Burnsville High School Theatre Guild receives ‘Achievement in Theater' award
BHS theatre program in the spotlight for “Outstanding” production of ‘Mean Girls: High School Version’
Burnsville High School Theatre Guild has received an Achievement in Theater honor by the Hennepin Theatre Trust, earning a spot to perform at the upcoming Spotlight Showcase.
Spotlight Showcase is Minnesota high school theater’s biggest celebration. This year, over 1,600 students will participate in the annual awards and recognition event, which will be held at the State Theatre on June 10. The event also highlights Minnesota theater educators and Spotlight alumni.
“There was an advanced understanding of how to build a rapport and relationship with the audience,” said the Hennepin Arts nominator. “One could easily present this musical as more vapid comedy, but this fantastic group went much deeper, creating a progressive, gender inclusive version of this story and boldly investigated bullying and social hierarchy. This group of young artists intelligently humanized these characters, so they were more than just parody or caricatures, but real people to whom the audience could easily relate.”
The nominator added: “It was very evident that the vicious environment of North Shore High is not the environment that the students of Burnsville High School strive to create, and that was inspiring to witness! In consideration of all elements, this was an outstanding performance. Acting and dancing were strong throughout the ensemble, and most of the tech crews and the orchestra were fully engaged with the show as well.”
“Receiving an Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre from Hennepin Arts Spotlight Education is an incredible honor for Burnsville High School,” said BHS Theatre Director Erika Sasseville. “Each year, only a handful of schools are awarded an Outstanding Award, and for our show to have been honored for nearly every element of the production is beyond amazing! Our students and staff earned these honors through their months of hard work and dedication, and we could not be more proud of all that we have achieved."
Hennepin Theatre Trust & the “Achievement in Theater” Honor
Hennepin Theatre Trust is a nonprofit organization that creates positive change through the arts. It serves the community through its three historic theatres – the Orpheum, State and Pantages – and its unique arts, culture and education programs.
The purpose of honors is to celebrate what evaluators identify as notable achievements of the
production they observed. Evaluators are asked to nominate individuals and elements that they believe should be recognized and celebrated.
In consideration of all elements, this was an outstanding performance. Acting and dancing were strong throughout the ensemble, and most of the tech crews and the orchestra were fully engaged with the show as well.
To learn more about the honors the program and individuals received, as well as to read the nominator’s comments, visit https://hennepinarts.org/education/spotlight-showcase.