FREE Night at Starlight May 25: Come Cheer on Blue Star Awards Students
One of the best nights of the year at Starlight Theatre takes place Thursday, May 25 – and it’s FREE for the public to attend! You are invited to help us fill all 8,000 Starlight seats for the 15th Anniversary Blue Star Awards Ceremony and show our community’s support for the thousands of students at 52 Kansas City area high schools who entertained audiences with 59 musical productions during the 2016-17 school year.
The annual Blue Star Awards Ceremony is Starlight’s version of the Tony Awards® night on Broadway! Starlight rolls out the red carpet (literally!) each May to present Blue Star Awards to winners in 22 categories, recognize all award nominees from participating high schools (132 total nominees from 42 schools this year) and celebrate all of the hard work and incredible talent that 5,000-plus students contributed to their high schools’ musicals.
The 2017 Blue Star Awards Ceremony begins at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Parking is $5 per vehicle. Great live entertainment is PRICELESS (aka completely FREE)!
“The audience for the Blue Star Awards Ceremony is typically theatre students, of course, as well as their teachers, family members and friends,” said Amy Reinert-Price, Starlight’s director of education. “However, in celebration of the program’s 15th year in 2017, we’d really love to up the number of adoring fans. I encourage all Starlight patrons to turn out for an inspiring night in support of these future stars of the stage!”
Award presentations and acceptance speeches are highlights throughout the evening, but one of the best aspects of the evening is outstanding live entertainment by nominated students and schools.
The 12 students nominated for Outstanding Actor or Actress in a Lead Role come together to perform two medleys of songs from their own schools’ musicals. The students who will perform this year hail from Blue Valley, Central (St. Joseph), Grandview, Liberty North, Platte County, Raymore-Peculiar, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Shawnee Mission South and St. Teresa’s Academy.
But wait, there’s even more! Each of the six high schools nominated for the grand prize of Outstanding Overall Production bring their casts back together to perform one favorite number from their shows. The high schools performing and their shows are:
- Blue Valley – Bye Bye Birdie
- Central (St. Joseph) – Big Fish
- Liberty North – Disney’s Mary Poppins
- Raymore-Peculiar – Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
- Shawnee Mission East – Seussical
- St. Teresa’s Academy – Jane Eyre
So, come one, come all! Bring the kids (and $5 for parking) to enjoy a night under the stars celebrating Kansas City area high school musical theatre.
Click for more information about the Blue Star Awards.