Glynn Academy is home to the best musical ensemble cast in Georgia.
A group of about 20 of the more than 30 cast and crew members of “Chicago: Teen Edition” traveled to Atlanta last week for the Shuler Awards, where the show was honored with the best ensemble award.
The Shulers, the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards, annually honor the best musical performances and productions from high schools around the state. The awards are named for Shuler Hensley, a Tony Award-winning stage actor from Georgia.
The GA Players, Glynn Academy’s student theater troupe, were nominated in March in seven categories and received two honorable mentions.
The cast won Best Ensemble at the show on Thursday at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
“It was really exciting from start to finish,” said Kerri Halbert, Glynn Academy’s drama teacher and the show’s director. “It’s an unspeakable honor to be considered the best ensemble cast in the state.”
The cast and crew were “dressed to the nines” for the Academy Award-style production of the Shulers, Halbert said. They had all watched the show before on Georgia Public Broadcasting, but they were unsure of what to expect in person.
“We’ve all watched it on TV, so we were all wondering when we went in person if it would be disappointing. But the energy in the room was palpable. It was a great show,” Halbert said.
Making the show even better were the stage performances of Josiah Nichols, who sang a solo as a best actor nominee. Nichols played one of the three main roles, Billy Flynn, in the GA Players’ “Chicago.”
Lilly Tilghman, who played Roxy Hart in “Chicago,” and Za’Nari Williams, who played Matron “Mama” Morton in the show, also were on stage as part of Shulers Ensemble performance.
Other nominees who were mentioned during the show were Emma McClelland for best supporting performance; Brian Murphy for best sound; Anderson Sanders for best choreography; and Halbert for best director.
Melinda Hollington received an honorable mention for best costume and the show as a whole earned honorable mention for overall production.
Halbert said the GA Players didn’t wait long to get started on their next production, “Mama Mia,” which will run May 2-5 at the Glynn Academy Auditorium. The show’s cast includes Tilghman, McClelland and Nichols, among other talented performers.
Evening performances will be at 7:30 p.m., May 2-5. Afternoon performances will be at 2 p.m. on May 4 and May 5.
For more information about the show or to purchase tickets, go to GAplayers.ludus.com.
Tickets will also be available at the door.