The State Theatre Center for the Arts. Easton, skillfully choreographed a 2020 Freddy Awards televised and online event despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic curtain call for most of this year’s high school musical season.

The “Freddy Awards: A Television Special Celebrating the High School Musical Class of 2020” premiered May 21 on 69-WFMZ, a long-time partner with the State Theatre for the telecast.

A set of DVDs of the program, which pays tribute to high school seniors and others involved in 2020 musical productions, is now available for purchase. With the COVID-mandated shutdowns, most of the region’s school musicals never made it to opening night.

“Only six of our 29 schools were able to perform their shows this year, and with self-distancing in place it has been a challenge even to envision a television show at all,” said Shelley Brown, Executive Producer of the awards program and President and CEO of the State Theatre, in an April 22 press release.

The telecast combined new material highlighting the talents of the Class of 2020 with a retrospective of opening numbers from the awards programs since its inception in 2003. The DVDs feature the Freddys special tribute commercial-free.

Named after the historic venue’s “Fred the Ghost,” the Freddy Awards were created to recognize and reward outstanding achievement in local high school musical theater. J. “Fred” Osterstock had managed the company that owned the theater from 1936 until his death in 1957.

Proceeds from the sale of the DVD set purchased through the State Theatre benefit the Freddy Awards program which presents scholarships and awards to area students and local schools.

Information: www.shopstatetheatre.org/freddys-shop