The winners of the 11th annual National High School Theatre Awards are here!
Congratulations to Ethan Kelso, for winning Best Performance by an Actor for his work as "Will Bloom" in Big Fish at Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts in Logan, Utah, and Ekele Ukegbu, who won Best Performance by an Actress, having played "Aida" in Aida at Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School in New York City.
The group of 86 nominees arrived in New York City last week, participating in a series of workshops, master classes, and rehearsals with such mentors and coaches as Telly Leung, Randy Graff, Maryann Hu, Adam Kantor, Michael McElroy, Jenni Barber, and Eliseo Roman.
Six finalists each received a $5,000 scholarship toward their future education: Jessi Kirtley, Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - The Shuler Hensley Awards (Atlanta, GA) Casey Likes, ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards (Tempe, AZ) Lexie Love, The 5th Avenue Theatre Awards (Seattle, WA) Colin Miller, The Enchantment Awards (Albuquerque, NM) Marisa Moenho, The Lucie Arnaz Awards (Palm Springs, CA) Christian Spaay, The Jerry Awards (Madison, WI)
Additional awards winners received a $2,000 scholarship each:
Best Dancer, presented by The Shubert Organization
- Anna Gassett, St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards (St. Louis, MO)
Rising Star, presented by The John Gore Organization
- Jacob Simon, Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (Chicago, IL)
Best Performance in an Ensemble, presented by Disney Theatrical Productions
- Senna Prasatthong-osoth, Broadway Star of the Future (Tampa, FL)
Spirit of the Jimmys, presented by Hollywood Pantages Theatre
- Adam Kral, Tommy Tune Awards (Houston, TX)
Special Recognition Scholarships:
- Jack D’Angelo, Stars of Tomorrow (Rochester, NY)
- William Dusek, Spotlight Education (Minneapolis, MN)
- Jeremy Fuentes, The Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance (New York, NY)
- Michael Iskander, Spirit of the MACY Awards (La Mirada, CA)
- Abby Linderman, The Bobby G Awards (Denver, CO)
- Mia Hall, Stars of Tomorrow (Rochester, NY)
- Chloe Elmer, The Monte Awards: Southern Arizona’s Musical Theatre Finals (Tucson, AZ)
- Sophia Wilson, Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards (Las Vegas, NV)
Congratulations to the future of Broadway!