The National Youth Theatre has announced the winners and nominees of the Third Annual National Youth Theatre Awards to honor outstanding work in youth theatre. The awards include more than 170 productions from more than 90 different theatres in more than 60 cities spanning 23 states. The complete list of nominees and winners is listed on the NYT website at http://www.nationalyouththeatre.com.

The winners will be formally presented with their awards at a ceremony honoring their accomplishments in different regions of the country. The California awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, July 27, 2008, at 7:30 PM at the Old Town Temecula Community Theatre, 42051 Main Street in Temecula.

Congratulations to the following Inland Empire youth theatres for being honored nationally!

Winners

Outstanding Production:
Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Company, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:
Austin Hinrichs as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Act 1 Theatre Arts, Murrieta, CA)
Brian Jerz as The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)
Mitchell Peck as Bobby Strong in Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Company, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:
Heather Noriega as Aida in Aida (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)
Melissa Smith as Hope Cladwell in Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Company, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy or Drama:
Andrew Gutman as Haimon in Antigone (Vista Murrieta High School, CA)
Eryk Waligora as Creon in Antigone (Vista Murrieta High School, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy or Drama:
Adirenne Tooley as Antigone in Antigone (Vista Murrieta High School, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actress (13 and under):
Bella Fritch as Annie in Annie, Jr. (Fine Arts Network, Temecula, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:
Tyler Lenhart as Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls (Triple Threat Productions, Temecula, CA)
Tyler Trerise as Audrey II (Voice) in Little Shop of Horrors (Vista Murrieta High School, Murrieta, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Stephanie Basurto as Miss Hannigan in Annie, Jr. (Fine Arts Network, Temecula, CA)
Brittany Breeding as Soloist in Let Heaven and Nature Swing (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)
Courtney Duncan as Little Sally in Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Center, CA)
Hannah Jost as Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland (Temecula Performing Arts Co, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actor (13 and under):
Joshua Stein as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol (Temecula Valley Players, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actress (13 and under):
Hayley Higgins as Mayzie in Seussical the Musical (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)

Outstanding Ensemble:
Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Center, CA)

Outstanding Costume Design:
Jane Ellen Smith for 101 Dalmatians (CAT Community Theatre, Corona, CA)

Outstanding Lighting Design:
Matt McGill for Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Company, CA)

Outstanding Direction:
Jillian Stones for Urinetown (Temecula Performing Arts Company, CA)

Nominees

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:
Sheldon Bishop as Radames in Aida (Act 1 Theatre Arts, Murrieta, CA)
Austin Hinrichs as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (Triple Threat Productions, Temecula, CA)
Aaron Wolgemuth as Horton in Seussical the Musical (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:
Emily Boop as Sarah in Guys and Dolls (Triple Threat Productions, Temecula, CA)
Rebecca Park as Amneris in Aida (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy or Drama:
Hannah Irvine as Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (CAT Community Theatre, Corona, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:
Matt Dunn as Aslan in Narnia (CAT Community Theatre, Corona, CA)
Bryan Inman as The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland (Temecula Performing Arts Company, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Camille Weck in Little Shop of Horrors (Vista Murrieta High School, Murrieta, CA)

Outstanding Supporting Actress (13 and under):
Maddison Rickard as Sour Kangaroo in Seussical the Musical (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)
Hannah Wolgemuth as Soloist in Let Heaven and Nature Swing (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)

Outstanding Ensemble:
Aida (Riverside Youth Theatre, CA)
Seussical the Musical (Riverside Youth Theater, CA)

Outstanding Direction:
Cyndi Monroe and Angela Sanicola for Narnia (CAT Community Theatre, Corona, CA)