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College: Fine Arts

Junior Artists Trained at UK 'Ace' National Competition

Published: Feb 1, 2012

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 1, 2012) − Youth studying musical theatre at University of Kentucky Opera Theatre's Academy for Creative Excellence (ACE) recently took top honors at a national festival. The program won one of seven Outstanding Production Awards presented at the Junior Theater Festival held Jan. 13-15, in Atlanta. In addition to a win in the production category, ACE student Patrick Garr received one of the festival's seven Outstanding Male Performer Awards.

Produced by iTheatrics and Theater of the Stars, the Junior Theater Festival is the biggest festival dedicated to young people and musical theater. As part of the 2012 festival, 2,075 students from across the nation came together to attend workshops led by Broadway and West End professionals, to meet talent from NBC's new musical "Smash," and to compete against their peers.

Each group at the Junior Theater Festival performs a selection from a Broadway Junior or KIDS Collection musical for professional adjudication by a distinguished panel of international theater professionals. ACE was one of 65 groups from 19 different states selected for adjudication at the festival. ACE took first in their division for a 15-minute performance from the musical "Seussical JR." ACE was evaluated on the music, acting, dance and overall performance of the musical by judges Lisa Mitchell, education and outreach manager at Disney Theatrical Group; Nick Pramik, former Broadway performer and director of marketing and partnerships at the entertainment advertising agency SpotCo; and Kenny Shepard, an on-camera choreographer for Broadway Junior and Disney Collection DVDs.

ACE made quite a first impression on the judges. "This was an amazing debut at the Junior Theater Festival," Pramik said. "Kenny said the words 'triple threat' earlier, it’s very apparent you all are very well versed dancers, singers, actors. It’s so good to see good young people be such good actors at such a young age. It’s thrilling to watch."

ACE was one of only seven groups to receive the Outstanding Production award at the festival. As winners of their division, ACE went on to perform at the festival's Freddie G. Awards Ceremony, named for Freddie Gershon, Music Theatre International (MTI) chairman and Broadway Junior founder. They also were presented with a trophy.

Patrick Garr was selected as the "Outstanding Male Performer" for his performance of Horton in the musical "Seussical JR" for ACE's division, which included students from 7 to 16 years of age. Patrick was one of only seven students to receive this honor at the festival. For his win, he received a medal and was asked to perform at the awards ceremony. A student at SCAPA (School for Creative and Performing Arts) at Lafayette High School in Lexington, Patrick has studied with both the ACE and Broadway Bound training programs for three years. He will appear next as Evan in the musical "13," which will be presented at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Natasha's.

Patrick and seven other students were selected for other opportunities at the Junior Theatre Festival. Patrick, as well as ACE students Joshua Dhir, Carson Hardee, Mariah Mowbray and Elise Parker, was chosen for final callbacks to perform on a MTI DVD for the Broadway Junior Collection. Emma Becker and Jackson Becker took home Broadway All-Stars honors as the outstanding female and male in the ACE cast performance of "Seussical JR." As All-Stars, Emma and Jackson were able to attend exclusive workshops and participate in the awards ceremony. Finally, Callan Hogan was chosen to perform on the main stage for the Broadway JR. Slam program.

The ACE faculty working with and accompanying the students to the festival were: Vanessa Becker, director of "Seussical JR" and acting instructor at ACE; Vanessa Davis, vocal instructor for "Seussical JR" and ACE; Jenny Fitzpatrick, choreographer of "Seussical JR" and dance instructor at ACE; and Mary Joy Nelson, ACE program director and musical director for "Seussical JR."

The Academy for Creative Excellence (ACE) was founded in 2009 as a preparatory performing arts program for school-aged students in Lexington and surrounding communities. For students wishing to prepare for potential performing arts career paths, ACE provides incremental, fundamental training in theater, dance, classical music, musical theater and opera. The program offers classes in individual and group vocal training, acting tools, ballet, tap and jazz, hip-hop, triple threat, and a variety of audition and training workshops. ACE instructors are directors, vocal coaches and choreographers who are actively engaged in the arts on a local, national and international scale.

ACE is an outreach program of the critically acclaimed UK Opera Theatre program housed at UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716 or whitney.hale@uky.edu

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