2017 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards nominees announced!
Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce the twenty-four students nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress, and nominees for Best Production, Best Direction and the Grosh Award for Best Scenic Design for the sixth annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards. The nominees (12 young actors and 12 young actresses), selected after evaluating 74 productions across the state of Illinois, have been invited to participate in the Awards program. Sponsored by Disney’s Aladdin and Grosh Backdrops & Drapery, the Illinois chapter of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards serves as an annual national celebration of outstanding achievement in musical theater performance by high school students.
Broadway In Chicago has crafted a workshop with theatre professionals, featuring Adam Jacobs, star of Disney’s Aladdin North American tour, who originated the title role in Aladdin on Broadway, along with his wife Kelly Jacobs, who previously performed in Chicago in the Mary Poppins North American tour. The workshop for these twenty-four nominees will culminate in a performance on stage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. During the day, nominees will audition for a panel of casting agents and theatre professionals who will choose the recipients of performance awards. A Best Actress and Best Actor winner from Illinois will be sent to New York City, on an all-expense paid trip, for a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on Broadway, where a panel of judges crowns the nation’s top performers.
An award for Best Direction will be presented to a director(s) from a participating school, an award for Best Production will be presented to a participating school, and the Grosh Award for Best Scenic Design will be presented to a participating school for achievement in outstanding scenic design.
For more information on both awards and complete rules and regulations, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com/about/IHSMTA/. For more information on National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as The Jimmy Awards, visit www.jimmyawards.com.
LIST OF NOMINEES AND HIGH SCHOOLS
Corey Barlow, as Che in “Evita” at Cary-Grove High School
Dominic Cappuccilli, as Stine in City of Angels at Mundelein High School
Benjamin Dow as Adam in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” at Minooka Community High School
Frank Gomulka as Dennis in “All Shook Up” at Benet Academy
Darian Goulding as Javert in “Les Miserables” at Hampshire High School
Jack Hradecky as Adam in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” at Hononegah Community High School
Erik Martenson as Tony in “West Side Story” at York Community High School
Brax Melvin as Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid” at Frankfort Community High School
Nicholas Orth as Jekyll/Hyde in Jekyll & Hyde at Carl Sandburg High School
Zachary Pearson as Usnavi in “In The Heights” at Libertyville High School
Jordan Radis as Edward Bloom in “Big Fish” at Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Justin Smusz as Chad in “All Shook Up” at Benet Academy
Madeleine Barbeau, as Natalie in “All Shook Up at Benet Academy
Lindsey Doody, as Laurey Williams in “Oklahoma!” at Lincoln-Way East High School
Natalie Doppelt as Wednesday Addams in “The Addams Family” at Deerfield High School
Haley Gustafson as Eva Peron in “Evita” at Cary-Grove High School
Carina Kanzler as Maria in “West Side Story” at York Community High School
Tatum Langley as Anita in “West Side Story” at York Community High School
Maddie Mazzella as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” at Saint Ignatius College Prep
Carly Meyer as Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof at Glenbrook North/South High Schools
Meaghan Rivera as Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes” at Barrington High School
Edith “Gracie” Stockton as Hope Cladwell in “Urinetown” at Lake Forest High School
Sara Toth as Lucy Harris in Jekyll & Hyde at Carl Sandburg High School
Annie Yamamoto as Muzzy Van Hossmere in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” at William Fremd High School
NOMINEES FOR BEST PRODUCTION
Benet Academy’s production of All Shook Up
Carl Sandburg High School’s production of Jekyll and Hyde
Cary Grove High School’s production of Evita
Libertyville High School’s production of In the Heights
York Community High School’s production of West Side Story
NOMINEES FOR THE GROSH AWARD FOR BEST SCENIC DESIGN
Cary- Grove High School’s production of Evita
Coal City High School’s production of The Little Mermaid
Hinsdale South High School’s production of Hairspray
Lake Forest High School’s production of Urinetown
Libertyville High School’s production of In the Heights
NOMINEES FOR BEST DIRECTION
Cynthia Burrows, Adlai E. Stevenson High School- Big Fish
Lauren Condon & Brian Wand, Benet Academy- All Shook Up
Rob Boncosky, Cary-Grove High School- Evita
Andy Robinson, Chicago Academy For the Performing Arts – A Little Night Music
Kelly MacBlane & John Wanninger, Lake Forest High School- Urinetown
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