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­­29th ANNUAL SHELLIE AWARD
WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT
LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Photo Gallery ­
History of the Shellie Awards and Previous Winners­

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WALNUT CREEK – THE 29^th ANNUAL SHELLIE AWARDS gala celebration honoring outstanding achievement in the performing arts in Central Contra Costa County was held Saturday, January 12th at 7:30pm at the Lesher Center for the Arts.

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The black-tie event featured production numbers from each of the nominated musicals along with scenes from each of the nominated plays. Ken Bergmann conducted the Shellie Awards Orchestra and the MC’s for the evening were Jeff Collister, Jerry Motta, Kerri Shawn, and Michael White. Throughout the evening the audience was entertained with live and “remote” video broadcasts from backstage and other areas throughout the Center.

Shellie Awards innovator, Scott Denison, says “The Shellie Awards were founded twenty-nine years ago in order to recognize outstanding achievement in the performing arts in Central Contra Costa. This is an evening to honor the nominees, as well as the winners.”

The custom designed porcelain Shellie statuettes were awarded to:

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ­­­CATEGORY­	MUSICAL	PLAY
Actress	Brandy Collazo for Thoroughly Modern Millie ­By DLOC	Carrie Paff for How the Other Half Loves by Center REPertory Company
Actor	Nephi Speer for Urinetown, the Musical by Contra Costa Musical Theatre	Mark Phillips for How the Other Half Loves by Center REPertory Company
Supporting Actress	Meghann May for Rocky Horror Show by Town Hall Theatre Company	Beth Chastain for Christenings by Galatean Players Ensemble Theatre
Supporting Actor	A tie! Marc Murai for Seussical the Musical by Contra Costa Christian Theatre AND Scott Strain for Guys and Dolls By Contra Costa Musical Theatre	Shawn Bonnington for Rumors by Pittsburg Community Theatre
­ Scenic Designer	Ed Gallagher for The Music Man by DLOC	Peter Crompton for The Kentucky Cycle by Willows Theatre Company
Costumer	Melissa Paterson for Guys and Dolls by Contra Costa Musical Theatre	Melissa Torchia for The Kentucky Cycle by Willows Theatre Company
Lighting Designer	Stephen Gozza for Seussical the Musical by Contra Costa Christian Theatre	Kurt Landisman for Tuesdays with Morrie by Center REPertory Company­
Director	Ryan Weible for Thoroughly Modern Millie by DLOC	Michael Butler for How the Other Half Loves by Center REPertory Company
Choreographer	Sheri Stockdale for Thoroughly Modern Millie by DLOC
Music Director	Andrew Holtz for The Secret Garden by Willows Theatre Company
Production	Thoroughly Modern Millie by DLOC	How the Other Half Loves by Center REPertory Company

Also Shellies for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts were awarded to Sheilah Morrison from Antioch Rivertown Theatre, Dyan LaCivita from Contra Costa Musical Theatre; Matt Davis from Galatean Players Ensemble Theatre; Loren Mark Combs from Onstage Theatre; Janice Peacock from Town Hall Theatre Company; and Roz Hirsch from Role Players Ensemble Theatre.

Guest presenters for the evening included the presidents and artistic directors from each of the participating theatres along with, Contra Costa Supervisor Mary Piepho, Mayor Gwen Regalia from Walnut Creek, Mayor Mike Anderson from Lafayette, Mayor John Hanecak from Pleasant Hill, Mayor H. Abram Wilson from San Ramon, Gary Fisher from Chevron and Gil Berkeley, Kevin Sanchez and Peggy White from Diablo Regional Arts Association.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the continued support of the Shellie Awards program and the participating performing arts companies. This year’s Shellie Awards were also underwritten by generous donations from the Diablo Regional Arts Association and the City of Walnut Creek.

­As the festivities concluded in the lobby with a champagne and dessert reception honoring the nominees and award winners, the date for the 30­^th Annual Shellie Awards was announced to be Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 7:30pm with tickets going on sale on November 1, 2008.

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