2011 Junior Theatre Honors Gala

The Junior Theatre Honors awards presentation is a multimedia program that uses live entertainment and video to separately and personally describe and celebrate the accomplishments of each Honoree. This new annual event is held at Casa Del Prado Theatre in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. The program will feature cast members from Annie, performing songs from the show, and unique musical pieces for each honoree that will performed by current Junior Theatre children and Junior Theatre alumni!
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At the awards program, a specially designed medallion is presented to each honoree, which signifies their membership in the distinguished community of Junior Theatre Honorees.

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7:30pm on Saturday, November 5, 2011
Casa del Prado Theatre, Balboa Park

Performed at Casa del Prado Theatre, in Balboa Park.
 

 

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DR. JASON E. RAO (Alumni Achievement)

Dr. Jason Rao serves as the Senior Policy Advisor for global science engagement in the White House, where he leads the global efforts of President Obama’s Administration in international science diplomacy. Previously, Dr. Rao worked in the State Department on a broad range of foreign assistance initiatives, including projects is Russia, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Dr. Rao earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology from the John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Rao attended classes at San Diego Junior Theatre beginning at age 10 and appeared in several shows, including Charlotte’s Web, Tom Sawyer, The Music Man, The Boyfriend and Fame.

OLE KITTLESON (Alumni Achievement)

Ole Kittleson joined San Diego Junior Theatre as a student in 1950 and performed in eight shows. He later appeared Off-Broadway in Leave It To Jane and Little Mary Sunshine. Mr. Kittleson directed over 20 shows at Junior Theatre, directed and appeared in over 60 musicals for Starlight Opera in Balboa Park, and has directed and performed at The Old Globe, The La Jolla Playhouse, Diversionary Theatre, North Coast Rep, Welk Resort Theatre, Moonlight Theater, Schroeder’s Club & Cabaret, and 6th@Penn Theater. Mr. Kittleson is the lyricist for over 25 published musicals, co-founder of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, and was inducted into the San Diego Theatre Hall of Fame in 2004.

CRAIG NOEL (Distinguished Service – Posthumously)

Craig Noel is the founder of San Diego Junior Theatre. Mr. Noel was also the founding Director of The Old Globe theatre, and it was his inspired vision to create a children’s theater extension that came to be known as San Diego Junior Theatre. Under Mr. Noel’s leadership, guidance and direction, Junior Theatre quickly grew into one of the most thriving, successful, and now the longest running, children’s theatre companies in the United States. Before his death on April 3, 2010 at the age of 94, Mr. Noel, affectionately called the “Father of San Diego Theatre,” received numerous honors, including the National Medal of Arts — the nation’s highest artistic honor for artistic excellence — at a White House ceremony in 2007 presented by President George W. Bush.

CONNIE WEBSTER (Distinguished Service)

Connie Webster has been a dedicated volunteer at San Diego Junior Theatre for nearly 35 years. Mrs. Webster’s distinguished service began as a volunteer production assistant for the more than 20 shows her sons appeared in at Junior Theatre, along with countless other shows. In response to security issues in the backstage and rehearsal areas in 1980, Mrs. Webster created one of Junior Theatre’s most endearing traditions, the cast and crew souvenir buttons. For more than 30 years, and at her expense, Mrs. Webster has made these buttons that were initially worn by cast and crew members as a means of identification, but which now are typically worn by proud Junior Theatre parents.

JESSICA SHERIDAN (Alumni Achievement)

Jessica Sheridan is an accomplished and versatile actress, singer and dancer. Ms. Sheridan’s many credits include appearances on Broadway in Mary Poppins and Les Misérables and soon in Follies, in Liza — “Stepping Out” at Radio City Music Hall and in the World Tour, and in the National Tours of The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, Footloose, and How to Succeed in Business. Ms. Sheridan has also performed extensively in Europe, Canada, Asia, Off-Broadway and in Regional Theater. At age 9, Ms. Sheridan began her musical theater life at San Diego Junior Theatre where she appeared in several productions, debuting as a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz and ending as Rizzo in Grease.

Production sponsored in part by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department, and the County of San Diego.