Dallas Summer Musical’s High School Musical Awards Will Go Virtual

The show, as they say, must go on.

And in this case, the show in question is the Dallas Summer Musicals annual feting of the best of the best in high school musical theater. The awards, which are normally doled out in May of every year in a Tony-like atmosphere at Music Hall at Fair Park, will go virtual on May 14.

This is the ninth year for the DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards, which recognizes artistic and educational achievements by North Texas students and high school drama programs.

“As a result of the current ban on social gatherings, this year’s ceremony will take on a new and exciting digital format,” organizers said. “All awards will be announced in a video presentation featuring engaging performances, virtual acceptance speeches, and cameos from top Broadway talent.”

Sixty-eight high schools – and a total of 72 performances – were evaluated by judges from the North Texas theater community.

“It is so important, more now than ever, to show our unity a community by celebrating the hard work, dedication, and incredible talent of these students and teachers in theater programs across North Texas,” said Ken Novice, president of Dallas Summer Musicals. “We are so proud of all the 2020 DSM HSMTA participants and congratulations to this year’s nominees!”

Locally, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts has been nominated in the Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Orchestra, and Best Ensemble categories for its production of Bring It On. Kathryn Hind from Booker T. Washington was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Bring It On, and Christine Schlehuber from Highland Park High School was also nominated in that category for her role in The Phantom of the Opera.

Awards will be presented in 15 categories and scholarships are awarded to outstanding graduating seniors who are nominated by their teachers and selected by the DSM scholarship panel. Through funds raised by private donations, DSM HSMTA will award $55,000 in cash scholarships. To date, the program has awarded $300,000 in cash scholarships.

A link to view the presentation will be posted at DSMHSMTA.org and on DSM’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

2020 DSM HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS NOMINEES
The nominees include (in alphabetical order by school):  

Best Musical
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Bring It On
Forney High School – Seussical
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
JJ Pearce High School – Newsies
Northwest High School – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Plano East Senior High School – Bring It On
Plano Senior High School – Chicago: High School Edition
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish

Best Direction
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Bring It On
Everman High School – Once On This Island
Forney High School – Seussical
Fort Worth Country Day School – The Drowsy Chaperone
Grapevine Faith Christian School – The Music Man
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Plano East High School – Bring It On
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish

Best Choreography
Everman High School – Once On This Island
Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Mabank High School – James and the Giant Peach
North Forney High School – Sweeney Todd
Northwest High School – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Plano East Senior High School – Bring It On
Plano Senior High School – Chicago: High School Edition

Best Music Direction
Aledo High School – Into the Woods
Byron Nelson High School – Beauty and the Beast
Frenship High School – Mamma Mia
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
JJ Pearce High School – Hairspray
Plano East Senior High School – Bring It On
Plano Senior High School – Chicago: High School Edition
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish

Best Orchestra
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Bring It On
Byron Nelson High School – Beauty and the Beast
Carroll Senior High School – Amelie
Lebanon Trail High School – Chicago: High School Edition
Mansfield High School – The Little Mermaid
Richardson High School – Urinetown
Wakeland High School – Once Upon a Mattress
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish

Best Scenic Design
Mabank High School – James and the Giant Peach
Melissa High School – Urinetown
North Lamar High School – Matilda
Richardson High School – Urinetown
Rowlett High School – Catch Me If You Can
Southwest Christian School – Evita
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish
Weatherford High School – Matilda

Best Costume Design
All Saints’ Episcopal School – Mamma Mia
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Bring It On
Forney High School – Seussical
Fort Worth Country Day School – The Drowsy Chaperone
Mansfield High School – The Little Mermaid
Southwest Christian School – Evita
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish
Wylie East High School – The Wiz

Best Lighting Design
Guyer High School – Little Women
JJ Pearce High School – Newsies
Northwest High School – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Plano East Senior High School – Bring It On
Plano Senior High School – Chicago: High School Edition
Robert E. Lee High School – Chicago: High School Edition
Southwest Christian School – Evita
Wylie East High School – The Wiz

Best Stage Crew & Technical Execution
All Saints’ Episcopal School – Mamma Mia
Guyer High School – Little Women
JJ Pearce High School – Newsies
Melissa High School – Urinetown
Nolan Catholic High School – The Music Man
Plano East Senior High School – Bring It On
Southwest Christian School – Evita
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish

Best Ensemble
A&M Consolidated High School – Footloose
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Bring It On
Everman High School – Once On This Island
Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts – Guys & Dolls
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
JJ Pearce High School – Newsies
North Forney High School – Sweeney Todd
Plano East Senior High School – Bring It On

Best Leading Actor
A&M Consolidated High School – Footloose – Beau Cochran
Grapevine Faith Christian School – The Music Man – Ethan Swaney
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder – Parker Jackson
Guyer High School – Elf – Travis Barton
JJ Pearce High School – Hairspray – Christian Walters
North Forney High School – Sweeney Todd – William Aceytuno
North Lamar High School – Matilda – Sean Gist
Rowlett High School – Catch Me If You Can – Caleb Howard
Southwest Christian School – Evita – Ellis Stumbo
Waxahachie High School – Big Fish – Ben Barker

Best Leading Actress
Carroll Senior High School – Amelie – Michelle D’Amico
Forney High School – Seussical – Brooke Tharp
Fort Worth Country Day School – The Drowsy Chaperone – Claire Guthrie
Guyer High School – Little Women – Haley Dortch
JJ Pearce High School – Newsies – Abbi Stephenson
McKinney High School – Into the Woods – Isha Lal
North Lamar High School – Matilda – Reyna Hildreth
Robert E. Lee High School – Chicago: High School Edition – Lizzy Tucker
Wakeland High School – Once Upon a Mattress – Piper Mackie
Wylie High School – Shrek – Anna Claire Boone

Best Supporting Actor
Grand Prairie High School – Shrek – Zion Maxwell
Grapevine Faith Christian School – The Music Man – Peyton Bruce
Lebanon Trail High School – Chicago: High School Edition – Brandon Thomas
Mabank High School – James and the Giant Peach – Gage Hardin
Mansfield High School – The Little Mermaid – Gabriel Hill
Melissa High School – Urinetown – Thaddeus Baker
Northwest High School – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – Joshua Sneed
Ovation Academy for the Performing Arts – Chaplin – Corbin Ross

Best Supporting Actress
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Bring It On – Kathryn Hine
Grapevine Faith Christian School – The Music Man – Miley Harris
Guyer High School – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder – Grace Duncan
Guyer High School – Elf– Kiersten Farris
 
Northwest High School – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – Audrey Burnett
Plano East High School – Bring It On – Klarke Pipkin
Wakeland High School – Once Upon a Mattress – Leah Zalenski

Best Featured Performer
Bishop Lynch High School – The Drowsy Chaperone – Lorenzo Curran
Duncanville High School – Cinderella: Enchanted Edition – Alexis Walker
Frenship High School – Mamma Mia – Gannon Duffy
Haltom High School – Mamma Mia – Val Parker
Kaufman High School – Matilda – Elaine Frosch
Rockwall High School – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Omar Hazaimeh
Rowlett High School – Catch Me If You Can – Nick Butcher
Southwest Christian School – Evita – Abbie McCurdy