Students Emilee Hassanzadeh and Karl Amundson Selected as Triple Threat Honorees at Mondays SpotLight Showcase

MINNEAPOLISHennepin Theatre Trust announced today that Emilee Hassanzadeh from Bloomington Jefferson High School and Karl Amundson from Minnetonka High School, students in our SpotLight Musical Theatre Program, were selected as Triple Threat Honorees at the Orpheum Theatre on Monday. Hassanzadeh and Amundson excel in singing, dancing and acting and the two were chosen from among 12 finalists after a vigorous series of auditions and evaluations. The results were announced during the eighth annual SpotLight Showcase, an event honoring students from 56 Minnesota high schools for excellence in musical theatre.

As part of this honor, Hassanzadeh and Amundson will earn a free round trip to New York courtesy of the Trust. They will receive private singing and acting coaching, dance classes at Broadway Dance Center, meet with industry professionals about the entertainment business, participate in a private audition with Telsey and Company and attend several Broadway shows. Past honorees have included Emily Nies from White Bear Lake High School, Daniel Piering from Wayzata High School, Ryan McCartan from Minnetonka High School and Sarah Cartwright from Eastview High School in Apple Valley.

Karl Amundson, a senior, was recently named one of Minnetonka High Schools Ten Students to Watch in 2013. He received additional SpotLight honors for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role (Dickon) for The Secret Garden and Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role (Radames) for Aida. He will attend Cincinnati College Conservatory next year to pursue musical theatre.

Emilee Hassanzadeh also received SpotLight honors for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role (Belle) for Disneys Beauty and the Beast. She is a junior at Bloomington Jefferson and has been part of the Childrens Theatre Company Theatre Arts Training and summer intensive programs, Stages Theatre Company Acting Conservatory and Minnetonka Theatre student summer stock program.

The 2013 honorees were chosen from this group of Triple Threat finalists: Sam Adamsson from White Bear Lake Area High School, Trevor Bunce from Maple Grove High School, Jake Speikers from Eastview High School (Apple Valley), Devon Manney from Moorhead High School, Caleb Richards from Shakopee High School, Katherine Fried from Minnetonka High School, Nina Grollman from Moorhead High School, Lexi Johnson from Benilde-St. Margaret's (St. Louis Park), Emily Nies from White Bear Lake Area High School and Naomi Ridley from East Ridge High School (Woodbury).