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 TUTS Facebook page. Emmy-winner and native Houstonian, Jim Parsons announced the nominees for Best Musical via video. 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
