Tommy Tune Awards

Tommy Tune Awards

THE MISSION OF THE TOMMY TUNE AWARDS

The Theatre Under The Stars Tommy Tune Awards recognize and reward excellence in the production of musical theatre by high school students and their teachers in the greater Houston metropolitan area.

NAME OF THE AWARDS

The awards are named in honor of Tommy Tune, who is a nine-time winner of the Tony Award, Broadways’ highest honor for outstanding work, and who is also a graduate of Lamar High School in Houston. Mr. Tune has been honored as a performer, director, and choreographer, and works in which he has starred or directed and choreographed include Seesaw, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Nine, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Grand Hotel, and The Will Rogers Follies. In agreeing to lend his name and presence to the Awards, Mr. Tune said:

“High school theatre was extremely important for me in helping to shape my later career. I was fortunate to be encouraged at Lamar by a great teacher, Ruth Denney. The recognition provided by these awards can provide the encouragement that a gifted student may need to become a successful professional.”

SCHOOL PARTICIPATION

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) invites over 150 high schools to participate each year. These high schools represent all school districts in the greater Houston metropolitan area. The first forty-five (45) schools that apply will be invited to participate in the program. Schools are entered based on the timing of the receipt of their application.

AWARDS CALENDAR

The Awards program will be established to conform to the academic calendar of the majority of the public and private schools in the Houston area.

SELECTION OF THE AWARD RECIPIENTS

A panel of qualified theatre professionals will be assembled to attend musical productions in Houston area schools that choose to enter the competition. Each production will be viewed and evaluated by a panel of three judges, who will award points according to guidelines that will endeavor to be as objective as possible. At the end of the designated season, these evaluations will be tabulated and certified by a Certified Public Accounting firm. The highest scores will determine the nominees and winners in each category. The award recipients will be announced the evening of the awards ceremony.

CATEGORIES OF AWARDS

The Awards will be given for excellence in the following categories for productions of musicals during a specified period within each academic year:

   Best Musical Best Ensemble/Chorus
   Best Costume Design
   Best Direction Best Leading Actor/Actress
   Best Scenic Design
   Best Choreography Best Supporting Actor/Actress
   Best Lighting Design
   Best Musical Direction
   Best Featured Performer
   Best Crew & Technical
   Best Orchestra

THE AWARD

The Award will be a specially designed trophy, engraved with the official logo, category of the award and the year, and will be suitable for permanent display at the school. Individual trophies will also be given as appropriate to the students who are honored and to the student’s school as well.

SCHOLARSHIPS

TUTS will award scholarships, for no less than $1,000.00 to outstanding participating students of the Tommy Tune Awards. All participating schools will be provided with the scholarship guidelines and applications for their students to submit. The scholarship committee made up of TUTS’ administrative staff, board members, and community leaders will thoroughly review all the applications and select the recipients. The scholarship recipients will be announced the evening of the awards ceremony.

AWARDS CEREMONY

An annual Awards Ceremony will be held at Sarofim Hall in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Distinguished artists and producers will present the awards. Excerpts from the honored high school productions will be rehearsed and presented before an audience of 2,650.

SPONSORSHIP

TUTS reserves the right to seek a sponsor for the evening awards ceremony. The Sponsor’s name will be mentioned prominently in all aspects of the Awards’ promotion and presentation.