Madeline Lynch, 2010 Tony Rongo Honor Award Winner
Bay Music Foundation Holds Second Annual Celebration of the Arts
Peggy Rowley Award Bestowed on ABC Productions
May 31, 2010
By: Stephen Kent
The Bay Music Foundation held it's second Annual Celebration of the Arts at the State Theater on May 16, 2010. The event helps showcase young performers and musicians as well as honoring past Scholarship winners.
The Bay Music Foundation has supported outstanding young performers for over fifty years. Each year a competition is held with winners awarded scholarships which can be used for lessons, instruments and music. Many of the 2010 winners performed at the Celebration event. The Foundation also honored past winners who's names were displayed at the front of the theater.
This year's event was hosted by Kurt Miller, well know local performer and singer. Miller opened the festivities by singing "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific.
Eileen Harrigan, President of Bay Music Foundation, presented the "Peggy Rowley Award" which honors individuals and organizations who give of their time and talent to promote youth and the arts in Bay County. This year's award was presented to ABC Productions.
ABC Productions was the brainchild of Paul Phillips who established the group after graduating from John Glen High School. In Paul's words, according to Harrigan, "After high school a group of us wanted to do shows. The school system didn't have a summer program so we decided to step in." The principal at John Glen challenged the group to form a legitimate non-profit and see what they could do.
To the surprise of many, ABC became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 1978 with the purpose of producing an annual summer, Broadway style, as a community theater project. ABC's primary goal was to present quality family oriented programs each summer involving both students and adults in the Bay County area. Proceeds were used to maintain the summer program as well as to support the John Glen auditorium.
The first musical was "Bye Bye Birdie". Subsequent productions, enjoyed by thousands of theater goers, over the past 29 years have included South Pacific, Camelot, Anything Goes, Music Man, Hello Dolly, Annie Get Your Gun, West Side Story, and so many more well known shows.
Each production required the help of many, many people besides the cast: Stage directors, music directors, musicians, stage managers, choreographers, set designers, set builders, prop coordinators, costume designers, light and sound, makeup, and so many more. All of these jobs were done by volunteers.
Accepting the award for ABC was Gary Asel, who joined ABC in 1991 and was involved in thirteen shows. "Family is so important to the arts", said Asel. "The parents who take the kids to the lessons and here and there because most of them start long before they can drive. Family, family, family is so important". ABC was much like a family itself and more than one couple met while working on a production.
Asel thanked a number of individuals who have been instrumental in the success of ABC. He also thanked Phillips naming him as the soul of the organization. "Paul is the only constant" he said. Both men learned from "Miss Pat", beloved teacher, who taught them about the "great spark that lights the fire".
Paul Phillips prefers to say behind the scenes and was, in fact, at the back of the theater running the light and sound system for the Celebration.
Emily Krueger - 2010 First Place
Intermediate Instrumental
Carly Peil - 2010 Second Place Senior Musical Theater
David Kolb - 2010 Second Place Senior Piano
Evan Gill - 2010 First Place Senior Instrumental
District Judge Tim Kelly sings "I Who Have Nothing"
Gary Asel accepts the "Peggy Rowley Award" for ABC Productions
Jaron Jock - 2010 First Place Senior Piano
Sydney Owczarzak - 2010 Second Place Intermediate Voice
Alejandro Cervantes = 2010 First Place Senior Musical Theater
and
Carly Peil - 2010 Second Place Senior Musical Theater
Kelly and Greg Williams, accompanied by ABC cast members,
perform "Can We Start Again Please" from "Jesus Christ Superstar"