GOVERNOR AND FIRST LADY TO RECEIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

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BANK OF AMERICA-SPONSORED CEREMONY TO BE SHOWN EXCLUSIVELY ON THEBASIE.ORG AND FACEBOOK

 

(RED BANK MAY 28, 2020) – The Count Basie Center for the Arts has announced the 2020 Basie Awards, the annual celebration of Monmouth County high school theatre presented by Bank of America, will take place online on Tuesday, June 9 at 8pm exclusively on theBASIE.org and Facebook.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing outstanding commitment to the arts in our community, will be presented to New Jersey Governor and First Lady, Phil and Tammy Murphy. The First Lady is a former Basie Center Trustee.

“I credit most of my success to my early exposure to the arts,” said Governor Murphy in his remarks to Basie Awards viewers. “It’s a privilege to be part of this ceremony, and an honor to receive this recognition.”

“The Basie Awards have celebrated the extraordinary talent in Monmouth County for over a decade,” said Adam Philipson, President / CEO, Count Basie Center for the Arts. “In doing so, we’ve created a deeply supportive and connected artistic community. Though we won’t be in the theater screaming and cheering, by being virtual, the accolades will be celebrated far and wide. We can’t thank enough our title sponsor, Bank of America, for helping us pivot this year’s award ceremony.”

“We recognize the difficulties faced by students this year – and that for many student actors, hours of hard work went into productions that never made it to opening night,” said Alberto Garofolo, New Jersey Market President, Bank of America. “It is extra special that we can be part of this great, annual tradition and this year’s virtual celebration of Monmouth County high school theatre. Bank of America is proud to be the sponsor of the 2020 Basie Awards.”

Schools in New Jersey were shuttered at the onset of high school musical season. This year’s Basies will reveal nominees and winners from performances reviewed last fall, while paying special tribute to the work students and advisors put into spring productions affected by the shutdown. The broadcast will also include surprise appearances by up-and-coming Broadway stars.

“This has been a challenging year for students and teachers alike, and we know that the arts play an important role in feeding students’ hearts, minds and souls,” said Yvonne Lamb Scudiery, the Basie Center’s Vice President of Education and originator of the Basie Awards program. “With that, we couldn’t be happier to have found a way to keep the Basie Awards tradition alive in this new, online format.”

Schools considered for fall productions include:

• Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft (“Arsenic And Old Lace”)
• Collier High School, Marlboro (“Moon Over Buffalo”)
• Communications High School, Wall (“Almost, Maine”)
• Colts Neck High School, Colts Neck (“DNA”)
• Freehold Borough High School, Freehold (“The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood”)
• Freehold Township High School, Freehold, “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll And Hyde Story”)
• Howell High School, Howell (“Love/Sick”)
• Long Branch High School, Long Branch (“The Rose Garden Affair”)
• Manalapan High School, Manalapan (“Noises Off”)
• Marlboro High School, Marlboro (“Brighton Beach Memoirs”)*
• Matawan Regional High School, Matawan (“Lend Me A Tenor”)
• Mater Dei Prep, Middletown (“The Three Musketeers”)
• Middletown North High School, Middletown (“Our Town”)
• Middletown South High School, Middletown (“U-A Play”)
• Monmouth Regional High School, Tinton Falls (“Almost, Maine”)
• Neptune High School, Neptune (“Ghosts In The Machine”)
• Ranney School, Tinton Falls (“Metamorphoses”)
• Raritan High School, Hazlet (“Cheaper By The Dozen”)
• Red Bank Regional High School, Red Bank (“Moby Dick Rehearsed”)
• Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (“The Hunchback Of Notre Dame”)
• Trinity Hall, Tinton Falls (“Blue Stockings”)