2021 Blue Star Awards Ceremony

STA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E STA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

Dear Friends, Families and Talented Students, It’s great to welcome you back to Starlight Theatre for the 19th Annual Blue Star Awards Ceremony. This evening is one of my favorite nights of the year, and it’s particularly special this season as it marks the first evening that Starlight opens its gates to the public since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

We know that schools experienced a very challenging year. Productions were postponed or cancelled, some went virtual, and others were performed with the new hurdle of singing through masks. Despite all of the obstacles, students found ways to keep their creativity alive. We’re proud of the 33 area high schools that participated in this year’s program. The efforts of the students culminated in the 99 nominations to be recognized tonight on Starlight’s Cohen Community Stage.

Starlight will award $10,500 in scholarships this evening—more than ever before in the history of the Blue Star Awards! We’re also excited to present a brand new award tonight—the Dream Production Award, which will highlight the creativity of students working in the areas of design, direction and choreography. While we’ve all faced challenges throughout this last year, each of tonight’s talented nominees have shown me that the theatre community is resilient. We hope that this evening is an opportunity for casts and crews to celebrate!

Congrats to all of the participants—the future of theatre shines bright with these students.

On with the show,

Rich Baker, Starlight President & CEO National High School Musical Theatre Awards Advisory Board Member

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S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

ABOUT BLUE STAR AWARDS

Recognizing outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre since 2003

Presented by Starlight

Since 2003, the Blue Star Awards have annually recognized outstanding achievement in musical theatre among Kansas City metro high school students. Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, the program culminates each May at the Blue Star Awards Ceremony.

Our Adjudicators

Starlight retains adjudicators – theatre professionals, performing artists, designers and theatre arts educators – who traditionally attend all participating high schools’ musical performances. This year, as many schools presented musicals via different platforms, it was difficult to assess them equally. Instead, schools had the opportunity for an adjudicator to attend their show to provide educational feedback only. For nominations, adjudicators were engaged to evaluate all award category submissions.

The Nominees, Please!

This year’s categories look very different. As many high schools were unable to present a musical this year, participating schools were not evaluated on their productions. Instead, award categories were adjusted to highlight the broader work of schools and students, with the opportunity to submit materials in seven categories. Starlight announced 99 nominations, celebrating community students who have excelled in the areas of performance, technical achievement and theatre program support.

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards

Winners of the Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Lead Role categories will compete virtually in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards.

The country’s most accomplished musical theatre students work in groups, receive one-on-one coaching from theatre professionals, and perform in the quest to win the titles of Best Performance by an Actor or Actress and a Jimmy™ Award.

Thank You to Our Supporters!

The Blue Star Awards are made possible by the Starlight Board of Directors, staff and volunteers of Starlight, and the thousands of talented teens, faculty, staff and parents associated with high school musical theatre in Kansas City.

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S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

Honoring Excellence in High School Musical Theatre Andy Pierce Community Engagement Mgr.

Alex Jones VP of Community Engagement

Kent Andel VP of Production

Katie McKernan Community Engagement Coordinator

Christina Burton Choreographer

Daniel Doss Music Director/Pianist

Bryce Jones Multimedia Design Coordinator

Aaron M. Clark Technical Production Mgr.

Ryan Britton Production Coordinator

Katherine Tolbert Community Engagement Coordinator

Richard Baker President and CEO

2 0 2 1 BLUE STAR AWARDS ADJUDICATOR S Sara Beatty Emily Bridges Jayson Chandley Korey Childs Brian Cross Nancy Eppert Michelle Evans Evan Gamsu

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Alyson Golladay Derek Jensen Allison Jones Tom Lancaster Noah Lindquist Linnaia McKenzie Delano Mendoza Paige Nelson

Julie O’Rourke Kaul Dave Rogers Vanessa Severo James Shackelford Michelle Staub Mollie Stephens Vicki Vodrey

S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

“Something About This Night” featuring: Belton Belton Grain Valley Grain Valley Grain Valley Grandview Lee’s Summit North Platte County Platte County Raymore-Peculiar Saint Thomas Aquinas Truman Winnetonka Winnetonka

Kayla Watts Tucker Rushing Imani Vaughn Maddux Hughes Mariah Gattenby-Snyder Samantha Lambert Sophia Niblock Emily Clark Madelynn Darst Meghan Larsen Maggie Halpin Kyleigh Hendrix Blake Brinsa Zack Abrams

Welcome Rich Baker, Starlight President & CEO Alex Jones, Starlight VP of Community Engagement

Dream Production Award Basehor-Linwood Olathe East Olathe East Olathe West Liberty North Liberty North Liberty North Raymore-Peculiar

Madi Messer – Hair and Makeup Design Grant Martin – Costume Design Millie Bell – Choreography Ella Amos – Costume Design Kiersten Schmalz – Choreography Sydney Davis – Direction Theresa Sudholt – Choreography Nathan Caskey – Lighting Design

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THINK OUTSIDE. Think Starlight.

June 22-27

July 20-25

Sept. 7-12

Sept. 21-26

Presented by

kcstarlight.com (816) 363-7827

Presented by

S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role Medley Performance Liberty North

Jacob Hagen as Quasimodo The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Oak Park

Jacob Collier as Baker Into the Woods

Olathe East

Justin Cooley as Dmitry Anastasia

Olathe South

Max Pardo as Javert Les Misérables

Park Hill South

Jack Blackburn as Billy Cane Bright Star

Platte County

Myles Schmitt as Baker Into the Woods

Raymore-Peculiar

Denton Meehan as Dauntless the Drab Once Upon a Mattress

Raytown

Aiden Harkins as Pippin Pippin

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role Medley Performance Leavenworth

Haley Engen as Jo Little Women

Liberty North

Ava Wolesky as Esmeralda The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Oak Grove

Emma Nadeau as Ariel Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Olathe East

Willa Walberg as Anya Anastasia

Raymore-Peculiar

Kennedy Kinnick as Winnifred the Woebegone Once Upon a Mattress

Rockhurst

Isabel Mayer as Cathy The Last Five Years

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Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role Medley Performance Cont.

Smithville

Sierra Quinn as Jo Little Women

Truman

Myel White as Deloris Van Cartier Sister Act

Rising Star Scholarship Belton Belton Leavenworth Lee’s Summit North Liberty North Liberty North Oak Park Oak Park Olathe East Olathe East Olathe West Park Hill South Raymore-Peculiar Raytown St. Teresa’s Academy Truman Winnetonka

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Jessica Frank Tucker Rushing Haley Engen Elaine Watson Garrett Lampert Nadia Higareda Francesca Young Reese Hill Addison Landes Willa Walberg Emma Johnson Allison Miller Denton Meehan Cheyli Ferbet Darcie Hingula Gabrielle Petentler Blake Brinsa

Shining the Spotlight on KC’s Students CommunityAmerica applauds all the Blue Star Award student nominees, on the stage and behind the scenes, that brightened 2020 through their schools’ musical theatre productions.

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“Celebrate the Journey” featuring: Belton Lee’s Summit North Lee’s Summit North Oak Park Oak Park Olathe East Olathe South Olathe West Raymore-Peculiar Ruskin Saint Thomas Aquinas Truman

Isaiah Allison Abby Knabe Elaine Watson Brenden Blue Madison Wells Madeline King Alana Shields Brandon Heflin Spencer Barr Willie Anderson Maddy Terril Paige Gonzales

Music by Sam Willmott and Marcus Stevens with vocal arrangements by Madeline Smith

Community Impact Award Benton Leavenworth Oak Park Winnetonka

Announcement of Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Lead Role Finalists

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“Get On Your Feet” featuring: Grandview Oak Park Olathe East Olathe East Olathe South Olathe South Olathe West Olathe West St. Teresa’s Academy St. Teresa’s Academy Truman

2020-21

Anastasia Coburn Kylie McLane Phoebe Mock Sydney Nicks Elise Bowles Rowan Farha Kalista Brown Meredith McCalmon Darcie Hingula Liv Collet Breana Smith

Ellie Platt

Liberty North High School

Estelle Gordon

Shawnee Mission East High School

STUDENT COUNCIL

Francesca Young

Oak Park High School

Gabrielle Petentler Truman High School

Isabel Mayer

St. Teresa’s Academy

Madeline King

Olathe East High School

Addison Landes

Madelynn Darst

Carter Stelting

Maria Heath

Declan Franey

Micah Parsons

Elise Guzman

Sydney Davis

Olathe East High School Olathe South High School Blue Valley Northwest High School

9 Leavenworth High School

Platte County High School Shawnee Mission South High School Liberty North High School Liberty North High School

S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

Technical Achievement Award Belton

Wesley Freeman – Properties Master

Benton

Alex Duhn – Properties Master

Oak Park

Brenden Blue – Publicity

Oak Park

Emily Morrison – Costume Design

Oak Park

Kaleighan Chastain – Stage Management

Oak Park

Lily Dickson – Hair and Makeup Design

Olathe East

Breanna Kristian – Stage Management and Properties Design

Olathe East

Grant Martin – Costume Design

Olathe East

Saphron DeWitt – Stage Management

Park Hill South

Alyssa Espinosa – Scenic Design

Park Hill South

Sean Hall – Scenic Construction

Raymore-Peculiar

Nathan Caskey – Lighting Design and Scenic Construction

Winnetonka

Derek Walsh – Costume Design and Management

Winnetonka

Hunter Murray – Stage Management

Performances by the finalists for Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role Performances by the finalists for Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role Announcement of the Performance Scholarship Recipients Announcement of Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role Announcement of Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role Closing Remarks Rich Baker, Starlight President & CEO

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BROADWAY’S NEXT GENERATION!

GENERATION!

Two students from our program will join teens from across the U.S. to compete for top honors in a one-night-only showcase at the

®

WATCH ONLINE JULY 15 at

JimmyAwards.com @JimmyAwards PRESENTED BY

S TA R L I G H T ’ S 1 9 T H A N N UA L B LU E S TA R AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

WITH GRATITUDE The 2021 Blue Star Awards Ceremony is made possible by the following: Special Thanks to: Starlight Theatre’s Board of Directors Starlight Theatre Ambassadors Theatrical Services Vista Productions, Inc. Andrew Mather Photography Tod Barnard - Percussion Jeff Harshbarger - Bass Michalis Koutsoupides - Keyboard Amy Chapman – Sign Language Interpreter Molly Voris – Sign Language Interpreter Talya Groves – Special Guest

Special Thanks to Community Engagement Supporters: The Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee Union Pacific Foundation Nancy Whitworth & Doug Ballou Kearney Wornall Foundation

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Participating Schools Basehor-Linwood

Odessa

Belton

Olathe East

Benton

Olathe North

Blue Springs South

Olathe South

Blue Valley

Olathe West

Excelsior Springs

Park Hill South

Grain Valley

Platte County

Grandview

Raymore-Peculiar

Lansing

Raytown

Leavenworth

Rockhurst

Lee’s Summit North

Ruskin

Liberty North

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Lincoln College Preparatory Academy

Smithville

Notre Dame de Sion Oak Grove Oak Park

St. Michael the Archangel St. Teresa’s Academy Truman Winnetonka

Visit kcstarlight.com/bluestarawards for more information.

4600 Starlight Road | Kansas City, MO | 64132 | (816) 363-7827 Starlight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization