And the 2016 Blue Star Awards Nominees Are …
On April 29, high school theatre students and instructors across metropolitan Kansas City and in neighboring communities received the good news that they had received nominations for the 14th annual Blue Star Awards from Starlight Theatre. Starlight leaders and staff personally delivered 133 nominations to 40 area high schools. On Thursday, May 19, the Blue Star Award winners will receive their honors in a public ceremony on Starlight Theatre’s Cohen Community Stage.
Please join us in congratulating the following nominees:
Outstanding Overall Production
Lee’s Summit – The Pirate Queen
Liberty – Once Upon a Mattress
Liberty North – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Raymore-Peculiar – The Pirates of Penzance
Shawnee Mission North – The Fantasticks
Shawnee Mission West – All Shook Up
Outstanding Artistic Contribution by a Student
Benton – Hannah Herring – Choreography – Bring It On: The Musical
Grain Valley – Lauren Kennon and Taylor Hamdorf – Choreography – White Christmas
Park Hill South – Madison Loescher – Direction – The King and I
Raymore-Peculiar – Jasmine Nissanka – Choreography – The Pirates of Penzance
St. James Academy – Anna Monaldo – Choreography – Guys and Dolls
St. James Academy – Tristan Pflumm – Choreography – Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Lee’s Summit – Kirsten Myers as Grace (Grania) O’Malley – The Pirate Queen
Raymore-Peculiar – Alie Gillespie as Mabel – The Pirates of Penzance
Shawnee Mission North – Cassie Diebold as Luisa – The Fantasticks
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Ellie Rehor as Baker’s Wife – Into the Woods
St. James Academy – Larkin Reilly as Miss Adelaide – Guys and Dolls
Truman – Abigail Becker as Sarah Brown – Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Blue Valley – Lance Jewett as Billy Crocker – Anything Goes
Lee’s Summit – Jeffrey Burrow as Tiernan – The Pirate Queen
Olathe North – Gabriel Diaz-Serrano as Gomez Addams – The Addams Family
Platte County – Spencer Kunz as Harold Hill – The Music Man
Shawnee Mission West – Lucas Lowry as Chad – All Shook Up
St. James Academy – Jack Solomon as Nathan Detroit – Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Blue Valley – Ady Shaw as Bonnie – Anything Goes
Lee’s Summit – Abby Gast as Evleen – The Pirate Queen
Liberty – McKenzie Greenwood as Queen Aggravain – Once Upon a Mattress
Raytown South – Gabby McDuffy as Marie – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Shawnee Mission South – Megan Berning as Amber Von Tussle – Hairspray
St. Teresa’s Academy – Rose Genaris as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
Belton – Ramiro Gonzalez as Robert Martin – The Drowsy Chaperone
Liberty North – Romero Higareda as Pharaoh – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Oak Park – Dean Foreman as Cosmo Brown – Singin’ in the Rain
Raymore-Peculiar – Nick Schneider as The Pirate King – The Pirates of Penzance
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Frederick Rivera as William Barfee – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Shawnee Mission West – Jarod Cannon as Dennis – All Shook Up
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Lansing – Brynna Darley as Little Becky Two Shoes – Urinetown, the Musical
Olathe East – Lauren Taylor as Miss Andrew/Bird Woman – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Olathe East – Shelby Werner as Mrs. Corry – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Shawnee Mission North – Kori Martiny as Henry – The Fantasticks
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Abey Lewis as Jack’s Mother – Into the Woods
Shawnee Mission West – Emma Ferrin as Mayor Matilda Hyde – All Shook Up
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Liberty North – Conner Paulson as Reuben – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Oak Park – Chad Humphrey as R.F. Simpson – Singin’ in the Rain
Platte County – Connor Mendenhall as Tommy Djilas – The Music Man
Raymore-Peculiar – Cameron Perry as Samuel – The Pirates of Penzance
Shawnee Mission North – Grant Cole as Mortimer – The Fantasticks
Truman – David Figueroa as Benny Southstreet – Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Female Ensemble Member
Blue Springs – Annalee Roustio as Ballet Dancer – Once Upon a Mattress
Lee’s Summit – Madison Heizer as Lady in Waiting/Clan Ensemble – The Pirate Queen
Lee’s Summit North – Gigi Harris as Ensemble – Chicago
Olathe East – Olivia Mangual as Featured Dancer/Cowgirl/Girlfriend/Church Choir – Footloose
Raymore-Peculiar – Stefania Smith as Pirate – The Pirates of Penzance
Saint Thomas Aquinas – Abbie Gartland as Storyteller – Once On This Island
Outstanding Male Ensemble Member
Lee’s Summit – Joey Ferguson as Lord/English Soldier – The Pirate Queen
Lee’s Summit North – Caleb Ellis as Band Leader – Chicago
Park Hill – Dalton Dishman as Mr. Marks/Jason Green/Bavarian Peasant/Heil-lo – The Producers
Raymore-Peculiar – Parker Hauptmann as Pirate – The Pirates of Penzance
Ruskin – Isaiah Como as Max – Godspell
Shawnee Mission South – Tucker Barry as Principal/Fender – Hairspray
Outstanding Ensemble
Blue Valley – Anything Goes
Lee’s Summit – The Pirate Queen
Lee’s Summit North – Chicago
Lee’s Summit West – Pippin
Raymore-Peculiar – The Pirates of Penzance
Shawnee Mission West – All Shook Up
Outstanding Orchestra
Blue Valley Northwest – Nice Work If You Can Get It
Lee’s Summit – The Pirate Queen
Park Hill South – The King and I
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Into the Woods
Shawnee Mission West – All Shook Up
St. James Academy – Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Lighting Design
Excelsior Springs – The King and I
Olathe East – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Park Hill – The Producers
Shawnee Mission North – The Addams Family
Shawnee Mission North – The Fantasticks
Shawnee Mission Northwest – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Outstanding Technical Crew
Excelsior Springs – Costume Crew – The King and I
Lee’s Summit – Lighting Crew – The Pirate Queen
Oak Park – Costume Crew – Singin’ in the Rain
Olathe North – Hair and Makeup Crew – The Addams Family
Shawnee Mission North – Lighting Crew – The Fantasticks
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Sound Crew – Into the Woods
Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 – $1,950)
Blue Springs – Once Upon a Mattress
Excelsior Springs – The King and I
Platte County – The Music Man
Raytown – Oklahoma!
Ruskin – Avenue Q: School Edition
Ruskin – Godspell
Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,951+)
Fort Osage – The Addams Family
Harrisonville – The Wizard of Oz
Liberty – Once Upon a Mattress
Oak Park – Singin’ in the Rain
Shawnee Mission North – The Addams Family
Staley – The Wiz
Outstanding Scenic Costume Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 – $1,950)
Excelsior Springs – The King and I
Gardner Edgerton – Little Shop of Horrors
Leavenworth – Hairspray
Raytown – Oklahoma!
Ruskin – Godspell
Staley – The Wiz
Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,951+)
Fort Osage – The Addams Family
Lee’s Summit West – Pippin
Liberty – Once Upon a Mattress
Liberty North – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Olathe East – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Winnetonka – Children of Eden
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
Leavenworth – Hairspray
Lee’s Summit – The Pirate Queen
Liberty – Once Upon a Mattress
Liberty North – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Olathe North – The Addams Family
Winnetonka – Children of Eden
Technical Achievement Award
Benton – Cannon Petersen – Costume Design
Liberty – Josh Munden – Scenic Design and Construction
Liberty North – Dahiana Barasz – Costume Design and Construction, Costume Crew
Liberty North – James Sisson – Lighting Design
Park Hill – Kelly Decker – Stage Management
Ruskin – Kierra Briggs, Curley Williams and Trevell Young – Scenic Design and Construction
Shawnee Mission South – Mona Jahani – Costume Design and Construction, Hair and Makeup Design
Rising Star Scholarship – Female
Blue Springs – Emily Workman
Liberty – Jennifer Ashley Jennings
Notre Dame de Sion – C. Olivia Neal
Olathe East – Mattie Bell
Summit Christian Academy – Molly Williams
Truman – Abigail Becker
Rising Star Scholarship – Male
Benton – Cannon Petersen
Leavenworth – Mason Frasher
Liberty – Josh Munden
Liberty North – Romero Higareda
Rockhurst – Nick Nazzaro
Summit Christian Academy – Payton Shippy