Starlight Reveals the 2019-20 Blue Star Awards Nominations

In its first-ever virtual announcement, Starlight revealed the nominations for the 18th annual Blue Star Awards in a live premiere on Facebook Thursday, May 21. Fifty-three of 54 schools were able to stage their 2019-20 Blue Star Awards musicals throughout the past school year, leading to 179 nominations in 23 categories. On Thursday, hundreds of Blue Star Awards students celebrated the much-anticipated nominations at a safe social distance.

Traditionally delivered in schools approximately one month prior to the Blue Star Awards ceremony, Starlight leadership and staff made the decision to announce this year's nominations via its Facebook page in an effort to keep students and staff safe in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We realize the end of this school year is very different than anyone had planned," Andy Pierce, Starlight's community engagement manager, said. "However, the hard work of the students and schools over the past year still remains and we are very excited to take time to celebrate those accomplishments. The Blue Star Awards program always strives to spotlight the amazing talent found in our area high schools and this year will be no exception!"

Modeled after Broadway's Tony Awards, Starlight's Blue Star Awards annually recognizes achievement and excellence in high school music theatre and is one of the largest programs like it in the country. All high schools within 60 miles of Starlight are invited to participate. Each year the program serves 5,000 area students who contribute either on the stage or behind the scenes to their schools' musical theatre productions.

A panel of adjudicators, who are theatre professionals, performing artists, designers and theatre arts educators, attend each participating school's musical and provide evaluations and commentary to Starlight's community engagement department. Their comments are also compiled and shared with each school's theatre teacher and students.

The annual Blue Star Awards ceremony has been postponed to Friday, July 31 at Starlight Theatre, pending city guidelines at that time.

2019-2020 Blue Star Awards Nominees:

Outstanding Overall Production

Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)

Lee's Summit West - Elf The Musical

Liberty - Into the Woods

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe East - All Shook Up

Olathe North - Bright Star

Olathe West - Xanadu

Raymore-Peculiar - Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Artistic Contribution by a Student

Blue Valley North - Mckenna Lewis for Choreography - Honk!

Leavenworth - Sam Wise for Choreography - Disney's Descendants

Liberty - Kendall McMullen and Paige Saluri for Direction - Into the Woods

Liberty North - Hannah Samson for Direction - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe East - Olivia Hollan for Music Direction - All Shook Up

Olathe North - Jenna Barnes for Music Direction - Bright Star

Piper - Jennifer Obiesie for Choreography - Hairspray

Raymore-Peculiar - Abby Ball for Choreography - Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role

Blue Springs South - Madelyn Padget as Elle Woods - Legally Blonde The Musical

Lee's Summit North - Elaine Watson as Deloris Van Cartier- Sister Act

Liberty - Grace Fisher as Baker's Wife - Into the Woods

Olathe North - Hannah Guzman as Alice Murphy - Bright Star

Olathe West - Kalista Brown as Kira - Xanadu

Raymore-Peculiar - Ella Schnake as Miss Adelaide - Guys and Dolls

Ruskin - Nikéla Reed as Celie - The Color Purple

St. Teresa's Academy - Liv Collet as Winnifred the Woebegone - Once Upon a Mattress

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role

Blue Springs - Aidan Henry as Gomez -The Addams Family

Blue Valley - Jacob Jackson as Nathan Detroit - Guys and Dolls

Blue Valley North - Will Hancock as Ugly - Honk!

Lee's Summit West - Cooper Carr as Buddy - Elf The Musical

Olathe North - Tim Hampton as Jimmy Ray Dobbs - Bright Star

Park Hill - Maddox Bane as Bert - Disney's Mary Poppins

Raymore-Peculiar - Seth Kelley as Sky Masterson - Guys and Dolls

Shawnee Mission East - Fritz Sullivan as Bobby Child - Crazy For You

Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role

Blue Springs - Zoe Edgar as Wednesday - The Addams Family

Free State - Emily Bial as Val - A Chorus Line (High School Edition)

Free State - Gabriela Carttar as Diana - A Chorus Line (High School Edition)

Lansing - Alyssa Wiegers as Matron "Mama" Morton - Chicago (High School Edition)

Lee's Summit West - Kyler Gher as Michael Hobbs - Elf The Musical

Olathe East - Brillian Kina as Sylvia - All Shook Up

Olathe East - Willa Walberg as Sandra - All Shook Up

Olathe Northwest - Emma Whitney as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn - The Music Man

Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role

Belton - Eric Nunn as Pharaoh - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Blue Springs - Francis Gatdula as Fester - The Addams Family

Olathe East - Justin Cooley as Dennis - All Shook Up

Raymore-Peculiar - Denton Meehan as Nicely-Nicely Johnson - Guys and Dolls

Shawnee Mission East - Aidan C. Connelly as Lank Hawkins - Crazy For You

Shawnee Mission West - Gavin Tanner as Jack - Into the Woods

Shawnee Mission West - Will Edeal as Cinderella's Prince - Into the Woods

St. Teresa's Academy - Toby Rodriguez as Sir Harry - Once Upon a Mattress

Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role

Blue Springs - Tyler Clayton as Grandma Addams -The Addams Family

Lee's Summit North - Sarah Keary as Sister Mary Patrick - Sister Act

Liberty North - Ava Wolesky as Charlotte - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Park Hill - Ella Sedlock as Mrs. Corry - Disney's Mary Poppins

Piper - Jennifer Obiesie as Little Inez - Hairspray

Ruskin - Arkiah Collins as Jarene - The Color Purple

Saint Thomas Aquinas - Sarah Phillips as Ursula Merkle - Bye Bye Birdie

Shawnee Mission East - Lily Utt as Patsy - Crazy For You

Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role

Belton - Nathan Garner as Simeon - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Blue Valley - John Oldroyd as Benny Southstreet - Guys and Dolls

Lee's Summit North - CJ Gilbert as TJ - Sister Act

Olathe East - Jeremiah Valenzuela as Jim Haller - All Shook Up

Olathe East - Zach Billings as Dean Hyde - All Shook Up

Olathe West - John Paul Gee as Terpsicore - Xanadu

Raymore-Peculiar - Dylan de Leon as Harry the Horse - Guys and Dolls

Raymore-Peculiar - Robbie Keays as Benny Southstreet - Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Actress in an Ensemble Role

Blue Valley - Olivia Wells as Havana Dancer/Hot Box Dancer - Guys and Dolls

Olathe East - Jade Belden as Sarah/Barfly Trio - All Shook Up

Olathe East - Jessie Fish as Townsperson/Bus Passenger - All Shook Up

Raymore-Peculiar - Kaijah Simmons as Member of the Salvation Army - Guys and Dolls

Raymore-Peculiar - Makiya Leslie-Hardison as Hot Box Girl - Guys and Dolls

Saint Thomas Aquinas - Katie Dors as Deborah Sue - Bye Bye Birdie

St. Teresa's Academy - Ally Fox as Lady Merrill - Once Upon a Mattress

Summit Christian Academy - M'racle Bryant-Morgan as Ensemble - Disney's Mary Poppins

Outstanding Actor in an Ensemble Role

Blue Valley - Jonah Kahn as Gambler - Guys and Dolls

Blue Valley Northwest - Sam Stubenhofer as Citizen of Cloisterham - The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Grandview - Rowell Yniguez as Fender - Hairspray

Lee's Summit West - Sean Sinow as Macy's Elf/Fake Santa - Elf The Musical

Liberty North - Garrett Lampert as Dancer - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Raymore-Peculiar - Xander Blackmon as Crapshooter - Guys and Dolls

Raytown - Jesse Best as Caveman - The Addams Family

Ruskin - DaVante Hudson as African Chief/Prison Guard/Older Adam/Ensemble - The Color Purple

Outstanding Ensemble

Blue Valley - Guys and Dolls

Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)

Lee's Summit West - Elf The Musical

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe East - All Shook Up

Olathe West - Xanadu

Raymore-Peculiar - Guys and Dolls

Shawnee Mission East - Crazy For You

Technical Achievement Award

Liberty - Leah Rainwater for Technical Direction - Into the Woods

Liberty North - Ayriana Haney, Margaret Reams and Elizabeth Reams for Costume Design and Construction - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Leavenworth - Dillon White and Christian Lake for Lighting Design - Disney's Descendants

Leavenworth - Hope Lopez, Nola Goodman and Briana Morgan for Scenic Design and Construction - Disney's Descendants

Leavenworth - Michelle Denney and Dillon White for Scenic Design and Construction -Disney's Descendants

Oak Park - Elaina Shalabi for Stage Management - Mamma Mia!

Olathe East - Grant Martin for Costume Design, Construction and Crew - All Shook Up

Olathe West - Summer Sperke for Stage Management - Xanadu

Outstanding Orchestra

Blue Valley North - Honk!

Lee's Summit West - Elf The Musical

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe Northwest - The Music Man

Park Hill South - Annie

Platte County - Footloose

Ruskin - The Color Purple

Shawnee Mission West - Into the Woods

Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 - $1,999)

Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz

Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)

Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants

Oak Grove - Mamma Mia!

Odessa - Mamma Mia!

Olathe North - Bright Star

Saint Thomas Aquinas - Bye Bye Birdie

Summit Christian Academy - Disney's Mary Poppins

Outstanding Scenic Design and Construction, Tier II ($2,000+)

Blue Springs - The Addams Family

Blue Springs South - Legally Blonde The Musical

Central - Bye Bye Birdie

Liberty - Into the Woods

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Oak Park - Mamma Mia!

Olathe East - All Shook Up

Park Hill - Disney's Mary Poppins

Outstanding Lighting Design

Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz

Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)

Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe East - All Shook Up

Olathe West - Xanadu

Shawnee Mission East - Crazy For You

Shawnee Mission West - Into the Woods

Outstanding Technical Crew

Belton - Costume Crew - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Blue Valley - Deck/Set Crew - Guys and Dolls

Lee's Summit - Costume Crew - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Liberty North - Deck/Set Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Liberty North - Hair and Makeup Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Liberty North - Lighting Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Liberty North - Sound Crew - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe West - Lighting Crew - Xanadu

Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier I ($0 - $1,199)

Blue Springs - The Addams Family

Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz

Lansing - Chicago (High School Edition)

Olathe West - Xanadu

Raytown - The Addams Family

Ruskin - The Color Purple

St. Teresa's Academy - Once Upon a Mattress

Summit Christian Academy - Disney's Mary Poppins

Outstanding Costume Design and Construction, Tier II ($1,200+)

Belton - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants

Liberty - Into the Woods

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Olathe East - All Shook Up

Park Hill - Disney's Mary Poppins

Spring Hill - Crazy For You

Winnetonka - Shrek The Musical

Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design

Blue Springs - The Addams Family

Excelsior Springs - The Wizard of Oz

Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Oak Grove - Mamma Mia!

Olathe East - All Shook Up

Raytown - The Addams Family

Spring Hill - Crazy For You

Rising Star Scholarship Female Nominees

Basehor-Linwood - Clarissa Kiefer

Leavenworth - Haley Bell

Liberty North - Hannah Samson

Lincoln College Preparatory Academy - Auryona Webb

Oak Park - Elaina Shalabi

Olathe South - Anna Hastings

Ruskin - Nikéla Reed

Shawnee Mission East - Janie Carr

Rising Star Scholarship Male Nominees

Basehor-Linwood - Lane Barrette

Blue Springs - Aidan Henry

Blue Valley - Jacob Jackson

Central - Carlos Gomez

Leavenworth - Thomas Yambo-Rios

Lee's Summit North - Reily Harker

Liberty North - Joe Lord

Platte County - Henry Lange

Community Impact Award

Leavenworth - Disney's Descendants

Liberty North - Cinderella (Broadway Version)

Notre Dame de Sion - Little Shop of Horrors