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More accolades given to Social Circle Theater
Published January 25, 2009
ATLANTA — The accolades just keep coming for the Social Circle Theater.
Last year, at the Junior Theater Festival, Social Circle performers took home an “Outstanding Production” award in their first year participating in the world’s largest musical theater festival dedicated to groups working with elementary and middle school aged children. This year, though they did not earn a group award, two of the theater’s members brought home top awards last weekend. Kaylee Ruark won an “Outstanding Individual Performer” award and director Ricky Hall was awarded the “Best Director” accolade during the Broadway Junior Slam competition at the festival.
“I was a little shocked because there were so many groups, so many directors who had been doing this a long time,” said Hall, who won his award on the one-year anniversary of his directorial debut. “The only reason I really knew I had won was because the kids all around me started screaming.”
The Social Circle resident served as co-director and artistic director for the Social Circle Theater production of “Godspell Jr.” at the festival but won his award for work with a group of kids thrust upon him.
As part of the “slam,” a group of performers were randomly selected and placed under the direction of Hall, who had 55 minutes to piece together a show. Adding to the melee, the production was an excerpt from a new musical “Frog and Toad,” something no one had heard of before. But in the end it all came together for Hall, who was humble about his accolade.
“This was really affirming for all the work I’ve been doing with the theater,” Hall said.
For Ruark, this was her first show with the Social Circle Theater but is no stranger to the stage, having won the Christian Talent Show at the theater for the past two years. The Social Circle Middle School student also attended the Junior Theater Festival with a different theater group in 2007.
Though a Bostwick resident, Ruark’s family has been patrons of the theater for several years. How did the 12-year-old get her acting interest piqued?
“I had other friends in theater who begged me to do a show with them,” Ruark said. “I was used to singing in front of lots of people, but they convinced me to use my voice through acting. Since then, I have been fortunate to have the lead role in several productions.
The theater is a place where new friendships are formed. “We are like one big family as much time as we spend together practicing.”
The young actress received her award for singing the solo “Beautiful City” from the “Godspell Jr.” production.
“You have to sing from the heart,” Ruark said about her talent. “Anyone can sing words, but if you sing from your heart, you communicate a message to people.”
Ruark, along with fellow Social Circle Theater performers Jada Graver and Omar Scruggs, were named to the Festival All-Stars, a group of performers who performed the song “13” from the new musical “13” during the festival’s closing ceremony.
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