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10TH ANNUAL DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Dallas, TX (June 14, 2021) – North Texas high school students, teachers, and their theater departments were celebrated in a virtual ceremony of the 10th Annual Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre Awards (DSM HSMTA) on Friday, June 11. The awards ceremony was presented as a live stream broadcast through DSM’s YouTube channel and featured live performances, award presentations including $55,000 in scholarships, and acceptance speeches by the nominees and winners.

 

Patterned after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, the DSM HSMTA celebrate the power of the arts and its ability to significantly improve all areas of education. The annual DSM HSMTA recognizes the artistic and educational achievements of North Texas students and their high school programs. A total of 41 performances from 39 participating high schools were evaluated by a diverse group of highly qualified judges from the North Texas theater community. The 2021 Best Musical Award went to Waxahachie High School’s production of Matilda The Musical, the Best Actor award was presented to Parker Jackson (Guyer High School), and Best Actress went to Shantel Williams (Plano Senior High School)Megan Moore (Melissa High School) and Kelly Thomas (Poteet High School) received Outstanding Educator Awards, and 15 scholarships were awarded to deserving students pursuing degrees in both theatre and non-theatre majors. In addition, Dallas native and Broadway veteran Liz Mikel was presented with the 2021 Fullinwider Award in honor of her accomplishments within the North Texas theater community and beyond.

 

“Congratulations to all of the hardworking students and faculty involved in this year’s ceremony,” says Ken Novice, president of Dallas Summer Musicals. “The talent and dedication never cease to amaze us, and we are so proud to recognize and celebrate all of the 2021 nominees and winners!”

 

Hosted by Dallas native and award-winning performer Denise Lee, the live stream opened with 2021 nominees performing “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’” from Oklahoma!. Awards were then presented to students in 15 categories and $55,000 in scholarships were given in Theatre Major, Theatre Ambassador, Backstage Excellence, and DSM Spirit Award categories. Students and teachers from each school nominated for Best Musical were featured in vignettes throughout the ceremony discussing their productions and what makes their programs special. Best Actor and Best Actress nominees performed “La Vie Boheme” and “Seasons of Love” from RENT, and students joined 2021 Fullinwider Award recipient Liz Mikel in a performance of “Livin’ it Up on Top” from Hadestown. Two-time HSMTA Best Actress Haley Dortch announced the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, and Liz Mikel returned to present the Best Musical award. The ceremony closed with a finale performance of “Yorktown” from Hamilton. All performances were accompanied by a live band led by Music Director Cherish Love Robinson.

 

The virtual ceremony can be watched at YouTube.com/DSMusicals. A list of all 2021 winners, participating high schools, and their productions can be found on the DSM website.

 

Since DSM’s first HSMTA in 2012, the program has developed regionally, accepting schools as far away as Lubbock, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi as well as new and returning schools from the DFW Metroplex. DSM’s HSMTA has grown to be one of the largest programs of its kind in the nation. DSM HSMTA has been recognized by The National High School Musical Theatre Awards as their official affiliate program for North Texas.

10TH ANNUAL DSM HSMTA NOMINEES & WINNERS

(Winners in BOLD)

Best Musical
Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Frenship High School – Godspell
Guyer High School – Bright Star
Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Melissa High School – Curtains
Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical
Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical

Best Direction
Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Frenship High School – Godspell
Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Melissa High School – Curtains
Nolan Catholic High School – Newsies
Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical
Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical

Best Choreography
Grapevine Faith Christian School – The SpongeBob Musical
Grapevine High School – A Chorus Line – High School Edition
Guyer High School – Bright Star
Nolan Catholic High School – Newsies
Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical
Tyler Legacy High School – Footloose

Best Music Direction
Frenship High School – Godspell
Guyer High School – The Phantom of the Opera
Lake Country Christian School – Fiddler on the Roof
Liberty Christian School – Mary Poppins
Melissa High School – Curtains
Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Wakeland High School – Anastasia: The Musical
Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical

Best Orchestra
Cedar Hill High School – The Wiz
Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Wakeland High School – Anastasia: The Musical
Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical

Best Scenic Design
Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Frenship High School – Godspell
Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Melissa High School – Curtains
Nolan Catholic High School – Newsies
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical
The Brook Hill School – Little Women
Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical

Best Lighting Design
Byron Nelson High School – 
Godspell
Frenship High School – Godspell
Guyer High School – Bright Star
Lebanon Trail High School – Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits
Melissa High School – Curtains
Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Prince of Peace Christian School – Godspell
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical

Best Costume Design
Cedar Hill High School – 
The Wiz
Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Madison-Ridgeland Academy – Anastasia: The Musical
Melissa High School – Curtains
Poteet High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Prince of Peace Christian School – Godspell
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical
The Brook Hill School – Little Women

Best Ensemble
Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Frenship High School – Godspell
Guyer High School – Bright Star
Liberty Christian School – Mary Poppins
Melissa High School – Curtains
Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical

Best Crew & Technical Execution
Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Frenship High School – Godspell
Guyer High School – Bright Star
Lake Country Christian School – Fiddler on the Roof
Melissa High School – Curtains
Nolan Catholic High School – Newsies
Prince of Peace Christian School – Godspell
Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical

Best Actor
Anthony Gallo – Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical
Ethan Swayne – Grapevine Faith Christian School – The SpongeBob Musical
Jack Clay – Bryant High School – Into the Woods JR.
Jacobie Thornton – Cedar Hill High School – The Wiz
John Paul Berry – Highland Park High School – Shrek The Musical
Josh Quidilla – Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Justin Taylor – Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy – The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Logan Lowery – Melissa High School – Curtains
Mathieu Reyes – Nolan Catholic High School – Newsies
Parker Jackson – Guyer High School – The Phantom of the Opera

Best Actress
Ana Garcia – Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Belle Winn – Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical
Emily Langley – Guyer High School – Phantom of the Opera
Hannah Rhodes – Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Isabella Gueck – Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy – The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Lauren Moore – A&M Consolidated High School – Anastasia: The Musical
Miley Harris – Grapevine Faith Christian School – The SpongeBob Musical
Shae Duggan – Hebron High School – Chicago
Shantel Williams – Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Sydney Wade – Cedar Hill High School – The Wiz

Best Supporting Actor
Braxton Turner – Frenship High School – Godspell
Jack Espinosa – Plano Senior High School – Pippin
Jordan Frank – Guyer High School – The Phantom of the Opera
Joshua Abbott – Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Justin Le – Nolan Catholic High School – Newsies
Noah Reynolds – Waxahachie High School – Matilda The Musical
Sawyer Bell – Independence High School – You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Thaddeus Baker – Melissa High School – Curtains

Best Supporting Actress
Alyssa Menckoff – Liberty Christian School – Mary Poppins
Elisa Mato – Byron Nelson High School – Godspell
Emily Starkweather – Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Emma DeLaPaz – Wakeland High School – Anastasia: The Musical
Katelynn Pannell – All Saints’ Episcopal School – Little Women
Madison Courtney – Melissa High School – Curtains
Tilly Hillje – Grapevine Faith Christian School – The SpongeBob Musical
Savannah Pruitt – Frenship High School – Godspell

Best Featured Performer
Julia Kate White – Madison-Ridgeland Academy – Anastasia: The Musical
Kyah Wells – Melissa High School – Curtains
Natalie Greenig – North Forney High School – Into the Woods
Pippa Woodward – Southwest Christian School – Anastasia: The Musical
Ryley Patten – Guyer High School – The Phantom of the Opera
Saara Sastry – Plano East Senior High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Sandy Johnson – Cedar Hill High School – The Wiz
Zion Burton – Abilene Wylie High School – Grease

DSM Spirit Award
Josh Quidilla – Plano East Senior High School

Outstanding Educator Award
Megan Moore – Melissa High School
Kelly Thomas – Poteet High School

Special Recognition
Bishop Lynch High School – Outstanding Performance – Lorenzo Curran – Curtains
Duncanville High School – Outstanding Performance – Evan Lee – Dreamgirls
Forney High School – Outstanding Ensemble – Little Women
Fort Worth Country Day – Outstanding Performance – Jazmine Gomez – Children of Eden
Northwest High School – Outstanding Performance – Abriela Rodriguez – Into the Woods
Ovation Academy of Performing Arts – Outstanding Scenic Design – Little Women
Rowlett High School – Outstanding Performance – Audrey Lee – Ghost the Musical
Skyline High School – Outstanding Performance – Jaylon Sanders – Once on This Island
Timberview High School – Outstanding Performance – Chloe Williams – Gypsy

About Dallas Summer Musicals:

Since 1941, the non-profit Dallas Summer Musicals Inc. (DSM) has presented the Best of Broadway to North Texas audiences. Located in the historic Music Hall at Fair Park, DSM promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through education and community outreach programs, while enriching the cultural landscape of North Texas and the Southwest Region.

 

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to offer affordable ticket prices, preserve the beautiful historic theatre, educate young audiences and develop impactful community programs.

 

DSM gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors, annual fund donors and corporate partners Germania Insurance, American Airlines, Texas Instruments, The Dallas Morning News, and WFAA TV Channel 8. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214-421-5678 or visit our website at DallasSummerMusicals.org

 

 

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Tuesday, 15 June 2021