John Caliendo, Lindsay Dunn Win Paper Mill's 2011 Rising Star Awards

Since their inception in 1996 the Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey. Among the early nominees and winners are Academy Award® nominee Anne Hathaway, Tony® award winner Laura Benanti, and 2011 Tony® nominee, Nikki M. James. Paper Mill Playhouse hosted the 16th Annual Rising Star Awards- Presented by the Investors Savings Bank Foundation on Tuesday, June 7th at the Millburn Theater. Schools nominated for Outstanding Overall Musical and Leading Actor/Actress nominees performed at the event and award recipients were presented with a crystal award from Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards partner, Tiffany & Co. Westfield High School came out on top, winning nine Rising Star Awards (including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical) and two scholarships.

"There is a new energy and level of excitement in high school musical theater right now," commented Mark S. Hoebee, Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director. "Due to television programs like Fox's Glee, there is a new, invigorated interest and enthusiasm surrounding these projects. The culmination for many New Jersey high schools is the prestigious honor of a Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star nomination and we are proud to present these awards to New Jersey schools."

The Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards - Presented by the Investors Savings Bank Foundation are modeled after the Tony® Awards and Paper Mill Playhouse's program serves the entire state of New Jersey with nearly 100 entered productions from public, private and parochial high schools. Paper Mill Playhouse conceived and created the awards in 1996 to give schools the opportunity to showcase their musical arts programs on a state level. The musicals are adjudicated by Paper Mill Playhouse throughout the spring by a group of 70 Evaluators, with each school receiving four independent evaluations.

"We are proud once again to be a part of the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards, which is in its 16th year of recognizing exceptional performances by high school students and educators," said Investors Savings Bank President and CEO Kevin Cummings, who also serves on the board of the Investors Savings Bank Foundation. "Thanks to the education and outreach efforts of Paper Mill Playhouse, programs like this one are providing talented young people with outstanding opportunities. The Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards - Presented by the Investors Savings Bank Foundation offer an occasion to recognize the many talented students and educators in New Jersey."

Paper Mill Director of Education, Lisa Cooney adds, "What's happening in high school musical productions here in New Jersey and around the country is remarkable. Programs like the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards raise the bar and create opportunities for student performers and theatre technicians to be recognized for their achievements, while giving them access to thousands of dollars in scholarship money. We consistently hear from top tier colleges and casting directors that the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award is a significant accolade for an aspiring theatre artist. Additionally, many of Paper Mill Playhouse's Rising Star nominees and winners are now working professionally and we are especially proud of Broadway performers Laura Benanti and Nikki M. James who were Paper Mill Rising Star Award nominees, and now are nominated for Tony® Awards this season."

Paper Mill Playhouse also awarded $5,000 in scholarships at the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards- Presented by the Investors Savings Bank Foundation. Four $1,000 cash scholarships were given to outstanding individual students who plan to continue studying theatre in college, and a technical theatre scholarship of $1,000 is sponsored annually by Scaramouche Costumes, LLC. Paper Mill Playhouse is pleased to announce that a prize of $500 was given to Rahway High School (WEST SIDE STORY), who received the 2011 Educational Impact Award which acknowledges a school that successfully connects the musical to the district's curriculum, using the production as a teaching tool for the greater student body and local community. Paper Mill is also very proud to announce a new award for 2011, The Rising Star "Theatre for Everyone" Inclusion & Access Award. Through a partnership with VSA New Jersey and The Cultural Access Network of New Jersey, a project of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Paper Mill Playhouse presented a cash award of $1,000 to Passaic County Technical Institute (HAIRSPRAY) to recognize excellence in the promotion and practice of creative inclusion of students and adults with disabilities as performers, designers, musicians and production staff. Additionally, this award also seeks to recognize and reward a school that takes steps to ensure their performances are accessible to audiences with disabilities.

Lastly, students receiving final nominations in the lead and supporting acting categories automatically receive a full scholarship to Paper Mill Playhouse's competitive Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory, a professional training program, which along with advanced classes in singing, acting and dance, offers the nominees an opportunity to perform on the stage at Paper Mill Playhouse in our season finale concert, "New Voices of 2011: I'll Take Manhattan: celebrating Broadway's love affair with its hometown" on July 29th and 30th.

Among the top nominated high schools, Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees, NJ and Westfield High School in Union County led with 15 nominations each, followed by Summit High School with 13, Union High School and Cranford High School with 12 nominations each, Nutley High School with 11 and Hillsborough High School with 10 nominations.

The 2011 Rising Star Awards - Presented by the Investors Savings Bank Foundation are also generously supported by The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation, The Ambrose & Ida Fredrickson Foundation and The Bloomingdale's Fund of the Macy's Foundation. Rising Star scholarships are made possible by John Burgio & Ruth Bedford in Memory of Jane Burgio, Scaramouche Costumes LLC, Douglas Michael Krueger Arts Foundation, VSA New Jersey, and The Cultural Access Network of New Jersey. Additional major funding for Paper Mill Playhouse Education Outreach is provided by The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and MetLife Foundation.

Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is grateful for generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals.

Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theatres. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Paper Mill Playhouse 16th Annual Rising Star Awards presented by Investors Savings Bank Foundation
2011 Rising Star Award Winners

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Lindsay Dunn as "Millie Dillmount"
Wallkill Valley Regional High School
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
John Caliendo as "Tevye"
Point Pleasant Borough High School
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Rebecca Skowron as "Beggar Woman"
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Drew Gardner as "Angel Schunard"
Ridge High School
RENT: SCHOOL EDITION

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role
Peter Carmo as "Adolfo Pirelli"
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Member
Emily Grable as "Dream Laurey"
Cranford HIGH SCHOOL
OKLAHOMA!

Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Group
"The Stenographers"
Summit High School
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

Outstanding Chorus
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Direction
Daniel Devlin
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Choreography & Musical Staging
Michelle Massa
Cranford High School
OKLAHOMA!

Outstanding Music Direction
Michael Cundari and Nicole Monte
Nutley High School
CANDIDE

Outstanding Orchestra
Howell High School
ANYTHING GOES

Outstanding Scenic Achievement
Roy Chambers
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Lighting Achievement
Michael Kimmel and Lisa Weinshrott
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Outstanding Costuming Achievement
Paul H. Canada and Beth Holland
Gill St. Bernard's School
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

Outstanding Hair & Make-up Achievement
Eastern Regional High School
CATS

Outstanding Lobby Display
Agnes Irizarry and Carol Kravette
Hillsborough High School
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Outstanding Graphic Design
Paul Gaschler
Union High School
DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Educational Impact Award
Rahway High School
WEST SIDE STORY

The Rising Star "Theatre for Everyone" Inclusion & Access Award
Passaic County Technical Institute
HAIRSPRAY

Student Achievement Awards

Student Achievement Award
Jacob Schmitz
Stage Manager
Columbia High School
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

Student Achievement Award
Stage Crew
Columbia High School
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

Student Achievement Award
Esmeralda Fyhr
Costume Design and Costume Shop Head
Cranford High School
OKLAHOMA!

Student Achievement Award
Rachel Butensky
Wardrobe Crew
Morristown-Beard School
OKLAHOMA!

Student Achievement Award
Gioia Kelleher
Wardrobe Crew
Morristown-Beard School
OKLAHOMA!

Student Achievement Award
Ben Tolles
Stage Manager
Summit High School
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

Student Achievement Award
Running Crew
Summit High School
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

Student Achievement Award
Miguel Urbino
Graphic Arts
West Orange High School
HAIRSPRAY

Student Achievement Award
Jill Salisbury
Assistant Technical Director
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Student Achievement Award
Tzvetelina Garneva
Stage Manager
Westfield High School
SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Rising Star Award Scholarships

The Investors Savings Bank Foundation Rising Star Awards Scholarship
Christopher Morrissey
Westfield High School

Tiffany & Co. Rising Star Awards Scholarship
Benjamin Chavez
Bergen County Academies

The Jane Burgio Memorial Scholarship for the Rising Star Awards
Robyn Stein
Hillsborough High School

The Douglas M. Krueger Scholarship Fund for the Rising Star Awards
Katherine Scott
Red Bank Catholic High School

The Scaramouche Technical Theatre Scholarship for the Rising Star Awards
Jill Salisbury
Westfield High School