Student performers from seven area high schools participating in the Jerry Awards program will be featured in The Grand Theater’s 2020/21 Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble.
The Jerry Awards were created by Overture Center in Madison to encourage, recognize, and honor excellence in high school musical theater across the state of Wisconsin. The Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble, the premier performance group representing the program in the region, is open to students entering grades 9-12 in North Central Wisconsin schools that participate in the program. The Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble is made possible through Aspirus’ support of The Grand’s Arts In Education Series.
For the first time ever, virtual auditions for the Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble were held in July, and thirty students from across the region – from Stevens Point to Eagle River – participated. The 2020/21 Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble features sixteen students from Antigo High School, D.C. Everest Senior High School, Marshfield High School, Mosinee High School, Lakeland Union High School, Stevens Point Area Senior High, and Wausau West High School. Click HERE to see the full roster.
Under the direction of Marshall DeLonay, the students will work on their individual singing, acting, and dancing skills, and they will have the unique opportunity to rehearse, perform, and socialize with students from different schools.
“I’m so excited to be in the Jerry Ensemble for the third year in a row,” said Olivia Mathis, a senior at Wausau West High School. “I’ve met some of my best friends through this group, and I can’t imagine where I would be without it. I’m beyond proud to be a member, and I can’t wait to get back to performing!”
Ensemble members will begin meeting and rehearsing virtually at the end of August, when they will start working on some of their performance pieces for the year. Fans can expect to see some video “performances” soon!
“We are incredibly excited about this new group of talented students,” said Katy Lang, Director of Education and Community Engagement at The Grand. “We look forward to getting this group together in person as soon as it is safe, but in the meantime, the group will get a jump-start on some digital performance projects, audition prep, song analysis, and more.”
For more information on the Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble, visit The Grand Theater’s website at grandtheater.org/programs/jerry-ensemble/.
