2022 Gene Kelly Award Nominations Announced

Pittsburgh CLO and Dolores Kara are proud to announce the nominees for the 31st Annual Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. The awards show will take place on Saturday, May 28 at 7:30pm at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Over the past three months, a panel of judges have attended the performances by the following 32 Allegheny County high schools: Avonworth High School, Baldwin High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Central Catholic - Oakland Catholic High Schools, Chartiers Valley High School, Elizabeth Forward High School, Gateway High School, Hampton High School, Keystone Oaks High School, McKeesport Area High School, Montour High School, Moon Area High School, North Hills High School, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Penn Hills High School, Pine-Richland High School, Pittsburgh Allderdice High School, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, Plum Senior High, Quaker Valley High School, Redeemer Lutheran School, Riverview Jr./Sr. High School, Serra Catholic High School, Sewickley Academy, Shady Side Academy Senior School, South Fayette High School, Springdale Jr./Sr. High School, St. Joseph High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, West Allegheny High School, Westinghouse Arts Academy, Woodland Hills Senior High School.

The judging panel was comprised of performing arts educators, arts administrators, entertainment professionals and performers. On May 6 these judges met and reviewed highlights from each high school performance. The scoring was then tabulated by Deloitte LLP.
The Nominees for the 2022 Gene Kelly Awards are:

Best Scenic Design

Budget Level I
Plum Senior High: The Addams Family School Edition
Serra Catholic High School: Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School: Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
Hampton High School: Into The Woods
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12: Hairspray

Budget Level III
Moon Area High School: The Addams Family
North Hills High School: Once Upon a Mattress
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
Baldwin High School: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Penn Hills High School: Little Women
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

Best Costume Design

Budget Level I
Chartiers Valley High School: Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School: Bye Bye Birdie
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Budget Level II
Avonworth High School: The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Broadway Revival Version)
Hampton High School: Into The Woods
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12: Hairspray

Budget Level III
Moon Area High School: The Addams Family
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School: Disney's The Little Mermaid
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
Baldwin High School: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Pine-Richland High School: Shrek The Musical
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

Best Lighting Design

Budget Level I
Chartiers Valley High School: Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
Plum Senior High: The Addams Family School Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School: Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
Hampton High School: Into The Woods
Shady Side Academy Senior School: Urinetown

Budget Level III
Moon Area High School: The Addams Family
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School: Disney's The Little Mermaid
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
Penn Hills High School: Little Women
Pine-Richland High School: Shrek The Musical
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

Best Vocal Ensemble

Budget Level I
Chartiers Valley High School: Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
Serra Catholic High School: Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School: Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
Hampton High School: Into The Woods
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12: Hairspray

Budget Level III
Moon Area High School: The Addams Family
North Hills High School: Once Upon a Mattress
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
Pine-Richland High School: Shrek The Musical
West Allegheny High School: Legally Blonde The Musical
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

Best Dance Ensemble

Budget Level I
Chartiers Valley High School: Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
Plum Senior High: The Addams Family School Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School: Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
Hampton High School: Into The Woods
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12: Hairspray

Budget Level III
Moon Area High School: The Addams Family
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School: Disney's The Little Mermaid
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
Pine-Richland High School: Shrek The Musical
West Allegheny High School: Legally Blonde The Musical
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

Best Crew/Technical Execution

Budget Level I
Chartiers Valley High School: Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
Plum Senior High: The Addams Family School Edition
Serra Catholic High School: Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School: Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
Hampton High School: Into The Woods
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12: Hairspray

Budget Level III
Moon Area High School: The Addams Family
North Hills High School: Once Upon a Mattress
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
Pine-Richland High School: Shrek The Musical
West Allegheny High School: Legally Blonde The Musical
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

Best Student Orchestra

Hampton High School: Into the Woods
North Hills High School: Once Upon a Mattress
Pine-Richland High School: Shrek The Musical
Plum Senior High: The Addams Family School Edition
Sewickley Academy: Urinetown
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Outstanding Student Artist

Maddie Casella: North Hills High School
Stella Christensen: Quaker Valley High School
Jack Cipriani: Moon Area High School
Olivia Holloway: Avonworth High School
Alexander Victoria: Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Dragon Puppeteers: Woodland Hills Senior High School

Best Supporting Actor

Jack Cipriani
Moon Area High School
The Addams Family
"Mel Beineke"

Andrew Kaehly
Hampton High School
Into The Woods
"Cinderella's Prince/Wolf"

Issac McCloy
Westinghouse Arts Academy
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
"Leaf Coneybear"

Max Peluso
Sewickley Academy
Urinetown
"Hot Blades Harry"

Max Pratley
Baldwin High School
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
"Bud Frump"

Kai Sachon
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Hairspray
"Seaweed Stubbs"

Best Supporting Actress

Camryn Hall
Westinghouse Arts Academy
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
"Rona Lisa Peretti"

Mackenzie Heidenreich
West Allegheny High School
Legally Blonde The Musical
"Enid Hoopes"

Lucia Lazzara-Goodrich
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Hairspray
"Amber von Tussle"

Teddy McClelland
Woodland Hills Senior High School
Shrek The Musical
"Dragon"

Beth Satariano
North Hills
Once Upon a Mattress
"Lady Larkin"

Molly Virtue
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School
Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella
"Fairy Godmother"

Best Actor

Dominic Difuccia
Woodland Hills Senior High School
Shrek The Musical
"Shrek"

Jack Exline
Pine-Richland High School
Shrek The Musical
"Donkey"

Tyler Guinto-Brody
Elizabeth Forward High School
Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
"Seymour Krelborn"

Logan Krushinski
Pine-Richland High School
Shrek The Musical
"Shrek"

Quintin Michalski
Baldwin High School
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
"J. Pierrepont Finch"

Nicolas Sperandeo
Chartiers Valley
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
"Bert"

Best Actress

Kylie Edwards
Gateway
The Drowsy Chaperone
"Janet Van De Graaff"

Isabella Gricar
Westinghouse Arts Academy
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
"Olive Ostrovsky"

Trisha Holmes
Pine-Richland High School
Shrek The Musical
"Princess Fiona"

Emma Hopf
North Hills High School
Once Upon a Mattress
"Princess Winnifred"

Kaitlyn Majewski
McKeesport Area High School
Mamma Mia!
"Donna Sheridan"

Ellie Tongel
Plum Senior High
The Addams Family School Edition
"Morticia Addams"

Best Musical

Budget Level I
Chartiers Valley High School: Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins
Westinghouse Arts Academy: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School: Little Shop of Horrors - Broadway Version
Hampton High School: Into The Woods

Budget Level III
North Hills High School: Once Upon a Mattress
Thomas Jefferson High School: Legally Blonde The Musical

Budget Level IV
West Allegheny High School: Legally Blonde The Musical
Woodland Hills Senior High School: Shrek The Musical

The nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress will be competing for the opportunity to represent Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards in the Jimmy Awards/National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City on Monday, June 27. For more information on the National High School Musical Theater Awards, please visit www.jimmyawards.com.

In addition to the more than 34 Kelly Awards presented at the event, several cash and university scholarships will be awarded. These scholarships are made possible through generous donations from the CLO Ambassadors, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and participating colleges. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on May 28. More information is available at pittsburghCLO.org.

The Gene Kelly Awards are presented by the Michael J. Kara Family with additional support provided by Deloitte, The Gismondi Family Foundation, Point Park University, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, PNC Bank, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and the CLO Ambassadors. Deloitte Consulting, LLP is the official auditor for the Gene Kelly Awards.