Orpheum Theatre Group Announces Winners for the 13th Annual High School Musical Theatre Awards

On Thursday, May 26, 2022, the Orpheum Theatre Group announced the award recipients of the 13th Annual High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Students and supporters from 38 participating schools across three states gathered in celebration of their peers performing on the Orpheum stage and in support roles behind the scenes. The evening was a culmination of a year-long program bringing students from all over the Mid-South together for an intensive week of team building, collaboration, and celebration of musical theatre.

The Lead Actor and Actress nominees from 2021 returned to the Orpheum stage to host the evening's ceremony. Award recipients for Lead Actor & Lead Actress - Brima Gassama (Germantown High School) and Vera Brown (Crosstown High School) will represent the Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards at The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (The Jimmy Awards®) at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway on Monday, June 27. The 13th Annual Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards are sponsored in part by Ticketmaster, Dean HD, Production One, and Sedgwick.

The Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards is part of The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (the Jimmy Awards®) which includes 46 programs from across the country. Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, the program sends a Lead Actress and Lead Actor award recipient from each of these competitions to New York City for a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on Broadway. The 13th annual Jimmy Awards® will take place on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway - the current home of Disney's The Lion King.

The Orpheum Theatre Group congratulates all of the award recipients!

The Award Recipients of the 2022 Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards

 

Outstanding Small Ensemble: sponsored by Gould’s Academy

Houston High School - The Bottle Dancers - Fiddler on the Roof

 

Outstanding Large Ensemble: sponsored by Gould’s Academy

Northpoint Christian School- Oklahoma!

 

Outstanding Chorus: sponsored by Karen Fields-Isaacman and Ken Isaacman

Cabot High School- Matilda

 

Outstanding Student Orchestra:

Houston High School- Fiddler on the Roof

 

Outstanding Dance Execution:

Collierville High School- Something Rotten!

 

Outstanding Choreography:

Collierville High School- Something Rotten!

 

Outstanding Playbill: sponsored by Paulsen Printing

New Albany High School- Hello, Dolly!

 

Outstanding Poster: sponsored by directFX

Collierville High School- Something Rotten!

 

Outstanding Front of House: sponsored by Friends of the Orpheum (FOTO)

St. Agnes Academy- Descendants

 

Outstanding Artistic Element:

The Egg and Omelet Costumes- Collierville High School- Something Rotten!

 

Outstanding Hair and Makeup:

Tipton-Rosemark Academy- Little Shop of Horrors

 

Outstanding Costumes:

Harding Academy- Little Women the Musical

 

Outstanding Lighting: sponsored by Dean HD

Germantown High School- Footloose the Musical

 

Outstanding Set: sponsored by Veronica and Brett Batterson

Cabot High School- Matilda

 

Outstanding Technical Achievement: sponsored by the staff of the Orpheum Theatre Group in honor of Jim “Revo” Reeves

Germantown High School- Footloose the Musical

 

Outstanding Student Creative Achievement:

Addie Brady- St. Agnes Academy- Descendants

 

Outstanding Student Technical Achievement:

James McFarland- Cabot High School- Matilda

 

Outstanding Student Stage Management Award: sponsored by Jennifer McGrath            

Olivia Schinker- Cabot High School- Matilda

 

The Bravo Award:

Garett Fleming as Fletcher Blake - Jackson Christian School - Disney’s Freaky Friday

Gabby Watson as Olaf - St George’s Independent School - Disney’s Frozen, Jr.,

Rayley Aven as Baby Kangaroo - Madison-Ridgeland Academy - Seussical the Musical 

 

NEW: The Spotlight Award                                                                                            

Jessica Hudgins for her outstanding work in house management - Collierville High School- Something Rotten! 

 

The Inspiring Teacher Award                                                                                        

Cynthia Wieland – Arlington High School

 

Outstanding Music Direction:

Tammy Holt- Briarcrest Christian School- Little Women the Musical

 

Outstanding Featured Dancer:

Fifi Younker- St. Mary's Episcopal School- Mary Poppins

 

Outstanding Featured Actor: sponsored by Keri and Doug Gage

Jaxon Polk as Mr. John Brooke- Briarcrest Christian School- Little Women the Musical

 

Outstanding Featured Actress: sponsored by Robin and Billy Orgel

Malee Davidson as Amayzing Mayzie- Madison-Ridgeland Academy- Seussical the Musical

 

The Spirit of the HSMTAs, The “Jalen” Award                                                          

Jackson Young – Jackson Christian School

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor:

Cade Harkness as Audrey 2- Tipton-Rosemark Academy- Little Shop of Horrors

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress:

Sydney Holladay as JoJo- Madison-Ridgeland Academy- Seussical the Musical

 

Outstanding Lead Actor: sponsored by Farris Bobango PLC

Brima Gassama as Rev. Shaw More- Germantown High School- Footloose the Musical

 

Outstanding Lead Actress: sponsored by Cheryl and Bill Stegbauer

Vera Brown as Snoopy- Crosstown High School- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

 

Outstanding Direction by a Teacher: sponsored by Lura Elliott Turner in honor of her favorite music teacher: her mother, Helen Elliott

Judy DeFrehn- Northpoint Christian School- Oklahoma!

 

Outstanding Overall Production: sponsored by Patty and George Alvord

Collierville High School- Something Rotten!

 

About The National High School Musical Theatre Awards®:

The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts more than 140,000 students who participate in 46 regional high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $5,000,000 in educational scholarships. Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, the NHSMTA invites one Best Actress and one Best Actor nominee from each local regional ceremony to New York City for a week-long theatre intensive that includes coaching, training, and rehearsing led by some of Broadway's most accomplished professionals. Nominees will spend one week in New York City from Monday, June 20, 2022, through Tuesday, June 28, 2022, and their combined efforts throughout the week will lead to one extraordinary talent showcase performed live in front of an audience on a Broadway stage. The thirteenth annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Minskoff Theatre. For more information, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com.

About the Orpheum Theatre Group:

The mission of the Orpheum Theatre Group is to enhance the communities we serve by utilizing the performing arts to entertain, educate, and enlighten while preserving the historic Orpheum Theatre and the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education. For more information, visit www.orpheum-memphis.com.

Orpheum Education Declaration of Action: We commit to engaging and collaborating with the people of the Mid-South through the transformative power of the arts.