Overture Awards Launch BILLY ELLIOT Dream Award

By: Jan. 04, 2012
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In partnership with the Cincinnati Arts Association's Overture Awards and Local 12 WKRC, and in celebration of the upcoming local engagement of Billy Elliot the Musical, Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati is proud to announce the Billy Elliot Dream Award. This award and scholarship will be presented to a Tri-State student in grades 6 through 12 who is pursuing an artistic dream. The prize will consist of a $500 scholarship provided by Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati's Education Fund.

Billy Elliot the Musical tells the inspirational story of a boy who stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, and how his family and his community come together to support his dream of auditioning for London's Royal Ballet. The Dream Award was created in celebration of the show's visit to Cincinnati and in partnership with Local 12 WKRC and the Cincinnati Arts Association's annual Overture Awards, the region's largest solo arts competition for high school students. Billy Elliot the Musical plays the Aronoff Center January 17 – 29.

Applications for the Billy Elliot Dream Award may be submitted by any student in grades 6 through 12 who is pursuing a dream as an artist in dance, visual art, performance art, creative writing, acting, singing or music. Any interested applicant should submit an essay of three double spaced pages or less describing his or her artistic dream, the challenges and obstacles they may have faced along the way, and how they have (or hope to) overcome these challenges. In addition, a performance video of under two-minutes is required exhibiting the talent of the entrant. Visual artists may submit images of their work. Students who are not able to record their performance on video may contact Steve Finn at the Cincinnati Arts Association (sfinn@cincinnatiarts.org) for assistance creating that portion of the application. No essay is required if the student can tell his or her story through the video in addition to the two minute performance or demonstration.

The application deadline for the entrants to the Billy Elliot Dream Award is Monday, January 23rd at 5pm.
Essay applications will be accepted by email, mail or drop off to the attention of Steve Finn (sfinn@cincinnatiarts.org) at the Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
Video applications will need to be uploaded to YouTube or Facebook. Please include the link to your video on your essay so that the judges are able to identify your entry online.

Application submission guidelines and rules can be found in their entirety at the bottom of this release.

Applications will be judged by a panel of arts professionals including Dee Anne Bryll (actor, director, choreographer, and theater instructor), Steve Finn (Director of Education and Community Relations, Cincinnati Arts Association), and Robert Lomax (classical / gospel vocalist). Three finalists will be chosen on Thursday, January 26 and will each be invited along with a guest to the final performance of Billy Elliot the Musical on Sunday, January 29 at 6:30pm. In addition, the three finalists and their guests will be invited to the Overture Awards Ceremony on Saturday, March 3 at 1:00pm at the Aronoff Center where the winner will be announced and awarded their prize. The winner will receive a $500 scholarship provided by Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati's Education Fund.

Billy Elliot the Musical will play the Aronoff Center from January 17 – 29 as part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati 11/12 Season. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music from Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards. The musical has also earned 81 national and international awards including ten Tony Awards, Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle.

The Cincinnati Arts Association's Overture Awards is the largest scholarship competition for high school students in the country. Last year more than 500 students from a thirteen county region of the Tri-state competed for $24,000 in scholarships in six artistic disciplines- Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, Dance, Drama, Creative Writing and Visual Art. The Overture Awards have achieved such a strong reputation with college admission officers that success in the competition is considered a noteworthy accomplishment. For more information about The Overture Awards, visit www.cincinnatiarts.org/overture_competition.

Additional information about Billy Elliot the Musical is available at www.BillyElliotTour.com.

Billy Elliot the Musical plays the Aronoff Center January 17-29, 2012: Tuesdays-Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, and Sundays at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets start at $27.50 and may be purchased, online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, Ticketmaster.com in person at the Broadway in Cincinnati Box Office downtown in the Mercantile Center at 120 East 4th Street and the Aronoff Center Box Office or by phone at 800.982.2787. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363.

NETworks Presentations, LLC (Producer) Since 1995, NETworks has produced and managed over 45 touring productions in the US., U.K. and internationally . Current Productions include Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Young Frankenstein, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, Blue Man Group National Tour, La Cage, Shrek The Musical and The New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables. Future productions include Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, Flashdance the Musical and National Theatre of Great Britain's production of War Horse touring the U.S.

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA (Presenter), part of the Key Brand Entertainment family of companies which includes Broadway.com, is owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring musicals and plays across 40 North American cities. Broadway.com is the premier theater website for new, exclusive content and ticket sales. Under the supervision of Beth Williams (COO and Head of Production), Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Current Broadway productions include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette, Million Dollar Quartet, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Jerusalem, Memphis, La Cage Aux Folles, the West End production of Million Dollar Quartet and the touring production of Dreamworks' Madagascar Live!

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state's finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached nearly one million students.

LOCAL12 serves viewers in SW Ohio, Northern Kentucky and SE Indiana. The station was licensed by the FCC in April 1949, and has built its reputation based upon its 50 year commitment to providing area viewers with the most up-to-date news, information, weather reports, and entertainment.



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