High School
Bellveue West High School
Lyons-Decatur Northeast High School
Bishop Neumann Catholic High School
Marian High School
Blair High School
Milford High school Millard North High School
Brownell Talbot High School
Millard South High School
Brownell Talbot Middle School
Millard West High School
Central City High School
Nebraska Lutheran High School
Chadron High School
Norfolk High School
Columbus High School
Norris High School
Columbus Middle School
North Platte High School
Concordia High School
Omaha Benson High School
Creighton Preparatory School
Omaha Bryan High School
Crete High School
Omaha Burke High School
Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School
Omaha Central High School
Douglas County West High School
Omaha Northwest High School
Deshler High School
Omaha South High Magnet School
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Papillion La Vista High School
Elkhorn High School
Papillion La Vista South High School
Elkhorn North High School
Platteview High School
Elkhorn South High School
Russell Middle School
Fremont High School
Scottsbluff High School
Grand Island Northwest High School
Thomas Jefferson High School
Grand Island Senior High School
V.J. & Angela Skutt Catholic High School
Gretna High School
Wahoo High School
Gretna Middle School Hastings High School Kearney High School Lewis and Clark Middle School
Waverly High School Westside High School Wood River High School Wood River Middle School
Lincoln High School
donors Dillon Foundation
John A. and Dianne M. Scott Fund
Midlands Community Foundation
J. William and Ruth Lind Scott Fund
Nebraska Arts Council
Ken and Ann Stinson
Nebraska Cultural Endowment
Wells Fargo
Presenters Circle
Woods Charitable Fund
The Rebensdorf Family Foundation
Nebraska High School Theater Academy Showcase - 4
BROADWAY’S NEXT GENERATION!
GENERATION!
Two students from our program will join teens from across the U.S. to compete for top honors in a one-night-only showcase at the
®
WATCH ONLINE JULY 15 at
JimmyAwards.com @JimmyAwards PRESENTED BY
o-pa.org Holland Performing Arts Center 1200 Douglas Street Omaha, NE 68102 402.345.0202
Orpheum Theater 409 South 16th Street Omaha, NE 68102 402.345.0202
Ticket Omaha ticketomaha.com 402.345.0606
Text "OPA" to 74121 to donate Become a supporter Omaha Performing Arts is committed to providing Education and Community Engagement programs that support, enhance and expand appreciation for the arts. The Nebrasha High School Theater Academy is one of Omaha performing Arts’ largest and fastest-growing education programs. Additional funding will be needed to support the program as we continue to expand and bring high quality learning opportunities to students across the state. To learn more about how you can make a difference and support this important program, please contact Sabrina Weiss, vice president of development, at sweiss@o-pa.org or 402.661.8410. Let’s get social Tag your posts with #nhsta2021! nebraskahsta.opa
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