The Schmidt and Jones Awards honoring excellence in high school musical theatre is sponsored by Lyric Stage, Dallas County’s only locally produced professional musical theatre company.
A panel of judges consisting of theatre professionals and theatre educators view the productions of the accepted applicants from schools in Dallas, Tarrant or Collin counties. The panel makes nominations and then votes to determine winners in various performance and design categories. Only students are eligible for awards. The directors of participating schools also receive written production evaluations.
Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones
The awards are named after Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, native Texans and creators of The Fantasticks, the longest running show in the history of the American theatre. The original off-Broadway production played 42 years and 17,162 performances. Throughout the years, Lyric Stage has had a strong relationship with the duo, and in 2005-2006 produced Schmidt and Jones: A Celebration. The festival included productions of The Fantasticks and 110 in the Shade, and staged readings of Celebration and Philemon. The Schmidt and Jones Awards are an opportunity to honor North Texas theatre students in a gala atmosphere with a Tony Award® feel.
This year’s award gala is set for May 23, 2013 at the Irving Arts Center. The Schmidt and Jones Awards are participating in the 2013 National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York in June.