JEAN L. PETITT SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
J.R. is the 2016 recipient of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra's prestigious Jean L. Petitt Memorial Music Scholarship. He is the first male vocalist to receive this honor.
He performed with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra at Severance Hall in May of 2017. To hear AUDIO of the performance, click here. This photo is from his performance of "You Raise Me Up'.
REVIEWS 2016
"J.R. Heckman, winner of the 2016 Playhouse Square’s Dazzle Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance of Donkey in Solon High School’s Shrek the Musical, is an especially talented young performer who sings, dances and acts with total competence. His Flounder was absolutely charming. Watch for this kid’s name in Broadway lights."
- Roy Berko, member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle
J.R. Heckman, 15, a freshman from Cleveland and the youngest boy in the group, was unabashedly star-struck, both by his fellow students and his coach, the Broadway performer Howard McGillin. "To get personal feedback from the Phantom of the Opera is amazing," he said.
- John Leland, The New York Times, June 28th 2016
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
The Dazzle Awards aim to inspire and honor excellence in high school musical theater, and to recognize the importance of musical theater and arts education within the Northeast Ohio community. A panel of adjudicators attend one production at each participating school, provide educational feedback on the official evaluation form and determine nominees and awards for participating schools. This regional program culminates at the Connor Palace with the Dazzle Awards, modeled after the Tony Awards®, to recognize outstanding musical theater productions and students.
J.R. is thrilled to announce that he was nominated for a Dazzle Award and has learned that he won in his category. He will participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City during June 2016!
