Meet the Youth Arts Advocate of the Year Nominees + the Winner!

The Teeny Awards are TeenTix’s teen choice awards for regional arts and cultural organizations and events. This year, we decided to honor a real-life teen, nominated by their peers! Here are the youth advocates nominated this year:

WALKER CAPLAN
Walker Caplan is thrilled to be nominated alongside so many inspiring teens by such an amazing, far-reaching youth arts access program. She is the founder and producer of 14/48: HS (The World’s Quickest Student Theater Festival), which brings teens of diverse experiences together to create powerful and relevant theater in a supportive, risk-encouraging environment. Over the last year 14/48: HS brought together students from 18 different public and private schools in the Seattle area and was lauded as a stand-out event by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. Walker serves on Seattle Children’s Theatre’s Teen Advisory Group as well as having volunteered there throughout high school. Her writing has been recognized by The Adroit Journal, Polyphony H.S., Scholastic Arts and Writing, Young Playwrights Inc., and Blank Theatre. She is a YoungArts 2015 winner in writing, and her original plays have been performed in New York and Seattle. She volunteers as an editor for Young Playwrights for Change and Polyphony H.S., and edits and teaches prose writing at Winter Tangerine Review. When she’s not advocating for the arts, Walker may be found acting with Seattle Musical Theatre, STAGEright Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, YATC, and Lungfish Productions among others. She’s inspired by the vibrancy and inclusion of the Seattle arts community.

RUBY DANIEL
Ruby is a senior at Ingraham High School and the Managing Director of The Young Americans' Theatre Company (YATC), as well as a producing member of 14/48: HS. She is constantly inspired by the Seattle theater community and hopes to promote accessibility to the arts for everyone in the future.

ANALIESE GUETTINGER
Analiese is thrilled to be a part of this year's Teeny's, and feels honored to be in such great company! She is the current Artistic Director of the Young American's Theatre Company and is also on the Board of 14/48 HS. Analiese has performed around Seattle with the 5th Avenue Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Musical Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, Book-It Repertory, Strawberry Theatre Workshop, Seattle Children's Theatre, and Village Theatre. Most importantly, Happy October!

BRYAN HANNER
Bryan Hanner (age 18) currently attends the University of Washington after graduating from Issaquah High School last June. Recently, he co-created Hanner and Repp's "Bros 'N Shows," co-directed the first "Drama Fundraiser" for IHS's drama department, and assistant music directed and played piano for Village Theatre KIDSTAGE's production of "Catch Me If You Can". He has performed in over 65 theatrical productions. Bryan enjoys supporting theatre as an artist and an audience member all across the Seattle area and creating an atmosphere of family among the cast and crew of all of the shows that he is a part of. He greatly appreciates his nomination for the Young Arts Advocate of the Year Teeny Award.

NOAH SARKOWSKY
Noah Sarkowsky is currently an 11th grader at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS), and his work in the theatre started in the 6th grade. He was one of the founding members of the Teen Advisory Group at Seattle Children’s Theatre, as well as one of the original members of the 14/48 HS project. He has also helped create the Stage Management program at SAAS. Past stage management experience includes, The 5th Avenue Theatre (RSP: Spamalot & Carousel, Come From Away Lab, & Paint Your Wagon Lab), Seattle Repertory Theatre (Come From Away Lab), Village Theatre (Kidstage: Peter Pan), The 14/48 HS: Projects (The Leftovers), several shows as crew at Seattle Children’s Theatre and SM supervisor and many shows at Seattle Academy.

PEARL WOO
A fanatic of music, theatre, literature, visual art, and dance, Pearl Woo is ecstatic to accept the nomination for the Youth Arts Advocate of the year. For ten years Pearl has focused on classical piano, and recently has started venturing into various other artistic mediums. She has played in pit orchestras with renowned Seattle musicians (including a Grammy nominated producer as a conductor!) as well as dabbled in Salsa dancing. In her free time Pearl enjoys attending Teentix events with friends, trying to persuade others to appreciate the arts, and conducting community service events around the greater King County area. Pearl graduated from Kentridge High School in 2015 and is now attending the University of Washington. She gives thanks to her nominator, parents, and the artistic community of Seattle.

And the winner of the 2015 Youth Arts Advocate of the Year Teeny Award goes to... BRYAN HANNER! Congrats, Bryan!