This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman and supported by PNC. Since its inception, the regional arts program has served more than 16,700 students and 56 high schools throughout Northeast Ohio.
To commemorate this milestone anniversary, we are celebrating with our top ten reasons why we love the Dazzle Awards:
(1) Master Classes
The Dazzle Awards is a yearlong program that offers arts education opportunities for Northeast Ohio students. Participants have the chance to learn from the theater industry’s top professionals, including cast members from the national tours of Hamilton, Hadestown and Some Like It Hot. Actors can choose from acting, vocal or dance master classes, while tech master classes are offered for those interested in production. Music master classes with Cleveland Federation of Musicians are available for instrumentalists.
(2) Our Technical and Musical Apprentices and Student Reporters
In addition to the actors on stage, the Dazzle Awards also shines the spotlight on those who want to learn about offstage opportunities in the theater industry. At the Dazzle Awards Ceremony, the Technical Apprentices work backstage alongside the production staff, and our Musical Apprentices play side-by-side with professional musicians in the pit. The Student Reporters conduct interviews with nominees on the PNC Red Carpet and are the first to speak with the Dazzle Awards winners in the social station backstage.
(3) School Productions throughout the Year
This year, 38 high school musical productions are taking place across Northeast Ohio as a part of the Dazzle Awards. From behind-the-scenes work creating costumes and set designs to orchestras playing iconic scores and actors bringing scripts to life on stage, these productions showcase the hard work and talents of our participating schools. We also love seeing Dazzle Awards students showing their support for other schools’ productions.
(4) Nomination Day
Revealing the nominees for the 12 Dazzle Awards categories is something that our participants look forward to all year. Everyone anxiously awaits the big announcement on Fox 8’s New Day Cleveland, hoping to see their school’s name on the TV screen. Our favorite part? Seeing everyone’s reactions on social media to the news that they are being recognized with a Dazzle Award nomination, as well as the support and enthusiasm that is shared between nominees and other students in the program.
(5) Rehearsal Week
The week leading up to the Dazzle Awards Ceremony is filled with adrenaline and excitement. Students from every participating school come together to learn an opening and closing number – complete with choreography – in less than a week! Not to mention, the best actor and best actress nominees also need to learn their special medley performances. It involves hard work but our Dazzle Awards students and our professional production team always WOW us with what they create.
(6) The Staff and Creative Team Behind-The-Scenes
This program wouldn’t be possible without the work of the Playhouse Square staff and Dazzle Awards production team. Their work continues throughout the year, coordinating master classes and audition workshops, supporting our Dazzle Awards students and educators, creating the opening and closing numbers, facilitating flawless performances on the KeyBank State stage and everything in between. Their dedication to offering learning opportunities and instilling a passion for the arts is second to none.
(7) Dazzle Awards Ceremony
What the Dazzle Awards program culminates in every year – the Dazzle Awards Ceremony! The glamorous evening begins with our nominees and participating school representatives walking the PNC Red Carpet. Then it’s off to get ready for a showstopping opening number that is sure to get a standing ovation from the crowd. The ceremony also includes performances from the schools that are nominated for Best Musical, medleys from the Best Actor and Actress nominees and the announcement of the coveted Dazzle Awards winners. And of course, top honors are presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 13 categories. We love seeing the winners’ reactions as they come backstage for an interview in the social station. Their joy just adds to a night that sparkles in the KeyBank State Theatre.
(8) The Community
Even though the Dazzle Awards program ends every May, the camaraderie that is cultivated with students from different schools during master classes, audition workshops, rehearsals and the Dazzle Awards Ceremony is something that lasts far beyond the final curtain. We treasure seeing the connections that are made, and the reunions that happen year after year at each Dazzle Awards and beyond. Our students, educators and staffers help us to create a community that fosters growth and support in our region’s high school musical theater programs.
(9) Seeing our Dazzle Awards Actors Shine at The Jimmy Awards in NYC
Every year, our Best Actor and Best Actress winners go from the KeyBank State stage to the Minskoff stage on Broadway to shine at The Jimmy Awards. The spend time in rehearsals, learning from the best in the business, to prepare for their Broadway debut. Oh, did we also mention that they get to see their names in lights in Times Square and their headshots in The New York Times? Their hard work pays off as they perform character medleys or group numbers at the Minskoff Theatre, and we all cheer them on as we watch the livestream here in the CLE.
(10) Our Amazing Sponsors
We couldn’t have a program like the Dazzle Awards without presenting sponsors Pat and John Chapman, who champion the work of our students every year, as well as the support of PNC. We are grateful for all that you do to highlight the importance of high school musical theater and arts education in our region.