Encore Veteran to Compete at State High School Drama Festival
Louisa deButts (High School Musical, Sleeping Beauty), an Encore Star Award winner, is part of the cast of the Yorktown High School production of Dracula. The play will be competing at the Virginia High School League (VHSL) State One-Act Drama Festival, March 15, 2008 in Charlottesville. The play placed second in District and Regional competition. Louisa was named Best Actress at the regional competition.(February 10, 2008)

Children's Theatre Veterans Appear in Ford's Theatre Production
Joey Casey (Redwall, Jolly Roger & The Pirate Queen), Brittany O'Grady (Twelve Dancing Princesses), and Caitlin O'Grady (Rewall) are appearing in the annual Ford's Theatre production of A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas. As members of the cast, they performed for President and Mrs. Bush at the White House on December 3, 2007. The production runs through December 29, 2007. (December 14, 2007)

Brittany O'Grady Brightens Signature's Witches of Eastwick
Brittany O'Grady (Twelve Dancing Princesses) has received rave reviews as the only child actor in Signature Theatre's production of The Witches of Eastwick. There is a nice feature about her in the Arlington Sun Gazette: http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2007/07/02/arlington/news/nws504.txt
(July 2, 2007)

Children's Theatre Alum Wins National Humanitarian Award
Stefanie Lynch of Fairfax, Virginia, has been selected as one of only five students nationally to receive a Howard R. Swearer Humanitarian Award.

The award is presented annually by the Campus Compact student volunteerism organization, a coalition of nearly 1,100 college and university presidents who represent some six million students. It is named in honor of the late Howard R. Swearer, 15th president of Brown University and a founder of Campus Compact.

Stefanie appeared in nearly 30 shows for Children's Theatre and Act III. She is an interdisciplinary major in cultural studies and social advocacy at Emerson College. For additional information see: http://www.emerson.edu/news/index.cfm#6301 (June 11, 2007)

And the Lovely Ballerina Next to Suzanne Farrell is:
Katelyn Prominski, a veteran of many Children's Theatre plays in the late 1990s. Katelyn, now a member of Suzanne Farrell's Ballet Company based at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., appeared in a photograph with Farrell in The Washington Post. Click Here to see the article.
(June 1, 2007)

Cappie Awards
Congratulations to the following Encore participants who were nominated for 2006 Cappie Awards for their achievements in high school theatre productions:

• Caroline Brent (Harriet the Spy, Seussical the Musical) of H.B. Woodlawn, for best actress in a Cameo Role in Arcadia.
• Chelsea Cook (Robin Hood) of Homeschool ITS for Best Rising Critic (9th-10th).
• Chelsea Cook and Brynn Deakins (The Chronicles of Narnia, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood) of Homeschool ITS for Best Costumes for Once Upon A Mattress.
• Nora Ives (Into the Woods, Jr.) for Creativity as co-director of the Washington International School's House of Blue Leaves.

And congratulations to Chelsea Cook who won the Cappie in her age group for Best Rising Critic. (May 2007)

If you know of a news item about a young person who has participated in Encore Stage & Studio plays or classes, please send it via email to info@encorestage.org. Please be sure to mention the Encore plays or classes that the young person was involved in.