Starlight Celebrates Area High School Students with 2026 Blue Star Awards Ceremony
Thirty seven winners took home the top prizes in 32 categories, and $10,000 in monetary prizes were awarded.
Starlight has announced the 2025-26 Blue Star Awards winners in a red-carpet ceremony at Starlight Theatre Thursday, May 21. Thirty seven winners took home the top prizes in 32 categories, and $10,000 in monetary prizes were awarded to deserving high school students. The ceremony also featured 10 onstage performances.
Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, Starlight’s annual Blue Star Awards recognize achievement and excellence in musical theatre among Kansas City area high school students. In the 2025-26 Blue Star Awards season, 66 schools and 5,100 metro students participated, making it one of the largest and most respected high school musical awards programs in the nation.
Full List of WInners:
Ceremony Ensemble
Central - Macormick Carlson
Liberty North - Lainey Beaty
Park Hill - Chamberlain Webster
St. Teresa's Academy - Lainey McManamy
Community Impact Award
De Soto
Creative Contribution Award
Olathe West - Lydia Treff for Choreography
Technical Contribution Award
Olathe West - Teddy Garcia for Publicity and Marketing
Dream Production Award
Liberty - Hannah Mees for Direction
Rising Star Scholarship–Sophomore
Pembroke Hill - Cecilia Miller
Rising Star Scholarship–Junior
Blue Valley Southwest - Aliyah Lawrence
Rising Star Scholarship–Senior
Blue Springs - Cailey Petersen
Student Reporter
Fort Osage - Malia Arnold
Lee's Summit North - Jake Johnson
Jimmy Awards–Best Actor
Megan Sheehan
Park Hill South High School
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jimmy Awards–Best Actress
Charlotte Sweet
Platte County High School
Disney's Newsies
Orchestra–Tier I
Lawrence Free State - The Addams Family Musical (School Edition)
Orchestra–Tier II
Olathe Northwest - Mean Girls High School Version
Scenic Design–Tier I
Excelsior Springs - Disney's The Little Mermaid
Scenic Design–Tier II
Central - Footloose
Lighting Design–Tier I
Lawrence Free State - The Addams Family Musical (School Edition)
Lighting Design–Tier II
Liberty - The Phantom of the Opera
Costume Design–Tier I
Belton - Disney's Descendants: The Musical
Costume Design–Tier II
Olathe East - Between the Lines
Hair & Makeup Design–Tier I
Platte County - Disney's Newsies
Hair & Makeup Design–Tier II
Park Hill South - Jesus Christ Superstar
Technical Crew–Tier I
Raymore-Peculiar - Pippin - Costume Crew
Technical Crew–Tier II
Liberty - The Phantom of the Opera - Set Crew
Performer in a Lead Role–Tier I
Ruskin - The Prince of Egypt - Desmond Walker III as Moses
Performer in a Lead Role–Tier II
Liberty - The Phantom of the Opera - Olivia Dolton as Christine Daaé
Performer in a Supporting Role–Tier I
Raytown - Hadestown: Teen Edition - Cameron Ritchie as Hermes
Performer in a Supporting Role–Tier II
Liberty North - Mean Girls High School Version - Jillian Downing as Janis Sarkisian
Performer in a Featured Role–Tier I
Lawrence Free State - The Addams Family Musical (School Edition) - Harper York as Grandma
Performer in a Featured Role–Tier II
Blue Valley Northwest - Grease - Ryan Peterson as Doody
Ensemble–Tier I
Platte County - Disney's Newsies
Ensemble–Tier II
Blue Springs South - Anything Goes
Overall Production–Tier I
Platte County - Disney's Newsies
Overall Production–Tier II
Liberty - The Phantom of the Opera
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