Starlight Theatre Announces 2009 Blue Star Nominees

Starlight Theatre employees and volunteers surprised local high school theatre students and instructors today when they personally delivered and announced the nominations for the 2009 Blue Star Awards program.

The nominations were presented to the high schools in settings ranging from school assemblies and pep rallies to orchestra and theatre classes. The awards recognize achievement in 23 categories of high school musical theatre, including musical direction, choreography, set design, makeup, lighting and, of course, performances by leading actors and actresses, group ensembles and more.

Starlight's Blue Star Awards Program celebrates its seventh anniversary in 2008-09. Sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the educational program recognizes achievement and excellence in high school musical theatre. The number of schools participating in the program has continued to increase, with 44 schools and 48 musicals setting new participation records in 2009.

On May 21, Starlight Theatre will host the seventh annual Blue Star Awards ceremony on its main stage. Students from this year's participating schools will perform in the evening's grand opening number, and award recipients will be recognized between performances during the evening. The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:30 p.m. There is a $5.00 fee for parking.

Blue Star Award nominations are made in 23 categories, including Outstanding Overall Production, Outstanding Performance by an Actor and Actress in a Lead Role, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Orchestra. There also are several categories that target artistic and technical excellence in staging a high school musical, including Outstanding Scenic Design, Outstanding Lighting Design and Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design.

A panel of three adjudicators (anonymous judges) attended the musical productions of each participating school during the fall and/or spring semesters. These judges provided performance and production critiques to Starlight's Education Department. Additionally, their comments are compiled and shared with each school's theatre teacher and students.

Additional performances at the May 21 Blue Star Awards ceremony will include a number from each of the five musicals nominated for Outstanding Overall Production, as well as a musical medley performed by the 10 nominees for Outstanding Performance by an Actor and Actress in a Lead Role.

Another highlight of the annual Blue Star ceremony is the awarding of Rising Star Scholarships
to two high school seniors. The $2,500 college scholarships are presented to one male and one female senior who have contributed the most to his or her high school theatre department and demonstrated exceptional theatrical achievement.

2009 Blue Star Award Nominees

Outstanding Overall Production
Lee's Summit North High School - Les Miserables
Lee's Summit West High School - Footloose
Paola High School - A Year with Frog and Toad
Platte County High School - All Shook Up
Raymore-Peculiar High School - The Scarlet Pimpernel

Outstanding Direction by a Teacher
Lee's Summit West High School - Ben Martin - Footloose
Paola High School - Leslie Coats - A Year with Frog and Toad
Raymore-Peculiar High School - Todd Schnake - The Scarlet Pimpernel
Shawnee Mission North High School - Maureen Davis - Sweeney Todd
Truman High School - Ron Meyer - The Wizard of Oz

Outstanding Musical Direction
Blue Valley High School - 42nd Street
Lee's Summit North High School - Les Miserables
Paola High School - A Year with Frog and Toad
Park Hill High School - Into the Woods
Platte County High School - All Shook Up

Outstanding Choreography and Staging
Grandview High School - Meet Me in St. Louis
Harrisonville High School - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Raymore-Peculiar High School - The Scarlet Pimpernel
Shawnee Mission North High School - Sweeney Todd
Shawnee Mission South High School - Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Orchestra
Blue Valley High School - 42nd Street
Lee's Summit North High School - Les Miserables
Olathe North High School - Brigadoon
Park Hill High School - Into the Woods
Shawnee Mission North High School - Beauty and the Beast

Outstanding Scenic Design, Tier I
Excelsior Springs High School - Grand Hotel
Grandview High School - Willy Wonka, Jr.
Harrisonville High School - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Kearney High School - Into the Woods
Olathe South High School - Urinetown

Outstanding Scenic Design, Tier II
The Barstow School - Rent
Central High School - The King and I
Grandview High School - Meet Me in St. Louis
Olathe South High School - Beauty and the Beast
St. Teresa's Academy - Little Women

Outstanding Lighting Design
Blue Springs High School - Into the Woods
Lee's Summit West High School - Footloose
Mill Valley High School - Thoroughly Modern Millie
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School - The Sound of Music
Shawnee Mission South High School - Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Technical Crew
The Barstow School - Rent - Set Crew
Blue Valley High School - 42nd Street - Costume Crew
Lee's Summit North High School - Les Miserables - Set Crew
Lee's Summit West High School - Footloose - Set Crew
Paola High School - A Year with Frog and Toad - Set Crew

Outstanding Costume Design
The Barstow School - Rent
Central High School - The King and I
Excelsior Springs High School - Grand Hotel
Grandview High School - Willy Wonka, Jr.
Olathe East High School - 42nd Street

Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
Paola High School - A Year with Frog and Toad
Raymore-Peculiar High School - The Scarlet Pimpernel
Shawnee Mission North High School - Sweeney Todd
Spring Hill High School - Seussical, The Musical
Truman High School - The Wizard of Oz

Outstanding Graphic Design
The Barstow School - Rent
Kearney High School - Into the Woods
Oak Park High School - Thoroughly Modern Millie
Raymore-Peculiar High School - The Scarlet Pimpernel
Shawnee Mission North High School - Sweeney Todd

Outstanding Lobby Design
The Barstow School - Rent
Excelsior Springs High School - Grand Hotel
Grandview High School - Willy Wonka, Jr.
Harrisonville High School - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Kearney High School - Into the Woods

Outstanding Chorus
Lee's Summit High School - Singin' in the Rain
Lee's Summit West High School - Footloose
Paola High School - A Year with Frog and Toad
Shawnee Mission West High School - Footloose
Truman High School - The Wizard of Oz

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Blue Valley High School - Samantha Steinmetz as Dorothy Brock - 42nd Street
Cameron High School - Morgan Breckenridge as Audrey - Little Shop of Horrors
Central High School - Hannah De Priest as Anna Leonowens - The King and I
Grandview High School - Megan Herrera as Esther Smith - Meet Me in St. Louis
Truman High School - Dana Masters as Dorothy - The Wizard of Oz

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Olathe North High School - Zachary Boswell as Tommy Albright - Brigadoon
Olathe South High School - Timothy Houston as Bobby Strong - Urinetown
Shawnee Mission West High School - Keegan Rice as Ren - Footloose
Spring Hill High School - Alex Goering as Horton, the Elephant - Seussical, The Musical
Truman High School - Spencer Wilson as Scarecrow - The Wizard of Oz

Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Excelsior Springs High School - Jennifer Knecht as Elizavita Grushinskaya - Grand Hotel
Olathe South High School - Rebekah Watzig as Mrs. Potts - Beauty and the Beast
The Pembroke Hill School - Jordan LeMay as Martha - The Secret Garden
Rockhurst High School - Laura Nendick as Philia - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
St. James Academy - Julia Griffin as Miss Hannigan - Annie

Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
The Barstow School - Blake Karsten Beaver as Angel Dumont Schunard - Rent
Lee's Summit High School - Jonathon Musgrave as Cosmo Brown - Singin' in the Rain
Olathe South High School - Andrew Nielson as Officer Lockstock - Urinetown
Rockhurst High School - Paul Otto as Senex - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Shawnee Mission West High School - Eric Morris as Reverend Shaw - Footloose

Outstanding Featured Performance
Blue Valley High School - Whitney Thurman as Ann Reilly - 42nd Street
Cameron High School - Caleb Cole as the Voice of Audrey II - Little Shop of Horrors
Olathe South High School - Andrew Nielson as Cogsworth - Beauty and the Beast
Paola High School - Natalie Scroggie as Bird/Turtle/Squirrel/Mole - A Year with Frog and Toad
Shawnee Mission South High School - Evan Michael Haas as Tobias Ragg - Sweeney Todd
                               
Outstanding Character Performance
Grandview High School - Ryan Gilyard as Grandpa Prophater - Meet Me in St. Louis
Olathe South High School - Liz Gray as Babette - Beauty and the Beast
Paola High School - Alec Smith as Snail - A Year with Frog and Toad
Shawnee Mission South High School - Samantha Morrow as Beggar Woman/Lucy - Sweeney Todd
Shawnee Mission West High School - David Gomez as Willard - Footloose

Outstanding Ensemble Member
The Barstow School - Cynthia Scott as Alexi Darling - Rent
Central High School - Alicia Fee as Principal Dancer - The King and I
Grandview High School - Christian Dean as Clinton Badger - Meet Me in St. Louis
Lee's Summit North High School - Ben Forrester as Grantaire/Labourer - Les Miserables
Olathe South High School - Hannah Kallenbach as Silly Girl #3 - Beauty and the Beast

Outstanding Group Ensemble
Central High School - Uncle Thomas Ensemble - The King and I
Lee's Summit North High School - Students at the Barricade - Les Miserables
Olathe South High School - The Silly Girls - Beauty and the Beast
Raymore-Peculiar High School - Members of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel - The Scarlet Pimpernel
St. Teresa's Academy - Operatic Tragedy Cast - Little Women

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