Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce the twenty-four students nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress, and nominees for Best Production presented by Guardian Music Travel, Best Direction, Best Scenic Design presented by SPL, Best Choreography, and Best Ensemble for the eighth annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA). The nominees (12 young actors and 12 young actresses), selected after evaluating 72 productions and over 275 student applicants across the state of Illinois, have been invited to participate in the Awards program, which will be held at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) on Monday, May 6, 2019 at 6:30PM and hosted by NBC 5 entertainment reporter LeeAnn Trotter. Sponsored by NBC 5, the Illinois chapter of The Jimmy Awards® (National High School Musical Theatre Awards) serves as an annual national celebration of outstanding achievement in musical theater performance by high school students.
Broadway In Chicago has crafted a workshop led by CHICAGO THE MUSICAL cast member Christophe Caballero (Dance Captain/Swing), whose previous theatrical credits include four Broadway shows including original Tony®-winning companies of La Cage Aux Folles & Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. He performed at the Tony Awards® during each of the last three decades. CHICAGO THE MUSICAL will play at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph) from May 7-12, 2019.
The workshop for these twenty-four nominees will culminate in a performance onstage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. During the day, nominees will perform for a panel of casting agents and theatre professionals who will choose the recipients of performance awards. A Best Actress and Best Actor winner from Illinois will be sent to New York City, on an all-expense paid trip, for a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase, where they will represent the state of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® on Broadway.
The Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards have proven to be a stepping stone for young performers, with several appearing in Broadway productions. Nathan Salstone (2012 IHSMTA Best Actor) recently performed in HARRY POTTER & THE CURSED CHILD, and John Clay III (2013 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his Broadway debut this year in CHOIR BOY. Other Illinois winners have also been successful at The Jimmy Awards®: Jonah Rawitz (2014 IHSMTA Best Actor) was awarded the 2014 Jimmy Award® for Best Performance by an Actor, Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) was awarded the 2016 Jimmy Award® for Best Dancer, and Darian Goulding (2018 IHSMTA Best Actor) was a 2018 Jimmy Award® finalist.
NOMINEES FOR BEST ACTRESS
- Barrington High School’s Into the Woods as “Bakers Wife”: Margaret Baustert
- Barrington High School’s Into the Woods as “The Witch”: Sierra Fermin
- Benet Academy’s Pippin as “Catherine”: Megan Delaney
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up as “Sylvia”: Alysha Brezina
- Grayslake Central High School’s Les Miserables as “Fantine”: Liyana Ishamuddin
- Harry D. Jacobs High School’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid as “Ariel”: Sydney Olson
- Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Chicago as “Velma Kelly”: Jaira Stanley
- Loyola Academy’s Oliver! as “Nancy” : Emma Samuelson
- Mother McAuley High School’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas as “Betty Haynes”: Marguerite Reed
- Stevenson High School’s Shrek the Musical as “Princess Fiona”: Isabel Koleno
- York Community High School’s Bright Star as “Margo”: Bridey Costello
- York Community High School’s Bright Star as “Alice Murphy”: Erin Lee
NOMINEES FOR BEST ACTOR
- Addison Trail High School’s Newsies as “Jack Kelly”: Connor White
- Benet Academy’s Pippin as “Pippin”: Patrick Vivoda
- Bolingbrook High School’s Jekyll & Hyde as “Jekyll/Hyde”: Spencer Avery
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up as “Dennis”: Nathan Ancheta
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up as “Chad”: Blake Nolan
- Coal City High School’s Tuck Everlasting as “Jesse Tuck”:Gavyn Williams
- Deerfield High School’s Crazy For You as “Bobby Child”: Jacob Simon
- Grayslake Central High School’s Les Miserables as “Jean Valjean”:Sean Lambie
- Harry D. Jacobs High School’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid as “Prince Eric”: Mitchell Barrett
- John Hersey High School’s Urinetown as “Bobby Strong”: Jason Schmidt
- Oak Park and River Forest High School’s Chicago as “Amos Hart”: Declan Collins
- York Community High School’s Bright Star as “Jimmy Ray Dobbs”: Michael Bindeman
NOMINEES FOR BEST PRODUCTION presented by Guardian Music Travel
- Benet Academy’s Pippin
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up
- Coal City High School’s Tuck Everlasting
- Deerfield High School’s Crazy for You
- York Community High School’s Bright Star
NOMINEES FOR BEST DIRECTION
- Brian Wand & Lauren Butera, Benet Academy’s Pippin
- Jack Micetich, Coal City High School’s Tuck Everlasting
- Susan Gorman, Deerfield High School’s Crazy For You
- Jennifer Goss, St. Charles East High School’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
- Abra Chusid, Stevenson High School’s Shrek the Musical
NOMINEES FOR BEST SCENIC DESIGN presented by SPL
- Benet Academy’s Pippin
- Bolingbrook High School’s Jekyll & Hyde
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up
- Coal City High School’s Tuck Everlasting
- Hinsdale South High School’s Chicago
NOMINEES FOR BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up
- Crystal Lake South’s Newsies
- Deerfield High School’s Crazy for You
- Libertyville High School’s Pippin
- The Chicago High School for the Arts’ Bring It On the Musical
NOMINEES FOR BEST ENSEMBLE
- Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Les Miserables
- Cary-Grove High School’s All Shook Up
- Deerfield High School’s Crazy for You
- Libertyville High School’s Pippin
- Oak Park and River Forest High School’s Chicago
