Paper Mill Playhouse, recognizing the value of musical theatre, has expanded their educational outreach program by offering the New Jersey high school stages The Paper Mill Playhouse Musical Theatre Awards. Through this new development, exceptional accomplishments and performances in the high school world of musical theatre will be rewarded. Billed as the Tony/Academy Awards of high schools, educators and students alike will receive awards for performance, costume design, set design, direction, choreography, technical production and overall production performance. In addition, special scholarships will be distributed to students who plan to further their education by attending a theatrical college or university within New Jersey.

Destined to be a popular event, the Paper Mill Playhouse Musical Theatre Awards ceremony will be held in May of each year. Though the deadline has passed for school administrators to enter their productions and students in this year's running, application nominations are being accepted for the '97 Awards. "We were expecting to receive a maximum of ten to 12 school applications," said Susan Speidel, the Director of the Education program. "We were truly delighted when we received 65!"

This year's ceremony will be held on May 14 and will feature performances from nominated high school musicals and will follow the Tony/Academy Awards format. Tickets for the ceremony are $10 per person, with tickets being sold first to the nominated schools. For more information or application request, call or write to: Musical Theatre Awards, Education Department, Paper Mill Playhouse, Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ 07041; Phone: 201-379-3636 ext. 2773.