How perfect: the same day that "Glee" - a show celebrating high-school performing arts - comes to the region for a concert, an awards show honors ... high-school performing arts.

The 3rd Annual Connecticut High School Musical Theater Awards Gala will be held Monday at Waterbury's Palace Theater. They're sponsored by The Spirit of Broadway Theater in Norwich. The winners, chosen by theater professionals, will be announced, and students will showcase their talent during live performances.

Among the 18 participants are East Lyme High School's "The Drowsy Chaperone"; Griswold High School's "Guys and Dolls"; Guilford High School's "Anything Goes"; and Plainfield High School's "City of Angels."

They've nabbed quite a master of ceremonies for the gala: writer/lyricist Joe DiPietro, who won two Tony awards just last year for the musical "Memphis." DiPietro also wrote the long-running off-Broadway hit "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change."

Brett Bernardini, Connecticut awards founder and Spirit of Broadway artistic director/CEO, has been friends with DiPietro for years. In fact, DiPietro had emceed one of the Spirit of Broadway's Spirit Awards ceremonies. When Bernardini asked him to host the high school awards, he said he'd love to do it.

"Joe is a brilliant comedy writer," Bernardini says. "He's got the wackiest sense of humor on the planet, and everybody loves him."

The winners of the Connecticut best actor and actress awards then can compete at the National Awards on Broadway. In 2009, the two Connecticut performers made it to the nationals' final four, and the actor, Ridgefield's Stephen Marks, won the whole thing - a scholarship to NYU Tisch School of The Arts and $10,000 from the Nederlander Organization.

Bernardini hopes that, ultimately, the awards help shine a light on high-quality, innovative musical theater education projects. Chief among the programs' virtues are how they help students develop creativity and innovation - vital attributes no matter what career they pursue.

Nominees include: Griswold's "Guys & Dolls," Production of the Year; Kelly Eberle and Chelsea Merritt, both for East Lyme's "Drowsy Chaperone," leading female; Nate Whipple, East Lyme's "Drowsy Chaperone," and Brendan Perry, Griswold's "Guys & Dolls," supporting male. "Drowsy Chaperone" was nominated for student orchestra and for Emily Young and Kirsten Sinko for featured ensemble member.

Speaking of all the shows, Bernardini says, "Any of these productions, I would kill to have in my theater. They're beautiful."

Connecticut High School Musical Theater Awards, 6:30 p.m. Mon., Palace Theater,

East Main St., Waterbury; $50;

(860) 886-2378.