And the 2019-20 Blue Star Award Winners Are…

In it’s first-ever virtual Blue Star Awards ceremony, Starlight announced the winners of the 2019-20 Blue Star Awards on Friday, July 31. The online evening featured a number of guest presenters, interviews with students and teachers, and pre-recorded performances by nominees for Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Lead Role. In another “first,” Starlight debuted a brand-new theme song for the Blue Star Awards with current and past participants performing.

Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, Starlight’s Blue Star Awards celebrate the talented students and high schools that continue to raise the bar for musical theatre excellence throughout metropolitan Kansas City and surrounding communities.

Without further ado, the winners of the 2019-20 Blue Star Awards are:

Outstanding Overall Production
Olathe North High School
Bright Star

Outstanding Artistic Contribution by a Student
Kendall McMullen and Paige Saluri for Direction
Liberty High School
Into the Woods

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Hannah Guzman as Alice Murphy
Olathe North High School
Bright Star

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Cooper Carr as Buddy
Lee’s Summit West High School
Elf The Musical

Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Willa Walberg as Sandra
Olathe East High School
All Shook Up

Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
Denton Meehan as Nicely-Nicely Johnson
Raymore-Peculiar High School
Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Ava Wolesky as Charlotte
Liberty North High School
Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Jeremiah Valenzuela as Jim Haller
Olathe East High School
All Shook Up

Outstanding Actress in an Ensemble Role
Olivia Wells as Havana Dancer/Hot Box Dancer
Blue Valley High School
Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Actor in an Ensemble Role
Rowell Yniguez as Fender
Grandview High School
Hairspray

Outstanding Ensemble
Liberty North High School
Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Outstanding Orchestra
Lee’s Summit West High School
Elf The Musical

Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier I ($0-$1,999)
Leavenworth
Disney's Descendants

Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier II ($2,000+)
Olathe East
All Shook Up

Outstanding Lighting Design
Olathe West High School
Xanadu

Outstanding Technical Crew
Deck/Set Crew
Liberty North High School
Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier I ($0-$1,499)
Olathe West
Xanadu

Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,500+)
Liberty
Into the Woods

Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
Liberty North High School
Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Technical Achievement Award
Summer Sperke for Stage Management
Olathe West High School
Xanadu

Rising Star Scholarship Recipients

Nikéla Reed
Ruskin High School

Thomas Yambo-Rios
Leavenworth High School

Community Impact Award
Liberty North High School

Starlight congratulates all of our 2019-20 honorees, as well as the many other talented students and schools nominated for Blue Star Awards!