The Orpheum Theatre Group recently announced the award recipients of the 15th annual Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards. Students from 50 participating schools across three states gathered on the Orpheum stage to celebrate their peers' on- and off-stage achievements in musical theatre.
Award recipients for Lead Actor and Lead Actress — Aden Pettet of Collierville High School and Hailey Brown of Northpoint Christian School — will represent the Mid-South at The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (known as The Jimmy Awards) on June 24, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.
Photo: Carla McDonald
(left center) Lead Actor recipient Aden Pettet
The evening was a culmination of a year-long program bringing students from all over the Mid-South together for an intensive week of team building, collaboration, and celebration of musical theatre. This year’s ceremony also included new elements such as collaborating with members of the Memphis Youth Symphony Program participating in the orchestra pit and the creation of a new award honoring a production for Outstanding Sound Design & Execution.
The Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards is part of The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (the Jimmy Awards) including 51 programs across the country. Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, the program invites two nominees from each of these competitions to New York City, for a 10-day theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on Broadway.
Photo: Carla McDonald
(center) Lead Actress recipient Hailey Brown
The Orpheum Theatre Group congratulates the following award recipients.
Outstanding Small Ensemble: The Tap Dancing Maids – Collierville High School – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Outstanding Large Ensemble: New Albany High School – Mary Poppins
Outstanding Chorus: The Academies at Jonesboro High School – Oklahoma!
Outstanding Student Orchestra: The Academies at Jonesboro High School – Oklahoma!
Outstanding Dance Execution: New Albany High School – Mary Poppins
Outstanding Choreography: Corinth High School – Newsies
Outstanding Playbill: Corinth High School – Newsies
Outstanding Poster: Corinth High School – Newsies
Outstanding Front of House: Milan High School – The Lightning Thief
Outstanding Artistic Element: Milky White - Tipton-Rosemark Academy – Into the Woods
Outstanding Hair and Makeup: St. Agnes Academy – The Addams Family
Outstanding Costumes: The Academies at Jonesboro High School – Oklahoma!
Outstanding Lighting: Lakeland Preparatory School – The Lightning Thief
Outstanding Set: Collierville High School – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Outstanding Technical Achievement: St. Agnes Academy – The Addams Family
Outstanding Student Creative Achievement: Elisha Leake – Wynne High School – Into the Woods
Outstanding Student Technical Achievement: McKinley Ables – Cabot High School – Alice by Heart
Outstanding Student Stage Management Achievement: Jasper Patten – Collierville High School – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Bravo Award:
- Mathias Sheffield as Lord Farquaad – Jackson Christian School – Shrek the Musical
- Canaan Tyer as Michael Banks – New Albany High School – Mary Poppins
- Aiden Anderson as Snoopy – DeSoto Christian Academy – The World According to Snoopy
- McCager Carver as Young Will - Lewisburg High School – Big Fish School Edition
The Spotlight Award: Lakeland Preparatory School for Achievement in Sound Design and Execution
The Inspiring Teacher Award:
- Joseph Powell – White Station High School
- Ashley Bugg Brown – Lausanne Collegiate School
Outstanding Music Direction: Phillip Nanney – New Albany High School – Mary Poppins
Outstanding Featured Dancer: Owen McCulley – Sacred Heart of Jesus High School – The Wind in the Willows
Outstanding Featured Actor: Ethan Kohrs as Duchess – Cabot High School – Alice by Heart
Outstanding Featured Actress: Annaliese Khamapirad as Maleficent – South Gibson County High School – Disney’s Descendants: The Musical
Outstanding Supporting Actor: Chase Epps as Donkey – Hernando High School – Shrek the Musical
Outstanding Supporting Actress: Morgan Conner as Ursula – Bartlett High School – Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Outstanding Lead Actor: Aden Pettet as Lawrence Jameson- Collierville High School – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Outstanding Lead Actress: Hailey Brown as Anya - Northpoint Christian School - Anastasia
Outstanding Direction by a Teacher: Ann Lane Neal- St. Agnes Academy – The Addams Family
Outstanding Overall Production: New Albany High School – Mary Poppins
Students who are interested in participating in a future Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards should check to see if they are enrolled at a participating school. If not, a school representative may contact The Orpheum to learn more about participating in a future year.
The Orpheum Theatre Group seeks to enhance communities through utilizing the performing arts to entertain, educate, and enlighten while preserving the historic Orpheum Theatre and the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education.
To learn more about the Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards, visit orpheum-memphis.com.