ARTS FOR LIFE conducts an annual special event to honor the contributions of community volunteers to musical theatre in the Metro-St. Louis area entitled Best Performance Awards for Community Musical Theatre. A theatrical event in itself, musical numbers from nominated shows are performed, Lifetime Achievement awards to St. Louis "legends" in the Arts are conferred and Special Achievement awards for "unique applications of theatre" are presented with narration, guest appearances and special effects. The entire event is videotaped and edited for cable television broadcast.
Special guests have included Katherine Dunham presenting the "Best Choreography" award in 2001; D.C. Cooper, KDHX radio personality providing voice-overs; and, Fox Theatricals producers Mary Strauss and Mike Isaacson, MUNY President Denny Reagan and actress Lynn Humphrey Working hosting the event. Video acceptances from Lifetime Achievement honorees have included Grace Bumbry, John Goodman and Al Hirschfeld. Participation via live telephone hook-up has included Phyllis Diller, A.E. Hotchner, and Shelley Winters.
Nomination and selection of the community theatre awards are done by a special committee, i.e., the Theatre Recognition Guild, made up of theatre critics, drama teachers, music and voice teachers, professional performers or artists, members of community theatre groups, and people who just have an avid interest in musical theatre. This committee reviews each of the musical theatre productions as an audience member and scores each participant in each category.
To the hundreds of local musicians and amateur thespians, the Best Performance Awards for Community Musical Theatre is a way for the community to say, thank-you to its volunteers in the Performing Arts; showcase individual theater groups with musical production numbers from nominated shows; and, stimulate the community with musical theatre through cable broadcast of the event.
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