The latest from Evatt Salinger:

The latest from Emma Buchanan:

Evatt Salinger and Emma Buchanan of Durango High School, who last month were named Outstanding Actor and Actress at the 2015 Bobby G Awards at the Denver Center,  will represent Colorado next week at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, which culminate June 29 with a performance on a Broadway stage in New York City.

Salinger and Buchanan (we call them E&E for short) are video-blogging their road to the national awards for BroadwayWorld.Com, and we are compiling their v-journals for you to enjoy here.

You’ll always find their most recent videos embedded at the top of this page. Here are links to their complete video journals:

Emma Buchanan:
June 12
June 22
June 23
June 24
June 26
June 27
June 29
June 30

Evatt Salinger:
June 12
June 22
June 23
June 24
June 26
June 27
June 29
June 30

For more information on the Bobby G Awards, which honor excellence in Colorado high-school theatre, click here.

Emma Buchanan and Evatt Salinger at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by John Moore.

Our 2014-15 Bobby G Awards coverage to date:
​Bobby G Awards a triumph for Durango High School
Video: Outstanding Actor Nominee Performances
Video: Bobby G Award winners sing National Anthem at Rockies game
Video: The Acceptance Speeches
Video: A look at Durango’s Outstanding Musical, Les Misérables
Photos: The 2015 Bobby G Awards. (Download for free)
Video: The 2015 Bobby G Awards in 60 seconds
Andre’ Rodriguez’s stirring Bobby G Awards speech
Video: See how we introduced all 30 participating schools
Video: Page to Stage highlights with Bobby G Awards winners
Meet your Bobby G Awards nominees, in their own words Video: Coloradans on Broadway to high-schoolers: ‘Be relentlessly yourself’
2014-15 Bobby G Awards: Complete list of nominations 
2015 Bobby G Awards announces list of participating schools
Annaleigh Ashford raises $735 for new Bobby G Awards memorial fund
Denver Center establishes Randy Weeks Memorial Fund for The Bobby G Awards

About Emma Buchanan
Durango High School
Senior
Eponine in Les Miserables
​Teacher: Kristin Winchester
College plans: Pursuing a BFA in Musical Theater at Wright State University

Favorite Les Miserables memory:
Our opening night. There was such an exciting buzz from the audience, and the cast was honestly living in every moment. Simply put: It was magical.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
It has taught me to collaborate with a variety of people to be able to bring everyone/everything together. 

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
I have never met people more passionate about expressing, creating and learning about humanity, and what it’s like to work as a team. People who work in the theater work 24/7 to give other people an escape for a few hours. But what I would probably end up saying is: Your face isn’t cool!

Evatt Salinger
Durango High School
Senior
Jean Valjean in Les Miserables
Teachers: Kristin Winchester and Walker White
College plans: Pepperdine University to pursue a BFA in Theatre and Music with a minor in Applied Mathematics

Favorite Les Miserables memory:
When we brought Les Miserables to perform at the Bellco for the Colorado State Thespian Conference, the sound guy carrying our equipment rolled his car during the seven-hour drive from Durango to Denver, rendering many of our mics useless. The few mics that still worked didn’t arrive until late that day, less than an hour before curtain. So we rented hanging and hand mics to supplement our short supply. Many of the actors spent much of the show slyly passing of hand mics to each other while blowing the roof of the Bellco. At the very end of the show, I was put onto my third mic pack and sent onstage with a hand mic hidden in my pocket. As I began the epilogue version of “Bring Him Home”, the orchestra quieted. “God on high …” Nothing. My mic wasn’t working. I felt the audience momentarily panic. Without skipping a beat, I pulled out the hand mic from my pocket. There was a sudden laughter of relief from the audience. I sang the rest of the epilogue with the hand mic, trying to keep a straight face, while feeling the corners of my mouth tug upward in response to the laughter. Performing Les Miserables at the Bellco was incredible for many reasons, but all the extraordinary experiences are overshadowed by one thing: Les Miserables was the last opportunity I would have to share the stage with my brother. As a freshman, Curtis stunned us all with his rich voice and impassioned acting, and standing off stage listening sing “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” is something I’ll never forget. I am so proud of him.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Oddly enough, musical theatre has inspired me to forgot about thinking about myself and be more mindful of others. It’s impossible to act honestly onstage while caught up in yourself – that’s not how we go about communicating in the real world.  Each moment should be abandonment, uncertain of what or how you partner onstage will say next. It’s always a new adventure, and parallels the way I choose to live my life.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
You know, more than 10 percent of the students who attend my school were involved in Les Mis. The strength and passion in our productions have attracted many kids to try theatre, and now we’re very respected in the school. People get very psyched about our shows. I’m thankful for the support from our school, and the fact that I’ve almost never been ridiculed for the art I love to create. I hope that for all theatre kids.