Local thespians among National Youth Theatre award winners
An 11-year-old Rancho Bernardo actress is one of several locals to win a National Youth Theatre award.
Emma Dorn received “Outstanding Lead Actress (13 and under)” at Monday night’s awards ceremony in La Jolla.
“I probably screamed for 10 minutes because I was so surprised,” Emma said of her reaction when notified of her win a few weeks ago. “I did not know the director submitted anything. I was stunned and am pretty much still in shock.”
This is the first acting award for the Oak Valley Middle School sixth-grader, who has been cast in musicals since she was 7. The award is for her portrayal of The Cat in the Hat in “Seussical,” produced last summer by Escondido-based Broadway Theatre Arts Academy.
National Youth Theatre Awards began five years ago. They are based on the San Diego Playbill Youth “Billie” Awards and have grown to five regional ceremonies across the country.
According to the award’s website, this year more than 200 productions were nominated, representing at least 100 theaters in more than 50 cities throughout 15 states.
Emma, who is performing in San Diego Civic Dance Arts’ production of “Jane Bond: The Girl with the Golden Shoe” through June 20 in Balboa Park, said she started dancing at age 5. She studies tap and jazz through SDCDA and has been cast in two previous SDCDA productions.
At 7, she was cast as the Walrus in her first musical, BTAA’s “Seussical.” Since then, she has appeared in “Annie,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Peter Pan” and “Oliver,” through various theater groups.
“I love performing and being on the stage,” Emma said. “I find it fun and love entertaining an audience because the world needs more entertainment.”
Musicals are her favorite because they allow her to combine singing, acting and dancing, she said.
While she would like to be an actress as an adult, her back-up plan is to become a television news reporter, she said.
Among other locals honored at the June 7 ceremony were:
• Karina Gillette of Poway as “Artist of the Year,” for her work in “Beauty and the Beast,” “Les Miserables” and “Little Women.”
• Elizabeth Morse of Rancho Penasquitos as “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical” for portraying Gertrude in American Rose Theatre’s “Seussical.”
• Bill Wuehrmann, who won “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play,” for Dr. Zubritsky in Westview High’s production of “Fools.”
• Jacob Rollins of Poway, “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical,” for playing Javert in Broadway Theatre Arts Academy’s “Les Miserables.”
• Clara Kelly, “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical,” for portraying Mrs. Potts in The Church at Rancho Bernardo’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
•Megan Neubauer, “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical,” for playing Betty Rizzo in Westview High’s “Grease.”
• Jackie Foster, a Twin Peaks Middle School student, who won “Outstanding Supporting Actress (13 and under),” for Eponine in Broadway Theatre Arts Academy’s “Les Miserables.”
• The Church at Rancho Bernardo received “Outstanding Ensemble” for its production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
For a complete list of San Diego honorees, go to www.nationalyouththeatre.com.
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