Jester Awards honor area high school student musicals
Music Theatre of Wichita saluted outstanding achievements in high school musical productions in south central Kansas on Friday during the ninth annual Jester Awards.
Throughout last fall and this spring, a team of judges evaluated 26 productions at 24 high schools.
Sixty-six Jester Awards were given for achievement in 20 of those productions. The awards program was hosted by Wayne Bryan, producing artistic director of Music Theatre of Wichita. Also hosting was former Jester recipient Jenny Wine, who won the 2009 Jimmy Award for outstanding actress at the National High School Musical Theater Awards held last July in New York City.
Nine Jesters each went to "Children of Eden," "The Boy Friend" and "Footloose" (Collegiate High School), with seven awards going to "Oklahoma!" (Trinity Academy), and five going to "Once Upon a Mattress" (Wichita East).
Selected to travel to New York to participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards were Claire Gerig (who played Eve in "Children of Eden" at Maize High School) and Cooper Rowe (who played Ren in "Footloose" at Wichita Collegiate).
The national awards ceremony will take place on June 28.
Here are the 2010 Jester recipients:
Outstanding overall production
"Children of Eden" (Maize High)
"The Boy Friend" (Sterling High)
"Oklahoma!" (Trinity Academy)
Direction
Betsy Dutton, "The Boy Friend," Sterling
Julie Longhofer, "Oklahoma!," Trinity Academy
Leading actress
Claire Gerig, "Children of Eden," Maize
Anna Brashear, "The Boy Friend," Sterling
Kassiani Menas, "Once Upon a Mattress," Wichita East
Leading actor
Cooper Rowe, "Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
Andrew Foster, "The Boy Friend," Sterling
Supporting actress
Kate Macias, "The Wizard of Oz," Bishop Carroll
Anna Cooper, "Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
Taylor Ahnert, "The Boy Friend," Sterling
Chelsey Moore, "Godspell," Trinity Academy
Katie Johnson, "Oklahoma!," Trinity Academy
Supporting actor
Dylan Harris, "Sweeney Todd," Andover Central
Gavin Myers, "The Wizard of Oz," Bishop Carroll
Brandon Somerhalder, "Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
Ben Stranghoner, "Little Shop of Horrors," Douglass
Spencer Stephens, "Children of Eden," Maize
Starner Vechery, "Oklahoma!," Trinity Academy
Cameo performer
Patricia Cole, "Oklahoma!," Trinity Academy
Ensemble/Chorus
"Children of Eden," Maize
"Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
"The Boy Friend," Sterling
Small ensemble
"Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
"Little Shop of Horrors," Northeast Magnet
Production number
"Let's Hear It for the Boy," "Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
"The Riviera," "The Boy Friend," Sterling
Orchestra
"Seussical," Andover
"Sweeney Todd," Andover Central
"Once Upon a Mattress," Wichita East
Musical direction
Doris Prater, "Children of Eden," Maize
Michelle Henderson, "Oklahoma!," Trinity Academy
Instrumentalists
Tireseus' Band, "An Urban Odyssey," McPherson
Choreography-Staging
Joshua Larson, "Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
Anna Brashear, Talison Crosby, Betsy Dutton, Ashli Bell, "The Boy Friend," Sterling
Yannic Dozier, "Oklahoma!," Trinity Academy
Stage crew
"Lucky Stiff," Kapaun Mt. Carmel
"Children of Eden," Maize
"Little Shop of Horrors," Northeast Magnet
"Once Upon a Mattress," Wichita East
Technical achievement
Ali Bowman, USD 259
Scenic design
"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," Campus, Greg McGlynn
"Children of Eden," Maize, David Prater, Eric Stephens, Christi Robert
"Little Shop of Horrors," Northeast Magnet, stagecraft class
"The King and I," Sunrise Christian Academy, Jordan Slusher
"Once Upon a Mattress," Wichita East, Kim Truong
Costumes
"The Wizard of Oz," Bishop Carroll
"Into the Woods, Jr.," Bishop Carroll
"Footloose," Wichita Collegiate, Annette Shamas
"Beauty and the Beast," Independent, Emily Ottaway
"The Boy Friend," Sterling, Sasha Hildebrand
"The King and I," Sunrise Christian Academy, Nancy Campbell, Karen Hilthon
Lighting
"Children of Eden," Maize, Dustin Hurlock
"Godspell," Trinity Academy, Stan Longhofer
"Once Upon a Mattress," Wichita East, Bridget Koenig
Sound
"Children of Eden," Maize, Adam Akers
"The King and I," Sunrise Christian Academy, Keith Kelley, Emily Kelley
"Godspell," Trinity Academy, Kirk Longhofer
Graphic design
"Sweeney Todd," Andover Central, Victoria Donelda, Katherine Menke, Kristen Ortleb, Adviser Jackie Williams
"Guys and Dolls," Buhler, Sheri Cunningham
"Les Miserables," Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Sean Doyle
Lobby display
"Guys and Dolls," Buhler
"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," Campus, Zach Bush
"Footloose," Wichita Collegiate
This story was originally published May 23, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Jester Awards honor area high school student musicals."