The Rita Moreno Awards Unveils 2025 Nominees

The Rita Moreno Awards has revealed the 2025 nominees who will compete in front of a panel of judges on Monday, May 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. PT. This regional awards competition recognizes outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre from San Mateo County down to Kern County in Southern California.

This year, a total of 36 productions were submitted. In total, 281 students were evaluated for their individual performance. Winners in the Lead Actor and Lead Actress categories will head to New York City to compete against talented students from across the nation for unique scholarship opportunities at the 16th Annual Jimmy Award Ceremony being held at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre on Monday, June 23, 2025.
 
This year’s nominees are:
 

OVERALL PRODUCTION:

Alice By Heart
Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, CA) 
Cabaret
Hillsdale High School (San Mateo, CA) 
Hadestown: Teen Edition
John H. Pitman High School (Turlock, CA) 
Tarzan
Monte Vista Christian School (Watsonville, CA) 
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Mountain View High School (Mountain View, CA) 
Hadestown: Teen Edition
San Mateo High School (San Mateo, CA) 
 

LEAD ACTOR:

Nico Bennett as Nick Bottom in Something Rotten!
Burlingame High School (Burlingame, CA)
 
Jeffrey Kern as Orpheus in Hadestown: Teen Edition
John H. Pitman High School (Turlock, CA)
 
Simon Kirjner as Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls
The Harker School (San Jose, CA)
 
Aiden Mangalick as Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar
Bellarmine College Preparatory (San Jose, CA)
 
Vedanth Ramachandran as Lonny in Rock of Ages: Teen Edition
Valley Christian High School (San Jose, CA)
 
Ben Schultz as Adolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone
Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, CA)
 

LEAD ACTRESS:

Karen Chien as Persephone in Hadestown: Teen Edition
Mountain View High School (Mountain View, CA)
 
Anahi Cuevas as Eurydice in Hadestown: Teen Edition
John H. Pitman High School (Turlock, CA)
 
Levana Geshuri as Alice in Alice By Heart
Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, CA)
 
Gianna Marsh as Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in Anastasia
Monte Vista Christian School (Watsonville, CA)
 
Grace McCollum as Sally Bowles in Cabaret
Hillsdale High School (San Mateo, CA)
 
Clover Papadogonas as Eurydice in Hadestown: Teen Edition
San Mateo High School (San Mateo, CA)

SUPPORTING PERFORMERS:

Thomas Campisi as Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls
The Harker School (San Jose, CA)
 
Celeste Carpinelli as Bullfrog in HONK! (Pond Cast)
Sequoia High School (Redwood City, CA)
 
Ben Cube as Count Ipolitov in Anastasia
Monte Vista Christian School (Watsonville, CA)
 
Joey Dean as Underling in The Drowsy Chaperone
Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, CA)
 
Elijah Jordan as Fate 2 in Hadestown: Teen Edition
Paso Robles High School (Paso Robles, CA)
 
Talia Lawit as Fate 3 in Hadestown: Teen Edition
Mountain View High School (Mountain View, CA)
 
Anders Lindstrom as Michael in Mary Poppins
Salinas High School (Salinas, CA)
 
Princess Ravelo as Fate 2 in Hadestown: Teen Edition
Abraham Lincoln High School (San Jose, CA)
 
Mia Santoya as Fate 2 in Hadestown: Teen Edition
John H. Pitman High School (Turlock, CA)
 
Melanie Vincent as Annas/Apostle James in Jesus Christ Superstar
Bellarmine College Preparatory (San Jose, CA)

STUDENT REPORTER

San Francisco / Bay Area Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. URINETOWN (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble)

17.8% of votes

2. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED ORANGE (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company / Z Space)

8.2% of votes

3. SWEENEY TODD (Cabrillo Stage)

8.1% of votes

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