BWW Blog: Emma VanDeVelde - The Blumey Awards: That's What It's Really About 

On May 22, 2016 at approximately 6:55 pm, nearly 100 high school students anxiously stood behind a curtain on the stage of the Belk theater. At 7:06 pm, this curtain rose to reveal a completely sold out house comprised of parents, classmates, theater educators and industry professionals and acted as the beginning of one of the raddest nights of their lives.

The Blumenthal High School Musical Theater Awards, or the "Blumey Awards" began in 2011 and serve to celebrate and recognize musical theater in arts programs across North Carolina. The awards ceremony highlights all of the moving parts that bring a spring musical to life including excellence in technical theater, orchestral theater, acting, choreography, and direction. The Blumeys uniquely and rightfully applaud the presence of high school theater--affirming to every high schooler involved that what they participate in truly matters.

Each year, the level of talent at the Blumeys grows, and this year was no exception. The Best Actor and Best Actress' voices were perfectly showcased with the medleys arranged by New York based composer and orchestrator, David Dabbon. These medleys, featuring choreography and staging by Linda Booth, masterfully allowed the audiences' hearts to drop with hurt and then erupt with laughter, all in less than 7 minutes. My favorite part of the medleys, however, wasn't the inventive transitions or the tight harmonies, but the evident bond formed between six young men and women within the time span of a week-a bond unchanged after the winner is revealed. Perhaps my favorite moment of the evening was witnessing the reactions of the 5 nominees who didn't hear their name called. When Justin Rivers was announced as the winner of the Best Actor category, all of his fellow nominees possessed looks of genuine pride in their new friend. Michael Julliard, a 4 time Blumey nominee (2 years for Best Actor), tearfully and literally jumped for joy out of excitement for Justin. To me, that picture is what the Blumeys are about--celebrating high school theater selflessly and unconditionally-allowing for the night to be a celebration, not simply a competition.

The bonds of theater demonstrated themselves, not only through the medleys, but also in the school performances by the Wells Fargo Best Musical nominees. These performances highlighted the end product of a long road of auditions, casting, rehearsals, and highs and lows along the way. The Wells Fargo Best Musical performances take the already exceptional work produced by these 6 high schools and pair it with a 2097 person audience, a 19 piece orchestra (two of which being students), and respected, professional technicians. These wonderful additions not only enhance the performance quality, but act as an affirmation of each schools' hard work. Central Academy of Technology and Arts took home this award for Tier 1 and their production of Ragtime and Cfa Academy won for Tier two for Mary Poppins.

For a lot of students, including myself, the thought of the Blumey Awards will forever stir thoughts of excitement and pride. Students and supporters get dressed up and experience the rewards that stem out of hard work and drive. Amina Faye, the winner of the Best Actress category, thanked the Blumenthal in her acceptance speech by calling the Blumeys an "outlet where we [the students] can do what we love." And at the end of the day, this simple statement truly encompasses the event as a whole. The night isn't about "playing to win" but simply playing to play. It's about high school students transforming into chimney sweeps and 5 year olds and princesses and pirates and allowing for these characters to shape who they when the night is over. Because when the stage is empty and the costume is on the hanger, the memories and the bonds are timeless.

-Emma VanDeVelde

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