And the 2017 Blue Star Awards Nominees Are …
On May 4, 2017, 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 15th Anniversary Blue Star Awards from Starlight Theatre. Starlight leaders and staff personally delivered 132 nominations to 42 area high schools. On Thursday, May 25, 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
Blue Valley – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Big Fish
Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Raymore-Peculiar – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shawnee Mission East – Seussical
St. Teresa’s Academy – Jane Eyre
Outstanding Artistic Contribution by a Student
Liberty North – James Sisson for Direction and Music Direction – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Olathe East – Alaina Jerguson for Choreography – The Wizard of Oz
Park Hill South – Angel Lee for Direction – Monty Python’s Spamalot
Platte County – Allison Bergstrom for Choreography – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Raymore-Peculiar – Malone Blaich for Choreography – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Winnetonka – Maddie Fields for Music Direction – In The Heights
Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Blue Valley – Stephanie Ainsworth as Rose Alvarez – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Sydney VanDyke as Sandra Bloom – Big Fish
Liberty North – Caitlyn Fuller as Mary Poppins – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Raymore-Peculiar – Malone Blaich as Eve/Storyteller – Children of Eden
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Alex Teeple as Lucy Van Pelt – You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
St. Teresa’s Academy – Libby Terril as Jane Eyre – Jane Eyre
Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Blue Valley – Jeremy Jacobs as Albert Peterson – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Joey Myers as Edward Bloom – Big Fish
Grandview – Samuel Lunceford as Seymour Krelborn – Little Shop of Horrors
Liberty North – Garrett Williams as Bert – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Platte County – Connor Mendenhall as J. Pierrepont Finch – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Shawnee Mission South – Zach Greer as Jean Valjean – Les Miserables School Edition
Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Blue Valley North – Maddie Robert as Lois Lane (Bianca) – Kiss Me, Kate
Lansing – Brynna Darley as Gertrude McFuzz – Seussical
Lee’s Summit – Elizabeth Bennett as Ursula – Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Lee’s Summit North – Jenell Johnson as Oda Mae Brown – Ghost the Musical
Shawnee Mission East – Kylie Ledford as Gertrude McFuzz – Seussical
Shawnee Mission East – Megan Walstrom as JoJo – Seussical
Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
Platte County – Spencer Kunz as J.B. Biggley – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Raymore-Peculiar – Valiante Waltz as Cain/Storytelling Soloist – Children of Eden
Raytown – Caleb McCarroll as William Barfee/Olive’s Dad – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Raytown – Darian Duah as Leaf Coneybear – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Truman – Cameron Mabie as Will Parker – Oklahoma!
Truman – Jaggard Williams as Ali Hakim – Oklahoma!
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Blue Valley – Anna Synek as Mrs. Doris MacAfee – Bye Bye Birdie
Blue Valley – Tristan Rios as Ursula Merkle – Bye Bye Birdie
Grain Valley – Cally Beckman as Ronnette – Little Shop of Horrors
Liberty – Alana Pendergraft as Madame de la Grande Bouche – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Liberty North – Emmy Caywood as Mrs. Corry – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Claire Severance as Sister Mary Patrick – Sister Act
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Blue Valley – Jack Norton as Hugo Peabody – Bye Bye Birdie
Excelsior Springs – Trey Potter as Doody – Grease
Liberty North – Conner Paulson as Robertson Ay – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Raymore-Peculiar – Ian Fleming as Martin Van Buren – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Jackson Tomlin as Joey – Sister Act
Truman – Gavin Bechtold as Andrew Carnes – Oklahoma!
Outstanding Female Ensemble Member
Blue Valley – Ady Shaw as Alice – Bye Bye Birdie
Kearney – Camryn Brown as Pick-a-little Lady – The Music Man
Lee’s Summit West – Jessica Haney as Ballerina/Greek Statue/Tapping Chimney Sweep/Kite Dancer – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Piper – Olivia Ortiz as Silly Girl/Napkin – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Raymore-Peculiar – Song Waltz as A Mysterious Hip Girl/Woman on Tour/Ensemble – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shawnee Mission East – Gwen Madden as Thing 2 – Seussical
Outstanding Male Ensemble Member
Kearney – Terrell Christian as Townsperson – The Music Man
Lee’s Summit North – Garrett Richardson as Officer Wallace – Ghost the Musical
North Kansas City – Dorveon Mulkey as Tailor – Catch Me If You Can
Olathe North – Brian Weber as Fred – Oklahoma!
Olathe South – Jordan DeLeon as Guest #3/One of Muzzy’s Boys/Speed Tapper/Dance and Vocal Ensemble/Tapper – Thoroughly Modern Millie
Paola – Brendan Ohlmeier as Villager/Russian – Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Ensemble
Blue Valley – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Big Fish
Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Raymore-Peculiar – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shawnee Mission East – Seussical
Shawnee Mission South – Les Miserables School Edition
Outstanding Orchestra
Bishop Miege – Sister Act
Blue Valley – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Big Fish
Raymore-Peculiar – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Sister Act
St. James Academy – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 – $1,850)
Excelsior Springs – Grease
Harrisonville – South Pacific
Lansing – Seussical
Platte County – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Ruskin – Sister Act
Winnetonka – In The Heights
Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,851+)
Central – Big Fish
Grain Valley – Little Shop of Horrors
Liberty – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Olathe East – Curtains
Saint Thomas Aquinas – Shrek
Outstanding Lighting Design
Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Oak Park – Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Olathe East – Curtains
Raytown – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Shawnee Mission East – Seussical
Winnetonka – In The Heights
Outstanding Technical Crew
Blue Valley – Lighting Crew – Bye Bye Birdie
Blue Valley – Sound Crew – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Costume Crew – Big Fish
Liberty North – Deck/Set Crew – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Liberty North – Lighting Crew – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Shawnee Mission East – Hair and Makeup Crew – Seussical
Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 – $1,350)
Fort Osage – The Wizard of Oz
Leavenworth – Jekyll & Hyde
Platte County – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Raymore-Peculiar – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Spring Hill – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Winnetonka – In The Heights
Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,351+)
Central – Big Fish
Lee’s Summit West – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Liberty – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Olathe East – The Wizard of Oz
Shawnee Mission South – Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
Blue Valley – Bye Bye Birdie
Central – Big Fish
Leavenworth – Jekyll & Hyde
Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Olathe East – The Wizard of Oz
Shawnee Mission East – Seussical
Technical Achievement Award
Leavenworth – Victoria Sallot for Costume Design – Jekyll & Hyde
Liberty – Emma Kern for Properties Management – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Liberty North – Courtney Carr for Stage Management – Disney’s Mary Poppins
Park Hill – Kelly Decker and Caitlin Crosby for Stage Management – Oklahoma!
Shawnee Mission West – Hannah Parker for Stage Management – Pippin
Winnetonka – Landon Dowell for Scenic Design – In The Heights
Rising Star Scholarship Female Nominees
Blue Springs South – Emma Cunningham
Blue Valley – Stephanie Ainsworth
Lee’s Summit – Elizabeth Bennett
Liberty North – Caitlyn Fuller
Park Hill – Kelly Decker
Shawnee Mission Northwest – Kenzi Parsons
Rising Star Scholarship Male Nominees
Benton – Brevin Miller
Blue Valley – Jeremy Jacobs
Liberty North – William Scott Green
Olathe North – Cole Bellamy
Platte County – Connor Mendenhall
Raymore-Peculiar – Ian Fleming