PBS Wisconsin Music & Arts

Funding for th e 2019 Jerry Awards broadcast is provided by Julie and Larry Midtbo, A. Paul Jones Charitable Trust, Mary Ellyn and Joe Sensenbrenner, Thomas Terry, and Friends of Wisconsin Public Television.

upbeat music

all cheering

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Welcome to the 2019 Jerry Awards. We're here today to encourage, recognize, and honor excellence in high school musical theater. Please welcome to the stage the Jerry Ensemble.

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bright music playing

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I'm missing a button, this is crap!

both

Who's missing the last two pages? They told me the caveman song was out Will somebody shoot me? Total crap!

boys

Who ordered the black no sugar?

girls

Together now, five, six, seven, eight

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Five minutes to go From 20 million people No, 20 million plus

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20 million plus Americans Watching us Curling up on sofas Calling in their pets Passing out the popcorn Turning on their television sets 20 million Ordinary folks

boys

And Tim's career goes down the drain If they don't like the jokes

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90 little minutes to get right In front of 20 million people Tonight 20 awful seconds to prepare

girls

You hold your breath

boys

You pray for death

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And then you're on the air 90 little minutes To survive In front of 20 million people Five, four, three, two Welcome to Overture Center's Jerry Awards show. Live

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The Jerry Ensemble, ladies and gentlemen. We have such great talent, right? Great talent in our community. The Jerry Awards is celebrating ten years this year. How exciting is that? To participate in the Jerry Awards,

schools must reside in one of four communities

the Madison community, the Milwaukee community, the Wausau community, or the La Crosse community. We saw 98 productions this year produced by 92 schools or community theaters.

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schools must reside in one of four communities

Right? That's incredible. We send out a team of three professional adjudicators whether they're industry professionals or educators. They each write a comprehensive critique on the show. Those three critiques get compiled and sent back to the school along with their nominations. At the end of the year, once we see the last production, we announce our recipients for the year. We go into rehearsal and put on this really great show. We are awarding this year 18 outstanding musicals for their achievement, and when we award the musical, we're awarding everybody involved in that production including the ensemble, the orchestra, the creative team, and the production team because it's a unified achievement.

"Once and For All" from Newsies playing

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There's change coming once and for all You're getting too old Too weak to keep holding on A new world is gunning for you And, Joe, we is too Till once and for all You're gone

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"Seize the Day" from Newsies playing

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-

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Whoo! Come on, Newsies! Huh, huh, huh! Now is the time to seize the day They're gonna see there's hell to pay Nothing can break us No one can make us quit Before we're done

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One for all and all for One for all and all for One for all And all For one!

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"The World Will Know" from Newsies playing

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So the world says no? Well, the kids do too Try to walk all over us We'll stomp all over you Can they kick us out? Take away our vote? Will we let them stuff this crock of garbage Down our throat? No! Every day we wait is a day we lose And this ain't for fun and it ain't for show And we'll fight them toe to toe to toe And, Joe, your world will Feel the fire and Finally Finally Know

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This year, we are honoring 81 leading performances for their achievement. We grouped them into medleys, which is really fun to put these characters together, and here's the first of our medleys.

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"Spark of Creation" from Children of Eden playing

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I see a mountain and I want to climb it I see a river and I want to leave shore Where there was nothing, let there be something Something made by me The spark of creation May it burn forever Spark of creation I am a keeper of the flame We think all we want is a lifetime of leisure Each perfect day the same Endless vacation Well, that's all right if you're a kind of crustacean But when you're born with an imagination Sooner or later you're feeling the fire Get higher and higher, The spark of creation...

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That's what it means to be a father

"Father's Day" from Children of Eden playing

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Planning their future As you watch your children sleep That's what it means to be a father I never knew that I would feel a love so deep Oh, I will be their teacher And I will be their guide And everything they'll ever need I'll be there to provide And in return, they'll love me Stay forever at my side That's what it means To be a father

chuckles

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For I have built a universe Spectacular and new And I sat there in my universe And learned that this was true What use is a universe with no one to give it to? Not a hill of beans Till you pass along your genes That's what it means To be a father

man

Bravo!

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"Everlasting" from Tuck Everlasting playing

man

There are two ways home Down one long road One clear path to two conclusions Does the story end Or never end? Does the secret fade? Or is it everlasting? Or I put the Tucks behind me And pull up the anchor Ride the wheel plenty For all that it's worth Turn 17 Then 18 then 20 For a life is the greatest wonder On Earth Can I, should I Do I drink? Can I, should I Will I drink? There are two ways home Down one long road One clear path To two conclusions Does the story end Or never end? Does the secret fade Or is it everlasting? Is it everlasting?

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"Seize the Day" from Newsies playing

man

Now is the time To seize the day Stare down the odds And seize the day Minute by minute That's how you win it We will find a way But let us seize the day Courage cannot Erase our fear Courage is when We face our fear Tell those with power Safe in their tower We will not obey Behold the brave battalion That stands side by side Too few in number And too proud to hide Then say to the others Who did not follow through You're still our brothers And we will fight for you

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"Cell Block Tango" from Chicago playing

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Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum They had it coming, they had it coming They had it coming all along 'Cause if they used us and they abused us How would you tell us that we were wrong? Mr. Billy Flynn sings "The Press Conference Rag." Notice how his mouth never moves. Almost. How you feeling? Very frightened Are you sorry? Are you kidding? What's your statement? - All I say is Though my choo-choo jumped the track I'd give my life to bring him back And? - Stay away from What? - Jazz and liquor And the men who play for fun And what? - That's the thought that Yeah - Came upon me When we both reached for the gun Oh, yes, oh, yes Oh, yes, they both, oh, yes Let me hear it Oh, yes, they both reached for the gun The gun, the gun, the gun, oh, yes They both reached for the gun A little louder Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes, they both, oh, yes, They both, oh, yes, they both reached for the gun The gun, the gun, the gun, oh, yes They both reached for the gun, for the gun Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes They both, oh, yes, they both, oh, yes, they both reached for The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun, the gun The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun, the gun, the gun The gun, the gun Both reached For The

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Gun They both reached for the gun

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No, I'm no one's wife, but Oh, I love my life And all That Jazz That jazz

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"In The Beginning" from Children of Eden

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And if someday we hear A voice If he should speak again Our silent father All he will tell us is The choice Is in our hands Our hands can choose To drop the knife Our hearts can choose To stop the hating For every moment Of our life Is the beginning There is no journey gone So far So far we cannot stop And change direction No doom is written In the stars

echoing

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It's in our hands We cannot know what will Occur Just make our journey worth The taking And pray we're wiser than We were In the beginning It's the beginning Now we Be Children of Eden Grant us your pardon All that we leave to you Is the unknown Children of Eden Seek for your garden You and your children To come Someday To come Home Home

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whispering

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I've always wanted to see the Emerald City.

"One Short Day" from Wicked playing

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One short day In the Emerald City One short day In the Emerald City One short day In the Emerald City One short day Full of so much to do Every way That you look in the city There's something exquisite you'll want to visit Before the day's through One short day In the Emerald City One short day to have a lifetime of fun One short day And we're warning the city Now that we're in here You'll know we've been here Before we are done Who's the mage Whose major itinerary Is making all Oz merrier? Who's the sage Who's sagely sailed in To save our posteriors Whose enthuse for hot air ballooning Has all of Oz honeymooning? Woo Wizn't he wonderful? Our wonderful wizard

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One short day In the Emerald City One short day to have a lifetime of fun

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Sailed in to save our posteriors?

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What a way To be seeing the city Where so many roam to We'll call it home too And then just like now We can say We're just all friends Best of friends

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All best friends

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Sharing one wonderful One short

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The Wizard will see you now.

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Day

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"I'm Not That Smart" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

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Doo, doo, bum Doodle doo, doodle doo Doodle doo

crowd whooping

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I'm sorry. I forgot what the word was.

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Oh, my God. Acouchi. - Oh, right, acouchi. The one South American rodent resembling the one from before. What was it agai-- A-C-O-U-C-H-I. Acouchi.

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That's correct. I might be smart My siblings can't believe that I got it right But I got it right, right? I didn't cheat I saw this light and it was neat I like to laugh, I like to spell I like to never hear the bell And if this competition's hell At least I'm finally a part I feel my heart begin to swell I like--no, no, no, no! I love To spell

voice cracking

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I like it a lot!

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"It's De-Lovely" from Anything Goes plays

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I feel a sudden urge to sing The kind of ditty that invokes the spring Mi, mi, mi, mi Re, re, re, re Do, sol, mi Do, la, si The night is young, the skies are clear And if you wanna go walking, dear It's delightful, it's delicious It's de-lovely I understand the reason why You're sentimental 'cause so am I It's delightful, it's delicious It's de-lovely You can tell at a glance What a swell night this is for romance You can hear dear Mother Nature Murmuring low It's de-lovely

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"Santa Fe (prologue)" from Newsies playing

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They say folks is dying to get here Me, I'm dying to get away To a little town out west That's spanking new

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And while I ain't never been there I can see it clear as day If you want I bet ya you could see it, too Close your eyes Come with me Where it's clean and green and pretty And they went and made a city Out of clay Why, the minute that you get there Folks'll walk right up and say Welcome home, son Welcome home To Santa Fe Planting crops Splitting rails Swapping tales around the fire 'Cept for Sundays When you lie around All day Soon your friends is more like family And they's begging you to stay Ain't that neat? Living sweet In Santa Fe

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She'd say, "You're the cat's meow" Then we'd wow the crowd again When she'd...

"I Can't Do It Alone" from Chicago playing

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I'd go... We'd go... And then those two-bit Johnnies did it around To cheer the best attraction in town We nearly tore the balcony down And we'd say, "Okay, boys, we're going home. "But before we go, here's a few more parting shots!" And this-- this we did in perfect unison!

audience cheering

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Now you see me going through it You may think there's nothing to it But I simply cannot do it Alone

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"Skid Row (Downtown)" from Li ttle Shop of Horrors playing

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Yes, you go

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Downtown, where the cabs don't stop

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Downtown Where the food is slop Downtown, where the hop-heads flop In the snow Down on Skid Row Uptown, you cater to a million jerks Uptown, you're messengers and mailroom clerks Eating all your lunches at the hot dog carts The bosses take your money and they break your hearts Uptown, you cater to a million whores You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors Your morning's tribulation, afternoon's a curse

And 5

00 is even worse Poor All my life, I've always been poor I keep asking God what I'm for And he tells me, gee, I'm not sure Sweep that floor, kid, oh I started life as an orphan, a child on the street Here on Skid Row He took me in, gave me shelter A bed, crust of bread, and a job Treats me like dirt Calls me a slob, which I am Ha! It's 'cause you are. So I live

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Downtown That's your home address, you live Downtown When your life's a mess, you live Downtown Where depression's just Status quo Down on Skid Row Someone show me a way To get outta here 'Cause I constantly pray I'll get outta here Please, won't somebody say I'll get outta here Someone give me my shot Or I'll rot here

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Gee, it sure would be swell to get outta here Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here I'd move heaven and hell to get outta Skid I'll do I don't know what to get outta Skid But a hell of a lot to get outta Skid People tell me there's not a way outta Skid But believe me, I gotta get outta

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Skid Row

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"Skid Row" reprise plays

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"Be a Dentist" from Little Shop of Horrors plays

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When I was younger and just a bad little kid My mama noticed funny things that I did Like shooting puppies with a BB gun I'd poison guppies and when I was done I'd find some pussy cat and bash in its head That's when my mama said

boys

What did she say? She said, my boy, I think someday You'll find a way To make your natural tendencies pay You'll be a dentist Be a dentist You have a talent for causing things Pain Pain Son

crowd cheering

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Be a dentist Be a dentist People will pay you to be inhumane Inhumane Your temperament's wrong for the priesthood And teaching would suit you still less Son, be a dentist You'll be a success

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"I Am Aldolpho" from The Drowsy Chaperone

boys

Not so fast. Now just in case you didn't hear, Aldolpho I'll try to make it very clear, Aldolpho The lovely ladies always cheer Aldolpho When I repeat myself I am Aldolpho I can sing it high

high-pitched

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Aldolpho I can sing it low

low-pitched

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Aldolpho

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I can sing it very fast

quickly

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Aldolpho

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I can sing it very Slow...ly I'd do it now, but it could take hours. Now Let me spell it out for you It goes...

vocalizing

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A Dol F... F... F-foh I am Aldolpho Aldolpho.

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"Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz plays

boys

Somewhere Over the rainbow Skies are Blue And the dreams That you dare to dream Really do come true Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far Behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll Find me Somewhere Over the rainbow Blue birds Fly Birds fly Over the rainbow Why, then, oh, why Can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh, why Can't I

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"Can You Find It In Your Heart?" from Footloos e

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Can't you remember When we were that age? Pumped up with promise And wrestling with rage Can't you remember When we were a family back when? Could we be one Again? Does it ever cross your mind That I miss you? Is there any chance We'll find the joy that we shared at the start? Can you remember What you felt Before that feeling fell Apart? Can you find it in your heart? Have you lost my love Somewhere far behind Or can you find it in Your heart

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"Anything Goes" from Anything Goes playing

boys

In olden days, a glimpse of stocking Was looked on as something shocking But now, God knows Anything goes Good authors too, who once knew better words Now only use four-letter words Writing prose Anything goes The world's gone mad today, and good's bad today And black's white today, and day's night today When most guys today that women prize today Are just silly gigolos And though I'm not a great romancer I know that I'm bound to answer When you propose Anything goes

crowd cheering

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The world has gone mad today And good's bad today, and black's white today And day's night today When most guys today that women prize today Are just silly gigolos So though I'm not a great romancer I know that I'm bound to answer When you propose Anything goes If saying your prayers you like If green pears you like, if old chairs you like If backstairs you like, if love affairs you like With young bears you like, why, nobody will oppose all; So though I'm not a great romancer I know that I'm bound to answer When you propose Anything goes Anything goes Yeah!

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"Come to Me, Bend to Me" from Brigadoon playing

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Because they've told me I can't behold ye Till wedding music Starts playing To ease my longing, There's nothing wrong in me Standing out here and saying Just come to me Bend to me Kiss me good day Darling, my darling 'Tis all I can say Is come to me Bend to me Kiss me good day

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Give me your lips And don't take them away

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"Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid playing

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Now's your moment Floating in a blue lagoon Boy, you better do it soon No time will be better She don't say a word, and she won't say a word Until you kiss the girl Sha la la la la la Float along and listen to the song The song say kiss the girl Sha la la la la la, the music play Do what the music say Go on and kiss the girl Go on and kiss the girl You've gotta kiss the girl Go on and kiss the girl Whoa, go on and kiss the girl

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"I Know Where I've Been" from Hairspray playing

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There's a road We've been traveling Lost so many On the way But the riches Will be plenty Worth the risk And the chances That we take There's a dream In the future There's a struggle That we have yet to win Use that pride In our hearts To lift us up Till tomorrow Just to sit still Would be a sin Lord knows I know

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Where I've been Oh, when we win I'll give thanks to my God 'cause I know where I've Been

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"Iowa Stubborn" from The Music Man playing

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Oh, there's nothing halfway About the Iowa way to treat you When we treat you, which we may not do at all There's an Iowa kind of special Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude We've never been without that we recall We can be cold As our falling thermometers in December If you ask about our weather in July And we're so by God stubborn We could stand touching noses For a week at a time and never see eye-to-eye So what the heck, you're welcome Join us at the picnic You can have your fill of all the food you bring yourself You really ought to give Iowa Hawkeye Iowa Dubuque, Des Moines, Davenport, Marshalltown Mason City, Keokuk, Ames, Clear Lake Ought to give Iowa a try

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marching music playing

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all whooping

"Seventy-Six Trombones" from The Music Man playing

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Whoo, whoo!

whistles of admiration

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Yip! Ohhh! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo-ooh! 76 trombones led the big parade With 110 cornets close at hand They were followed by rows and rows Of the finest virtuosos The cream of every famous band 76 trombones hit the counterpoint While 110 coronets blazed away To the rhythm of harch, harch, harch All the kids began to march And they're marching still right today

all whooping

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Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! - Whoo! Whoo-whoo!

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"Seize the Day" from Newsies playing

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Now is the time To seize the day Stare down the odds And seize the day Once we've begun If we stand as one Someday becomes Somehow And a prayer becomes A vow And the strike starts Right damn now

"The World Will Know" from Newsies playing

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Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us Pulitzer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us Pulitzer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us! Ah, so the world says no? Well, the kids do too Try to walk all over us We'll stomp all over you Can they kick us out, take away our vote? Will we let them stuff this crock of garbage Down our throat, no! Every day we wait is a day we lose And this ain't for fun, and it ain't for show And we'll fight them toe to toe to toe And, Joe, your world will feel the fire And finally Finally know

cheers and applause

"Once and For All" from Newsies playing

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Once and for all Once and for all Once and for all Once and for all Once and for all Once and for all There's change coming once and for all You're getting too old Too weak to keep holding on A new world is gunning for you And, Joe, we is too Till once and for all You're gone Once and for all Once and for all Once and for all Once and for all

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So now it's time to hear two amazing vocalists. Each year, we send two representatives to New York City to compete in The National High School Musical Theatre Awards program, The Jimmy Awards. This year, there are 43 programs from across the country, then all of these students will make their Broadway debut at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City. I'm pleased to present for you tonight our female representative, Lauren Harkness.

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And our male representative, Christian Spaay. Lauren, take it away.

"Journey to the Past" from Anastasia playing

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Heart, don't fail me now Courage, don't desert me Don't turn back Now that we're here People always say Life is full of choices No one ever mentions Fear Or how the world Can seem so vast On a journey To the past One step at a time One hope then another Who knows where this road May go Back to who I was On to find my future Things my heart Still needs to know, yes! Let this be a sign Let this road be mine Let it lead me to my past And bring me Home At Last

cheers and applause

"Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" from Les Misrables plays

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From the table In the corner They could see A world reborn And they rose With voices ringing And I can hear them now The very words That they had sung Became their last Communion On the lonely Barricade At dawn Oh, my friends, my friends Forgive me That I live And you are gone There's a grief that can't be spoken There's a pain goes on And on Phantom faces at the window Phantom shadows on the floor Empty chairs at empty tables Where my friends will meet No more Oh, my friends, my friends Don't ask me What your sacrifice was for Empty chairs at empty tables Where my friends will sing No more

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Dang. We have one final number for you. Please welcome to the stage all the leads and the supporting. Here they are with Hamilton.

cheers and applause

"My Shot" from Hamilton playing

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I am not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot Hey, yo, I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy, and hungry And I'm not throwing away my shot Here we go! I am not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot Hey, yo, I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy, and hungry And I'm not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot Hey, yo, I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy, and hungry And I'm not throwing away my shot Everybody sing whoa, whoa, whoa

girls

Hey!

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Whoa

girls

Whoo!

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Whoa - Yeah! Yeah - And here we go! Whoa, whoa, whoa

girls

I said shout it to the rooftops!

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Whoa

girls

Said to the rooftops

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Whoa, yeah

girls

Come on, come on, let's go I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory When's it gonna get me? In my sleep? Seven feet ahead me? If I see it coming, do I run or do I let it be? Is it like a beat without a melody? See, I never thought I'd live past 20 Where I come from, some get half as many Ask anybody why we living fast And we laugh, reach for a flask We have to make this moment last That's plenty, scratch that This is not a moment, it's the movement Where all the hungriest brothers With something to prove went? Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand We roll like Moses, claiming our promised land And? If we win our independence? Is that guarantee of freedom for our descendants? Or will the blood we shed begin an endless Cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants? I know the action in the street is exciting But, Jesus, between all the bleeding and fighting I've been reading and writing We need to handle our financial situation Are we a nation of states? What's the state of our nation? I'm past patiently waiting I'm passionately smashing every expectation Every action's an act of creation I'm laughing in the face of casualties and sorrow For the first time, I'm thinking past tomorrow

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And I am not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot Hey, yo, I'm just like my country I'm young, scrappy, and hungry And I'm not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot Rise up, rise up, take a shot Rise up, rise up, take a shot Whoa, whoa, whoa Rise up, take a shot, shot, shot Hey, yo, it's time to take a shot, time to take a shot And I am not throwing away my Not throwing away my shot

cheers and applause

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Our leads and our supporting. You've been a wonderful audience. Thank you so much. What talent we have here in Wisconsin. Good night, everybody.

bright music

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Funding was provided by Julie and Larry Midtbo, A. Paul Jones Charitable Trust, Mary Ellyn and Joe Sensenbrenner, Thomas Terry, and Friends of Wisconsin Public Television.