The Tom Wopat Awards for Excellence in Musical Theater
Program Overview
Overture’s Tommy Awards program is a new education initiative that honors and celebrates excellence in musical theater production among area high school students.
Participating schools will have their high school musicals reviewed by a panel of educators, theater experts and industry professionals. Based on the reviewers’ comments and tabulations, productions and individuals that receive nominations in specific categories will be recognized and honored at a red carpet final ceremony held at Overture Center on Sunday, June 6, 2010. The ceremony will also feature performances and production numbers from nominees in several categories.
Students will also have opportunities to participate in other musical theater-related events held at Overture throughout the school year.
The Tommy Awards are funded in part by Alliant Energy Foundation; the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the American Girl's Fund for Children. the Evjue Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, and the Overture Foundation; and by contributions to the Ovation Fund.
Tickets On Sale Now!
Tickets are on sale now for the Tommy Awards Final Ceremony. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Overture Center Ticket Office, by phone at 608.258.4141 or by clicking here. Information about the Final Ceremony is available here.
Name of Awards
Overture’s Tommy Awards are named in honor of local musical theater hero Tom Wopat, critically acclaimed and Tony Award-nominated singer and actor. Born in Lodi, Wisconsin, Tom first started singing and dancing in high school musicals, and studied music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before getting his "big break" in 1978 as Luke Duke in the immensely popular Dukes of Hazzard television show. He even directed several episodes during the show's six-year run.
After the series ended, Tom made his triumphant return to Broadway in Annie Get Your Gun and continued to appear on television, acting in shows like Cybill and Home Improvement, and hosting his own show on TNN/The Nashville Network. He also appeared as the lead in Chicago, and starred alongside Alan Alda, Jeffrey Tambor and Liev Schreiber in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross.
Over the years, Tom has received several Tony nominations for his stage roles, including his role as Frank Butler opposite Bernadette Peters in Annie Get Your Gun, and his most recent Broadway appearance as Tom Hurley in A Catered Affair.
Tom is excited to lend his name and presense to Overture's awards program. "Between the influence of Don Roebuck at Lodi High School and my experience at the UW Summer Music Clinic, I feel that I was blessed, " he said."It's important to nurture and reward talent and hard work. I'm excited and honored to be associated with these awards."