And the 2021-22 Blue Star Award Winners Are…
Each year, thousands of high school students across the Kansas City metro celebrate their accomplishments at the annual Blue Star Awards Ceremony. This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Blue Star Awards, and 49 schools and more than 3,700 metro area students participated.
For those that may be unfamiliar, Starlight launched the Blue Star Awards during the 2002-03 school year to recognize the tremendous talent of area youth throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, the program offers a unique opportunity for students from different backgrounds and areas to come together in the spirit of healthy competition, to foster a deeper appreciation of the arts, and to reap the benefits of extracurricular participation - improved academic performance, higher self-esteem, positive social interaction, building essential life skills, and more – that goes beyond high school athletics.
Winners were announced in 24 categories and more than $8,000 in scholarships were awarded at the Blue Star Awards Ceremony this year. The ceremony also featured 11 onstage performances from schools nominated for Outstanding Overall Production as well as the Performance Scholarship nominees and nominees for Outstanding Actress and Actor in a Lead Role.
Without further ado, the winners of the 2021-22 Blue Star Awards are:
Outstanding Orchestra
Blue Valley
Anastasia
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Andrew Hand as Andrew Carnes
Liberty
Oklahoma!
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Estelle May as Ali
Central
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Grease
Outstanding Scenic Design & Construction, Tier I
Excelsior Springs
Little Shop of Horrors
Outstanding Scenic Design & Construction, Tier II
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!
Technical Achievement Award
Abby Miller – Technical Direction
Park Hill South
Dream Production Award
Molly McBride – Choreography
Olathe South
Outstanding Artistic Contribution by a Student
Makiya Leslie-Hardison – Choreography
Raymore-Peculiar
Footloose
Outstanding Technical Crew
Liberty North – Lighting Crew
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Actor in an Ensemble Role
MJ Cullum as Ensemble
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Actress in an Ensemble Role
Charlie Trent as Odette/Swan Lake Dancer/Ensemble
Blue Valley
Anastasia
Performance Scholarship Recipients
Ava Wolesky – Liberty North
Breana Smith – Truman
Grace Fisher – Liberty
Molly McBride – Olathe South
Community Impact Award
Leavenworth
Outstanding Costume Design & Construction, Tier I
Raymore-Peculiar
Footloose
Outstanding Costume Design & Construction, Tier II
Winnetonka
Seussical
Outstanding Ensemble
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Lighting Design
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
Will Edeal as Robert Martin
Shawnee Mission West
The Drowsy Chaperone
Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Ava Wolesky as Rosie
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!
Rising Star Scholarship Recipients
Brandon Heflin – Olathe West
Maddox Bane – Park Hill
Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Maddox Bane as Gomez Addams
Park Hill
The Addams Family: School Edition
Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Georgia Barge as Donna Sheridan
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Overall Production
Liberty North
Mamma Mia!