Theatre Under the Stars
High school students, teachers and parents across Houston are celebrating and filled with anticipation as the nominations for the 16th Annual Tommy Tune Awards were announced yesterday on the Tommy Tune Awards Facebook page. Emmy-winner and native Houstonian, Jim Parsons announced the nominees for Best Musical via video on the Tommy Tune Awards Facebook page. Parsons, who started his career on the stage in Houston, will star in The Boys in the Band on Broadway next month.
A program of Theatre Under the Stars, the Tommy Tune Awards recognize and reward excellence in the production of musical theatre by high school students and their teachers in the greater Houston metropolitan area. The annual awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The rambunctious celebration features performing from some of Houston’s most talented teens.
Tickets will go on sale to the public on April 9 at 9 a.m. here.
After evaluating the 45 participating Houston-area high school productions during the 2017-2018 school year, a team of 31 Houston-based theatre professionals nominated students in 15 award categories.
The following high schools and individuals were nominated:
Best Musical:
Foster High School – Evita
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Klein Oak High School – Big Fish
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
Westfield High School – The Color Purple
Best Leading Actor:
Garrett Morris from Friendswood High School as Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
William Clyburn from Friendswood High School as Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Bishop Pearsall from G.W. Carver Magnet High School as Jelly Roll Morton from Jelly’s Last Jam
Ashton Lambert from The Kinkaid School as Bobby Child from Crazy for You
Hayden Cox from Klein Collins High School as Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors
Ryan Esparza from Klein High School as Gomez Addams from The Addams Family
Zac Molegraaf from Klein Oak High School as Edward Bloom from Big Fish
R.J. Munguia from Pearland High School as Lord Farquaad from Shrek The Musical
Zane Hall from Porter High School as Captain Hook from Peter Pan
Best Leading Actress:
Jena Hinton from Foster High School as Eva Peron from Evita
Emily Mesa from Friendswood High School as Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Allyson Joyce from Houston Christian High School as Elle Woods from Legally Blonde
Bryndal Braithwaite from Klein High School as Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family
Lizzy Cooper from Klein Oak High School as Sandra Bloom from Big Fish
Brytanni Davis from North Shore Senior High School as Effie White from Dreamgirls
Caylie Howard from Obra D. Tompkins High School as Fiona from Shrek The Musical
Payton Mixon from Porter High School as Peter Pan from Peter Pan
Brianna Wyatt from Westfield High School as Shug Avery from The Color Purple
Best Supporting Actor:
Corey Jennings from Cypress Ranch High School as Seaweed J. Stubbs from Hairspray
Garrett McGregor from Friendswood High School as Capt. Phoebus de Martin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Ri’Chard Jordan from G.W. Carver Magnet High School as Jack the Bear/Buddy Bolden from Jelly’s Last Jam
Ben Russell from High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as Ernst Ludwig from Cabaret
Cade Eller from Klein High School as Lucas Beineke from The Addams Family
Donnie Gulley from Klein High School as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family
Ryan Kearton from Obra D. Tompkins High School as Donkey from Shrek The Musical
T.J. Johannesen from Second Baptist School as Ali Hakim from Oklahoma!
Kyle Goodson from Stratford High School as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family
Best Supporting Actress:
Icis Hammond from Cypress Creek High School as Alice Beineke from The Addams Family
Andrea Beasley from Friendswood High School as Clopin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Natalie Lammey from Klein High School as Alice Beineke from The Addams Family
Glendaliris Torres-Greaux from Mayde Creek High School as Daniela from In The Heights
Margaret Jamison from Porter High School as Tiger Lily from Peter Pan
Jenna Bobbora from Second Baptist School as Aunt Eller from Oklahoma!
Rachel Young from Second Baptist School as Ado Annie from Oklahoma!
Faith Berrigan from Stratford High School as Alice Beineke from The Addams Family
Divina Ito from Westfield High School as Sofia from The Color Purple
Best Featured Performer:
William Byrne from Clear Springs High School as Pinocchio from Shrek The Musical
Ryan Cowhey from Cypress Ranch High School as Wilbur Turnbald from Hairspray
Jordynn Heins from Dulles High School as Candy from Zombie Prom
Tyler Phelps from Friendswood High School as Saint Aphrodisius from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Kai Womack from G.W. Carver Magnet High School as Gran Mimi from Jelly’s Last Jam
Ameer Mustafa from The Kinkaid School as Moose from Crazy for You
Will Marino from Klein High School as Lurch from The Addams Family
Nick Januhowski from Obra D. Tompkins High School as Pinocchio from Shrek The Musical
Joy Edmonds, Brea Porter, & Maddison Joyce from Westfield High School as the Trio of Church Ladies – Jarene, Doris & Darlene from The Color Purple
Best Ensemble/Chorus:
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Fulshear High School – The Wizard of Oz
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
Houston Christian High School – Legally Blonde
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Klein Oak High School – Big Fish
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Porter High School – Peter Pan
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
Stratford High School – The Addams Family
Westfield High School – The Color Purple
Best Scenic Design:
Foster High School – Evita
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Cabaret
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein Cain High School – Annie
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Mayde Creek High School – In The Heights
North Shore Senior High School – Dreamgirls
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
South Houston High School – The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Westfield High School – The Color Purple
Best Costume Design:
Cinco Ranch High School – The Music Man
Cypress Creek High School – The Addams Family
Foster High School – Evita
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein Cain High School – Annie
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Klein Oak High School – Big Fish
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
Stratford High School – The Addams Family
Westfield High School – The Color Purple
Best Lighting Design:
Cypress Ranch High School – Hairspray
Foster High School – Evita
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Houston Christian High School – Legally Blonde
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein Cain High School – Annie
Mayde Creek High School – In The Heights
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
South Houston High School – The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Stratford High School – The Addams Family
Westfield High School – The Color Purple
Best Stage Crew & Technical Execution:
Foster High School – Evita
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein Cain High School – Annie
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Porter High School – Peter Pan
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
South Houston High School – The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Spring Woods High School – Into the Woods
Stratford High School – The Addams Family
Best Musical Direction:
Foster High School – Evita
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein Collins High School – Little Shop of Horrors
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Klein Oak High School – Big Fish
Mayde Creek High School – In The Heights
Obra D. Tompkins High School – Shrek The Musical
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Porter High School – Peter Pan
Stratford High School – The Addams Family
Best Orchestra:
B.F. Terry High School – Annie
Cinco Ranch High School – The Music Man
Cypress Woods High School – Peter Pan
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
Klein Cain High School – Annie
Klein Collins High School – Little Shop of Horrors
Klein Forest High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Klein Oak High School – Big Fish
Obra D. Tompkins High School – Shrek The Musical
Porter High School – Peter Pan
Best Choreography:
Clear Springs High School – Shrek The Musical
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – Cabaret
Houston Christian High School – Legally Blonde
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein High School – The Addams Family
Klein Oak High School – Big Fish
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
South Houston High School – The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Westfield High School – The Color Purple
Best Direction:
Foster High School – Evita
Friendswood High School – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
G.W. Carver Magnet High School – Jelly’s Last Jam
Houston Christian High School – Legally Blonde
The Kinkaid School – Crazy for You
Klein High School – The Addams Family
North Shore Senior High School – Dreamgirls
Pearland High School – Shrek The Musical
Porter High School – Peter Pan
Second Baptist School – Oklahoma!
Stratford High School – The Addams Family
Westfield High School – The Color Purple