Starlight Reveals the 2019-20 Blue Star Awards Nominations
By: Chloe Rabinowitz May. 21, 2020
In its first-ever virtual announcement, Starlight revealed the nominations for the 18th annual Blue Star Awards in a live premiere on Facebook Thursday, May 21. Fifty-three of 54 schools were able to stage their 2019-20 Blue Star Awards musicals throughout the past school year, leading to 179 nominations in 23 categories. On Thursday, hundreds of Blue Star Awards students celebrated the much-anticipated nominations at a safe social distance.
Traditionally delivered in schools approximately one month prior to the Blue Star Awards ceremony, Starlight leadership and staff made the decision to announce this year's nominations via its Facebook page in an effort to keep students and staff safe in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We realize the end of this school year is very different than anyone had planned," Andy Pierce, Starlight's community engagement manager, said. "However, the hard work of the students and schools over the past year still remains and we are very excited to take time to celebrate those accomplishments. The Blue Star Awards program always strives to spotlight the amazing talent found in our area high schools and this year will be no exception!"
Modeled after Broadway's Tony Awards, Starlight's Blue Star Awards annually recognizes achievement and excellence in high school music theatre and is one of the largest programs like it in the country. All high schools within 60 miles of Starlight are invited to participate. Each year the program serves 5,000 area students who contribute either on the stage or behind the scenes to their schools' musical theatre productions.
A panel of adjudicators, who are theatre professionals, performing artists, designers and theatre arts educators, attend each participating school's musical and provide evaluations and commentary to Starlight's community engagement department. Their comments are also compiled and shared with each school's theatre teacher and students.
The annual Blue Star Awards ceremony has been postponed to Friday, July 31 at Starlight Theatre, pending city guidelines at that time.
2019-2020 Blue Star Awards Nominees:
Outstanding Overall Production
Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)
Lee's Summit West - Elf The Musical
Liberty - Into the Woods
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe East - All Shook Up
Olathe North - Bright Star
Olathe West - Xanadu
Raymore-Peculiar - Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Artistic Contribution by a Student
Blue Valley North - Mckenna Lewis for Choreography - Honk!
Leavenworth - Sam Wise for Choreography - Disney's Descendants
Liberty - Kendall McMullen and Paige Saluri for Direction - Into the Woods
Liberty North - Hannah Samson for Direction - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe East - Olivia Hollan for Music Direction - All Shook Up
Olathe North - Jenna Barnes for Music Direction - Bright Star
Piper - Jennifer Obiesie for Choreography - Hairspray
Raymore-Peculiar - Abby Ball for Choreography - Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Blue Springs South - Madelyn Padget as Elle Woods - Legally Blonde The Musical
Lee's Summit North - Elaine Watson as Deloris Van Cartier- Sister Act
Liberty - Grace Fisher as Baker's Wife - Into the Woods
Olathe North - Hannah Guzman as Alice Murphy - Bright Star
Olathe West - Kalista Brown as Kira - Xanadu
Raymore-Peculiar - Ella Schnake as Miss Adelaide - Guys and Dolls
Ruskin - Nikéla Reed as Celie - The Color Purple
St. Teresa's Academy - Liv Collet as Winnifred the Woebegone - Once Upon a Mattress
Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Blue Springs - Aidan Henry as Gomez -The Addams Family
Blue Valley - Jacob Jackson as Nathan Detroit - Guys and Dolls
Blue Valley North - Will Hancock as Ugly - Honk!
Lee's Summit West - Cooper Carr as Buddy - Elf The Musical
Olathe North - Tim Hampton as Jimmy Ray Dobbs - Bright Star
Park Hill - Maddox Bane as Bert - Disney's Mary Poppins
Raymore-Peculiar - Seth Kelley as Sky Masterson - Guys and Dolls
Shawnee Mission East - Fritz Sullivan as Bobby Child - Crazy For You
Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Blue Springs - Zoe Edgar as Wednesday - The Addams Family
Free State - Emily Bial as Val - A Chorus Line (High School Edition)
Free State - Gabriela Carttar as Diana - A Chorus Line (High School Edition)
Lansing - Alyssa Wiegers as Matron "Mama" Morton - Chicago (High School Edition)
Lee's Summit West - Kyler Gher as Michael Hobbs - Elf The Musical
Olathe East - Brillian Kina as Sylvia - All Shook Up
Olathe East - Willa Walberg as Sandra - All Shook Up
Olathe Northwest - Emma Whitney as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn - The Music Man
Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
Belton - Eric Nunn as Pharaoh - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Blue Springs - Francis Gatdula as Fester - The Addams Family
Olathe East - Justin Cooley as Dennis - All Shook Up
Raymore-Peculiar - Denton Meehan as Nicely-Nicely Johnson - Guys and Dolls
Shawnee Mission East - Aidan C. Connelly as Lank Hawkins - Crazy For You
Shawnee Mission West - Gavin Tanner as Jack - Into the Woods
Shawnee Mission West - Will Edeal as Cinderella's Prince - Into the Woods
St. Teresa's Academy - Toby Rodriguez as Sir Harry - Once Upon a Mattress
Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Blue Springs - Tyler Clayton as Grandma Addams -The Addams Family
Lee's Summit North - Sarah Keary as Sister Mary Patrick - Sister Act
Liberty North - Ava Wolesky as Charlotte - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Park Hill - Ella Sedlock as Mrs. Corry - Disney's Mary Poppins
Piper - Jennifer Obiesie as Little Inez - Hairspray
Ruskin - Arkiah Collins as Jarene - The Color Purple
Saint Thomas Aquinas - Sarah Phillips as Ursula Merkle - Bye Bye Birdie
Shawnee Mission East - Lily Utt as Patsy - Crazy For You
Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Belton - Nathan Garner as Simeon - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Blue Valley - John Oldroyd as Benny Southstreet - Guys and Dolls
Lee's Summit North - CJ Gilbert as TJ - Sister Act
Olathe East - Jeremiah Valenzuela as Jim Haller - All Shook Up
Olathe East - Zach Billings as Dean Hyde - All Shook Up
Olathe West - John Paul Gee as Terpsicore - Xanadu
Raymore-Peculiar - Dylan de Leon as Harry the Horse - Guys and Dolls
Raymore-Peculiar - Robbie Keays as Benny Southstreet - Guys and Dolls
Outstanding Actress in an Ensemble Role
Blue Valley - Olivia Wells as Havana Dancer/Hot Box Dancer - Guys and Dolls
Olathe East - Jade Belden as Sarah/Barfly Trio - All Shook Up
Olathe East - Jessie Fish as Townsperson/Bus Passenger - All Shook Up
Raymore-Peculiar - Kaijah Simmons as Member of the Salvation Army - Guys and Dolls
Raymore-Peculiar - Makiya Leslie-Hardison as Hot Box Girl - Guys and Dolls
Saint Thomas Aquinas - Katie Dors as Deborah Sue - Bye Bye Birdie
St. Teresa's Academy - Ally Fox as Lady Merrill - Once Upon a Mattress
Summit Christian Academy - M'racle Bryant-Morgan as Ensemble - Disney's Mary Poppins
Outstanding Actor in an Ensemble Role
Blue Valley - Jonah Kahn as Gambler - Guys and Dolls
Blue Valley Northwest - Sam Stubenhofer as Citizen of Cloisterham - The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Grandview - Rowell Yniguez as Fender - Hairspray
Lee's Summit West - Sean Sinow as Macy's Elf/Fake Santa - Elf The Musical
Liberty North - Garrett Lampert as Dancer - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Raymore-Peculiar - Xander Blackmon as Crapshooter - Guys and Dolls
Raytown - Jesse Best as Caveman - The Addams Family
Ruskin - DaVante Hudson as African Chief/Prison Guard/Older Adam/Ensemble - The Color Purple
Outstanding Ensemble
Blue Valley - Guys and Dolls
Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)
Lee's Summit West - Elf The Musical
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe East - All Shook Up
Olathe West - Xanadu
Raymore-Peculiar - Guys and Dolls
Shawnee Mission East - Crazy For You
Technical Achievement Award
Liberty - Leah Rainwater for Technical Direction - Into the Woods
Liberty North - Ayriana Haney, Margaret Reams and Elizabeth Reams for Costume Design and Construction - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Leavenworth - Dillon White and Christian Lake for Lighting Design - Disney's Descendants
Leavenworth - Hope Lopez, Nola Goodman and Briana Morgan for Scenic Design and Construction - Disney's Descendants
Leavenworth - Michelle Denney and Dillon White for Scenic Design and Construction -Disney's Descendants
Oak Park - Elaina Shalabi for Stage Management - Mamma Mia!
Olathe East - Grant Martin for Costume Design, Construction and Crew - All Shook Up
Olathe West - Summer Sperke for Stage Management - Xanadu
Outstanding Orchestra
Blue Valley North - Honk!
Lee's Summit West - Elf The Musical
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe Northwest - The Music Man
Park Hill South - Annie
Platte County - Footloose
Ruskin - The Color Purple
Shawnee Mission West - Into the Woods
Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 - $1,999)
Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz
Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)
Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants
Oak Grove - Mamma Mia!
Odessa - Mamma Mia!
Olathe North - Bright Star
Saint Thomas Aquinas - Bye Bye Birdie
Summit Christian Academy - Disney's Mary Poppins
Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier II ($2,000+)
Blue Springs - The Addams Family
Blue Springs South - Legally Blonde The Musical
Central - Bye Bye Birdie
Liberty - Into the Woods
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Oak Park - Mamma Mia!
Olathe East - All Shook Up
Park Hill - Disney's Mary Poppins
Outstanding Lighting Design
Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz
Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)
Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe East - All Shook Up
Olathe West - Xanadu
Shawnee Mission East - Crazy For You
Shawnee Mission West - Into the Woods
Outstanding Technical Crew
Belton - Costume Crew - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Blue Valley - Deck/Set Crew - Guys and Dolls
Lee's Summit - Costume Crew - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Liberty North - Deck/Set Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Liberty North - Hair and Makeup Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Liberty North - Lighting Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Liberty North - Sound Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe West - Lighting Crew - Xanadu
Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 - $1,199)
Blue Springs - The Addams Family
Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz
Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)
Olathe West - Xanadu
Raytown - The Addams Family
Ruskin - The Color Purple
St. Teresa's Academy - Once Upon a Mattress
Summit Christian Academy - Disney's Mary Poppins
Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,200+)
Belton - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants
Liberty - Into the Woods
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Olathe East - All Shook Up
Park Hill - Disney's Mary Poppins
Spring Hill - Crazy For You
Winnetonka - Shrek The Musical
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
Blue Springs - The Addams Family
Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz
Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Oak Grove - Mamma Mia!
Olathe East - All Shook Up
Raytown - The Addams Family
Spring Hill - Crazy For You
Rising Star Scholarship Female Nominees
Basehor-Linwood - Clarissa Kiefer
Leavenworth - Haley Bell
Liberty North - Hannah Samson
Lincoln College Preparatory Academy - Auryona Webb
Oak Park - Elaina Shalabi
Olathe South - Anna Hastings
Ruskin - Nikéla Reed
Shawnee Mission East - Janie Carr
Rising Star Scholarship Male Nominees
Basehor-Linwood - Lane Barrette
Blue Springs - Aidan Henry
Blue Valley - Jacob Jackson
Central - Carlos Gomez
Leavenworth - Thomas Yambo-Rios
Lee's Summit North - Reily Harker
Liberty North - Joe Lord
Platte County - Henry Lange
Community Impact Award
Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants
Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Notre Dame de Sion - Little Shop of Horrors
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