Kentucky Performing Arts Reveals Creative Team for Inaugural KPA Bradley Awards

The KPA Bradley Awards are introducing the creative team for the inaugural KPA Bradley Awards ceremony taking place June 1, 2025 at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. This program is an official partner of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, known also as The Jimmy Awards. While the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts program celebrates young artists at the state level, the KPA Bradley Awards will launch talented youth in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to the national stage while building community amongst the region's high school theatre programs. The KPA Bradley Awards are presented by Kentucky Performing Arts in partnership with the Louisville Theatrical Association. 

The creative team is made up of three theatrical professionals based in Kentucky. Their combined experience in the arts spotlights them as true luminaries in their field, serving as the KPA Bradley Awards' inaugural staging director, musical director, and choreographer, respectively.   

Austin Vahle (Staging Director): Austin is a theatre educator who has performed, stage managed, choreographed, and directed within a variety of community, collegiate, regional and professional theatres. Austin has worked with Lexington Children's Theatre as a Teaching Artist, Woodford Theatre, Distilled Theatre Company, Gateway Regional Arts, SKyPAC, the WKU Theatre for Young Audiences programming, as well as with multiple school theatre programs/troupes across the state of Kentucky. In 2022, Austin was named one of the finalists and received an Honorable Mention for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University. Austin currently serves as a Theatre Teacher within Fayette County Public Schools. SDC Member. 

 

Jessica Greene (Music Director): Jessica has honed her craft in theatre as a musical director, arranger, producer and performer for a plethora of theatre companies and schools throughout Central Kentucky. She received her bachelor's degree in Vocal Music Education from Berea College, a Masters in Conducting from Eastern Kentucky University and two Specialist Certificates in Educational Leadership (Principalship and Superintendency) from The University of Kentucky. She works at the Kentucky Department of Education supporting teachers throughout the Bluegrass in implementing the Kentucky Academic Standards for Visual and Performing Arts. She is excited to be part of the inaugural Bradley Awards and to celebrate the achievement of students in musical theatre throughout Kentuckiana. 

 

Lydia Austin (Choreographer): Lydia, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, loves investing her time in dance education and exploring creativity in her choreography.  With more than twenty years in dance education as a dancer, teacher and choreographer, she specializes in modern, ballet, and jazz styles. Dance is a vehicle that has taken her many places and provided her with many awesome experiences. She is extremely grateful and ecstatic about her next adventure working with the performers at the inaugural KPA Bradley Awards this June.  

 

Awards will be given in various categories, of which students, educators, and ensembles are eligible. The two students awarded Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role will represent our region at the 2025 Jimmy Awards in New York City, which includes 10 days of private coaching, master classes and rehearsals with theater professionals, all-expenses paid. The week will culminate in a national awards ceremony at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. 

The KPA Bradley Awards seek to build community amongst our region's high school theatre programs, all of which are worthy of celebration for the value they bring to our youth and our communities. 

 

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