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Queen Creek student actor vies for big award

BY ASHLYN ROBINETTE

GetOut Staff Writer

AQueen Creek performer who won the ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Award is now in the running in the same category in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as The Jimmy Awards.

Tyler Baldwin, who graduated in May from Queen Creek High School, won Best Lead Male for his performance as Jack Kelly in “Newsies” – his first musical – in the seventh annual ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Chandler resident Kristiana Corona, a recent Hamilton High School graduate, won the Best Female Lead for her performance of Ellie Blake in “Freaky Friday.”

Both Corona and Tyler now are in the running in those categories at the 12th Jimmy Awards, which will be streamed July 15 at 7:30 p.m.

“My high school friends were all in theatre and they wanted me to join but I always thought that theatre was weird and believed stereotypes assigned to theatre kids,” said Baldwin. “I finally said okay let’s go for it and then WOW – it completely opened my eyes to a lot of different perTyler Baldwin of Queen Creek and Kristiana Corona of Chandler are vying for national awards in a high school theatre competition. (Courtesy ASU Gammage)

spectives about storytelling and people in general.”

The ASU Gammage award contest is the regional round of the national competition.

In the national round, Corona and Baldwin will compete against students from across the country for scholarships. “I was flabbergasted when I won,” Baldwin said. “I honestly didn’t think I would be nominated or even close to winning. I was just happy to be there. Once it finally sank in and I realized that I had to prepare for The Jimmy Awards it felt great.” Queen Creek High’s production of “Newsies” also received the award for Best Musical at the ASU Gammage HSMTA. “We’ve been getting a lot of very professional help in addition to a really awesome education into the world of Broadway.”

Presented by the Broadway League Foundation, the national awards program has been the catalyst for more than $4 million in scholarships to date and several winners have been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions.

The Jimmy Awards are named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander. “I love the world of musical theatre,” Baldwin said. “My favorite part is the energy you feel in preparation and during performances. ...Once you get into the performance, feeling the audience there with you going through the story and feeling your performance is an indescribable feeling.”

As of right now, Baldwin does not plan to pursue musical theatre in the future. Instead, he will attend the University of Washington in the fall to study physiology.

However, winning The Jimmy Awards could change that. To watch The Jimmy Awards: go to jimmyawards.com.

Chandler Museum slates programs, exhibits

GSN NEWS STAFF

Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler is offering a variety of free programs this month. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. Information: 480782-2717 or chandlermuseum.org.Exhibits

Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title, Through Feb. 13, 2022

On March 22, 1967, at Madison Square Garden, New York City, two men face off in the ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World – Muhammad Ali and the challenger from Chandler, Zora Folley.

“Bigger than Boxing” features the stories of these two boxers, the circumstances that weighed heavy on each man, and the fight that was a turning point in both of their careers.

Black and white in black and white: Images of dignity, hope, and diversity in America. Through Oct. 17.

At the turn of the 20th century, many African Americans across the country embraced the “New Negro Movement,” which set the stage for the Harlem Renaissance. No one better captured the essence of this time of advancement than African American photographer John Johnson. This exhibition includes thirty-one large-scale black and white photographs captured by Johnson from 1910 to 1925.

Programming Museum in a Box

Each Chandler Museum in a Box includes instructions and suplies for threefive activities. Museum in a Box is available for sale in the Museum Store.

Family Edition Build It! Frank Lloyd Wright in Chandler

Explore architecture with a Frank Lloyd Wright themed activity box. Design a city, test your building skills with edible construction supplies, and review shapes hidden within authentic Wright drawings. This Chandler Museum in a Box contains all needed supplies for three activities, stories about Wright’s time in Chandler, and the book Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright from the popular Who Was? series. $18, Great for ages 7-10, includes enough supplies for two users.

Date Night Edition Sweat and Spar: Boxing Fun for Two

Ready for a date night that packs a punch? Don’t worry about your fitness level, grab your partner and step in the ring. This box also includes movie suggestions, drink recipes, and a sweet treat. $24, Designed for adults.