2019 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Award nominations announced

The nominees for the 2019 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA) were announced Wednesday by Broadway In Chicago. The awards honor the Illinois chapter of the national Jimmy Awards (named in honor of the late theater impresario James M. Nederlander) in recognition of outstanding achievement in musical theater by high school students.

Twenty-four students (12 in each category) are nominated for best actor and best actress. Other categories include best production, best direction, scenic design and ensemble.

The nominees were selected from 72 productions and more than 275 student applicants throughout Illinois.

The Illinois winners go on to compete for national Jimmy Awards at a gala ceremony hosted by Ben Platt (“Dear Evan Hansen”) on June 24 in New York.

Here is the list of the 2019 IHSMTA nominees:

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

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

BEST PRODUCTION

· Benet Academy’s “Pippin”

· Cary-Grove High School’s “All Shook Up”

· Coal City High School’s “Tuck Everlastin”

· Deerfield High School’s “Crazy for You”

· York Community High School’s “Bright Star”

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”

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

· 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”

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”

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”