Caryl Crane Youth Theatre awarded first place in the 2020 National Performing Arts Festival

HURON, OHIO – Caryl Crane Youth Theatre was awarded the first place trophy for Outstanding Performance at the 2020 National Performing Arts Festival in Orlando this past weekend for their performance of “Cats.”

Daniel Keener (homeschooled, Wakeman) was awarded the Festival Trophy for Overall Best Performance from an Actor as well as the Best Male Soloist Award for his rendition of “Run Away With Me” from “The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown.” Claire Daugherty (McCormick Junior High, Huron) and Emma McLelland (Huron St. Peters) received the trophy for Best Duet for their performance of “If Mamma Was Married” from “Gypsy.”

In addition, five CCYT students were recognized for outstanding performances in acting and dance. Jake Koba (Huron High School), McKenna Stoffer (Pioneer Performing Arts), Gabe Omlor (Toledo School For the Arts), Keener and Lily Franks (Huron High School) were named Outstanding Performances Winners for their characters in “Cats.”

Caryl Crane Youth Theatre, under the direction of Brian Marshall, received a Superior rating with the highest score ever given in the 15 years of the National Performing Arts Festival.

This is the group’s first trip to the National Performing Arts Festival.

About Caryl Crane Youth Theatre

Caryl Crane Youth Theatre, celebrating its 30th year of partnership with BGSU Firelands College, exists to create revolutionary theater experiences and advance theater as a means of educating, challenging and inspiring the youth in its community.

The program offers tuition-free productions, theatrical training and leadership opportunities for youth from all over Erie County. Each school year, Caryl Crane Youth Theatre produces a six-show season, which includes a junior production (ages 6-12), a competition team production (“Cats” was presented in May 2019 in the McBride Auditorium at BGSU Firelands College), an all-ages production, a holiday show, a summer day-camp production and a combined production with the theatre program at BGSU Firelands College.

CCYT has enjoyed success at the Junior Theatre Festival as well as the Musical Theatre Competition of America this year. At the 2020 Junior Theatre Festivals, Caryl Crane Youth Theatre was awarded the Freddie G. Group Award for Best In Music. At the MTCA competition in California, Franks and Keener were awarded the third place trophy for Best Duet and Franks received the third place award for Best Soloist.

Caryl Crane Youth Theatre’s 2019-2020 Season is sponsored by Bignoli Enterprises. Patty and Giovanni Bignoli also generously sponsor the CCYT Competition Team, with assistance from The Schlink Foundation and The Mylander Foundation.