Chaparral High School Drama Wins 3 Awards, 5 Nominations in National Youth Arts Competition

The Chaparral High School Performing Arts Department is pleased to announce that students and staff in its Drama Department, under the direction of Chris Irvin, drama/music theater teacher, have earned three awards and five additional nominations in the Ninth Annual National Youth Arts Awards for the 2013-2014 season. 

Award winners are:  

• Lead Actor in a Play, James Bowen (Leon in Fools)
• Supporting Actor in a Musical, James Bowen (Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar)
• Supporting Actress in a Musical, Avalon Penrose (Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar)

• Lead Actor in a Musical, Samuel Irvin (Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar) 
• Lead Actress in a Musical, Madison Francis (Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar)
• Supporting Actor in a Musical, Greg McMahon (Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar)
• Ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar
• Set Design, Scott Carey, Chris Irvin, Kent Gerow, and CHS Stage Tech students (Fools)
• Direction, Chris Irvin (Jesus Christ Superstar)

Created to honor outstanding work by youth in the arts, NYA Awards, formerly known as the National Youth Theatre Awards, has expanded to celebrate music, dance, film, and other art forms. This year more than 400 productions were considered for awards, including shows from more than 130 different theatres in more than 60 cities spanning 12 states. Award winners were selected from nominations by a panel of more than 25 judges and reviewers. 

Awards were presented at Citrus Valley High School in Redlands on Saturday, June 7.

For more information on NYA Awards, please see its website at http://www.nationalyouththeatre.com/news/news_nya_awards2014.asp