Michael A. Jenkins, President and Managing Director, Dallas Summer Musicals and Tracy Jordan, Director of Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre Awards program (DSM HSMTA) presented by Comerica Bank, today announced the awards finalists in a special appearance on WFAA-TV’s DAYBREAK.
Based on Broadway’s Tony Awards, the DSM High School Musical Awards are designed to recognize and reward excellence in the production of high school musical theatre. If you love theatre, you do not want to miss this show!
Slated for Saturday, May 5th at The Music Hall at Fair Park, top nominated schools will perform a number from their show, nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress will be showcased and the winners will be announced at the red carpet extravaganza as show biz professionals and celebrities come together to celebrate and spotlight excellence in area high school musical productions. Bring your cameras! The celebration begins at 6:00 p.m. with paparazzi at the red carpet reception. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.
“This will be an exciting night, not only for DSM, but for the performers and their families,” Jordan said. “Thirty high schools participated in our first-ever musical theatre awards program. It was a diverse list of high schools from as far away as Granbury, McKinney, Corsicana and all across the Metroplex. The musicals were a wonderful mix from classic, like Red Oak High School’s Singin’ in the Rain, and dramatic, like Denton High Schools’ Jekyll & Hyde to Highland Park High School’s Once Upon a Mattress, a comedy.”
Tracy continued, “Due to the kind generosity of the many sponsors and underwriters, DSM will be awarding eight (8) $3,000 cash scholarships to outstanding participating students of the DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards.
Winners of the Best Performance by an Actor and Actress will receive an all-expense paid trip for five days to New York City to represent their school in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (the Jimmy Nederlander Award) for the chance to win prizes and scholarships, which vary by year.
The process: Three judges visited each school and judged performers in 15 categories: Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Musical Direction, Best Choreography, Best Orchestra, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting, Best Ensemble, Best Crew, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Featured Performer.
Ballots were submitted to the accounting firm of Grant-Thornton and the finalists determined.
Tickets are priced from $20 to $50. Visit the web site at: http://dallassummermusicals.org/HSMAwards.shtm or Ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, #542 in the Preston/Royal Shopping Center or call (214) 691-7200 for more information
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The Nominees are (In alphabetical order by school):
Best Actor: Chris Willmer as Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Aledo High School, Javan Stalls as Jekyll/Hyde in JEKYLL & HYDE at Denton High School, Tanner Brodess as Bobby Child in CRAZY FOR YOU at Flower Mound High School, Zach Payne as Seymour in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Granbury High School, Doug Keffer as William Barfee in 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Lake Highlands High School, Kyle Raper as Jonny in ZOMBIE PROM at Lewisville High School, Michael Williams as the Phantom in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at McKinney Boyd High School, Cam Wenrich as Billy Flynn in CHICAGO at Plano Senior High, Brandon Baker as Billy Crocker in ANYTHING GOES at Richardson High School.
Best Actress: Sara Driskill as Golde in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Aledo High School, Emily Pound as Lucy Harris In JEKYLL & HYDE at Denton High School; Emily Emmett as Polly Baker in CRAZY FOR YOU at Flower Mound High School; Landry McRee as Belle in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Hebron High School, Samantha Meril as Christine in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at J.J.Pearce High School; Riley McRae as Christine in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at McKinney Boyd High School, Abbey Miller as Cinderella in CINDERELLA at Plano West High School, Emily Lyons as Reno Sweeney in ANYTHING GOES at Richardson High School, Bailey Venable as Tracy Turnblat in HAIRSPRAY at Waxahachie High School.
Best Musical: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, John Guyer High School for CHICAGO, Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Plano East High School for HAIRSPRAY, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES, Waxahachie High School for HAIRSPRAY.
Supporting Actor: Logan Rodgers as Motel the Taylor in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Aledo High School, Nathan Schafer as John Utterson in JEKYLL & HYDE at Denton High School, Dillon McDonald as Lank Hawkins in CRAZY FOR YOU at Flower Mound High School, Raffi Andonian as Lefou in DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Hebron High School, Charles Harper as King Sextimus in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS at Highland Park High School, Jordan Richardson as Raoul in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at J.J. Pearce High School, Jamison Williams as Seaweed in HAIRSPRAY at Plano East High School, Joseph Landry as Moonface in ANYTHING GOES at Richardson High School, Sterling Horning as Link in HAIRSPRAY at Waxahachie High School.
Supporting Actress: Aarin Ford as Tzeitel in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Aledo High School, Kevyn Vermeire as Miss Adelaide in GUYS AND DOLLS at Berkner High School, Chelsea King as Emma Carew in JEKYLL & HYDE at Denton High School, Kelly Bach as Patsy in CRAZY FOR YOU at Flower Mound High School, Maggie Lynn as Lady Larkin in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS at Highland Park High School, Becca Pogostin as Charlotta in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at J.J. Pearce High School, Kayla Perkins as Charlotta in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at McKinney Boyd High School, Courtney Morrison as Mrs. Potts in DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at North Mesquite High School, Allie Armstrong as Dorothy Brown in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE at Parish Episcopal High School, Kacey Kirk as Panny in HAIRSPRAY at Plano East High School.
Featured Performer: Caroline Stella as Yente in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Aledo High School, William Harris as Nicely-Nicely in GUYS AND DOLLS at Berkner High School, Chris Peters as Sir Danvers Carew in JEKYLL & HYDE at Denton High School, Jonah Kirby as BellaZangler in CRAZY FOR YOU at Flower Mound High School, Caleb Massie as Lumiere in DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Hebron High School, Max Hodde as Piangi in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at McKinney Boyd High School, Kaitlyn Brimager as Babette in DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at North Mesquite High School, Gabrielle Owens as Maybell in HAIRSPRAY at Plano East High School, Grant Steiner as Sir Evelyn in ANYTHING GOES at Richardson High School, Collin Stephenson as Wilbur in HAIRSPRAY at Waxahachie High School.
Direction: Aledo for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Berkner High School for GUYS AND DOLLS, Creekview for WIZARD OF OZ, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, John H. Guyer High School for CHICAGO, McKinney Boyd High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Plano Senior High School for CHICAGO, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES, Waxahachie High School for HAIRSPRAY.
Musical direction: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Creekview High School for WIZARD OF OZ, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, Highland Park High School for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, J.J. Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Lake Highlands High School for 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Plano East High School for HAIRSPRAY, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES, Waxahachie High School for HAIRSPRAY.
Choreography: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Creekview High School for WIZARD OF OZ, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Hebron High School for DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, J.J. Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, John H. Guyer High School for CHICAGO, Lewisville High School for ZOMBIE PROM, McKinney High School for FINIAN’S RAINBOW, Plano East High School for HAIRSPRAY, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES.
Scene Design: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, Granbury High School for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, J.J. Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Lake Highlands High School for 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, McKinney Boyd High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Red Oak High School for SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES, Waxahachie High School for HAIRSPRAY.
Costume Design: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Berkner High School for GUYS & DOLLS, Flower Mound vfor CRAZY FOR YOU, Granbury High School for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Highland Park High School for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, John H. Guyer High School for CHICAGO, Madison High School for BLOOD BROTHERS, McKinney Boyd High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Plano Senior High School for CHICAGO, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES.
Lighting Design: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Berkner High School for GUYS AND DOLLS, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, John H. Guyer High School for CHICAGO, Lake Highlands High School for 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, McKinney Boyd High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Plano East High School for HAIRSPRAY, Richardson High School for ANYTHING GOES, Waxahachie High School for HAIRSPRAY.
Stage Crew and Tech: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Berkner High School for GUYS AND DOLLS, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, Highland Park High School for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, J.J. Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, McKinney Boyd High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Plano East High School for HAIRSPRAY, Red Oak High School for SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, Waxahachie High School for HAIRSPRAY.
Ensemble: Aledo High School for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Berkner High School for GUYS AND DOLLS, Creekview High School for WIZARD OF OZ, Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, Hebron High School for DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, J.J. Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, John H. Guyer High School for CHICAGO, McKinney Boyd High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Plano East High School for Hairspray.
Orchestra: Denton High School for JEKYLL & HYDE, Flower Mound High School for CRAZY FOR YOU, J.J. Pearce High School for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Sunset High School for THE WIZ.