2024 tommy tune award finalists

HOUSTON — Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) announced the finalists for the 2024 Tommy Tune Awards today and the celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the Tommy Tune Awards!

The 2024 Tommy Tune Awards will be held on March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the event will go on sale to the public March 11, and will be available for purchase through TUTS.com, by phone at 713-558-8887 or by visiting the TUTS Box Office at 800 Bagby.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 20^th Tommy Tune Awards. The pandemic threw off our years a bit, but we can’t wait to come together and celebrate this program that has given so many students the opportunity to share their creative accomplishments with the Greater Houston community,” said Jacob Shideler, TUTS Director of Education.

The power of education, artistry and community comes together at the Tommy Tune Awards where students from across the Greater Houston community have the opportunity to share their artistry with one another. After evaluating the 62 participating Houston-area high school productions throughout the 2023-2024 school year, a team of 40+ Houston-based theatre professionals nominated students in 18 award categories.

The finalists for the 2024 Tommy Tune Awards are:

Outstanding Musical Finalists:

G.W. Carver High School — The Bodyguard

Bridgeland High School — Follies

Kinder HSPVA — After Midnight / The Prom

Pasadena Memorial High School — Disney’s Newsies

Ridge Point High School – Mamma Mia!

Stratford High School — 42^nd Street

The Kinkaid School — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Outstanding Ensemble Finalists:

Dulles High School — SIX: Teen Edition

G.W. Carver High School — The Bodyguard

South Houston High School — The Wizard of Oz

Kinder HSPVA — After Midnight

Klein High School — Mamma Mia!

Pasadena Memorial High School — Disney’s Newsies

Stratford High School — 42^nd Street

The Kinkaid School — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Outstanding Technical Achievement Finalists:

G.W. Carver High School — The Bodyguard

Houston Christian High School — You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Ridge Point High School — Mamma Mia!

Alvin High School — Little Shop of Horrors

Kinder HSPVA — After Midnight

Klein Oak High School — The Addams Family Musical School Edition

Montgomery High School — Matilda, The Musical

Second Baptist School – Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Outstanding Orchestra Finalists:

Klein Cain High School — The Wizard of Oz

Patricia E. Paetow High School — Pippin

Kinder HSPVA — After Midnight

Klein High School — Mamma Mia!

Klein Oak High School — The Addams Family Musical School Edition

Obra D. Tompkins High School — Tuck Everlasting

Outstanding Director Finalists:

Janet Sharpley — The Wizard of Oz — South Houston High School

Robin Welch — Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Adam Delka — Follies — Bridgeland High School

Darchell Chesser — The Addams Family Musical School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Natalie Dommer — Disney’s Newsies — Pasadena Memorial High School

Mark Stonebarger — Matilda, The Musical — Clear Springs High School

Scott Lambert — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Tina Lee Domino — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Outstanding Music Director Finalists:

Crysty Cruz and Taylor Surrat — Chicago Teen Edition — C.E. King High School

Blaine Cowen — The Wizard of Oz — South Houston High School

Dr. Bobby Linhart, Brian Minson, Elizabeth Shurtz, and Jeanine Rowan — Les Misérables School Edition — Houston Christian High School

Charles Harrison and Alexandra King — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Christian De La Cruz, Kristin Killingsworth and Matthew Porter — Tuck Everlasting — Obra D. Tompkins High School

Heather Leal and Daryle Freeman — The Addams Family Musical School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Marcy Baker and Tessa Throckmorton — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Rebecca Berger and Sean Stultz — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Outstanding Choreographer Finalists:

Alexia Alla and Marnie Kapich — Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Denzel Taylor, Brianna McCray Holmes, Kyndal Hutto and Faith Bumper — The Bodyguard — G.W. Carver High School

Caitlin Martin, Katherine Mendoza and Lexy Toon — Disney’s Newsies — Cypress Ranch High School

Courtney Jones — After Midnight — Kinder HSPVA

Danyale Williams — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Jennifer Bauer-Conley — Alice By Heart — The Emery / Weiner School

Julian Nanez — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Outstanding Stage Management Finalists:

Allan Currier — You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown — Houston Christian High School

Ava Frasher, Abagale Bond, Gage Watzinger — Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Gracen Chilcote — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Tatiana Smith, Emanu Caston, Niya Kelly — The Bodyguard — G.W. Carver High School

Chayton Reel, Scarlett Kuyn, Henry Patino — The Addams Family Musical: School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Kaitlyn Breen — Disney’s Newsies — Pasadena Memorial High School

Kate Diers — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Mason Hernandez, Christian Bishop — Mamma Mia! — Langham Creek High School

Ryan Hay — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Outstanding Lighting Design Finalists:

Isabella Escobar — The Bodyguard — G.W. Carver High School

Kinsley Roberts — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Andrew Guzman and Kurt Oian — Guys and Dolls — Clear Falls High School

Charlie McMillian — Zombie Prom — Clear Lake High School

Elijah Maxey — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Griffin Ferguzon and Caleigh Nickel — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Mark Sell and Ryan Hay — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Travis Horstmann — After Midnight — Kinder HSPVA

Outstanding Scenic Design Finalists:

Sarah Tatouh — Into The Woods — Kerr High School

Sterling Smith and Jillian Staible — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Dr. Bobby Linhart, Brian Brown and Kyler Helberg — Les Misérables — Houston Christian High School

Bridgeland Theatre Company Technical Department — Follies — Bridgeland High School

David Clayton and Sean Eggleston — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Evan Cooley, Kyla Crowell and Darin Garrett — The Addams Family Musical School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Kelsie Morris, William Heywood and River Tadlock — Tuck Everlasting — Obra D. Tompkins High School

Nicole Morgan — Matilda, The Musical — Montgomery High School

Sam Mascheck and Eliran Masti — After Midnight — Kinder HSPVA

Outstanding Costume Design Finalists:

Augusta Bermudez and Toriana Smith — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Samantha Langford — Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Bridgeland Costume Department — Follies — Bridgeland High School

Frankie Miller and Maggie Dickinson — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Kate Mehaffey — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Nicole Morgan and Jennifer Brown — Matilda The Musical — Montgomery High School

Outstanding Sound Design Finalists:

Abigail Jimenez — The Wizard of Oz — Klein Cain High School

Alayah Davis, John Reyes and Tristan Perez  — Seussical The Musical — Dickinson High School

Brian Oliveira — The Prom — Kinder HSPVA

Grace Abdelnour — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Maddie Wolford —  The Addams Family Musical School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Outstanding Lead Finalists:

Aiyana Renner as “Mrs. Wormwood” — Matilda The Musical — Montgomery High School

Alexia Alla as “Karen” – Mean Girls High School Edition – Klein Collins High School

Alyssa Dorsey as “Rachel Marron” — The Bodyguard — G.W. Carver High School

Anthony Dominguez as “Charlie Brown” — You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown — North Shore Senior High

Aubrey Scarcella as “Emma” — The Prom — Kinder HSPVA

Cooper Clark as “Marius” — Les Misérables School Edition — Houston Christian High School

Eliran Masti as “Barry” – The Prom – Kinder HSPVA

Evan DeBord as “Uncle Fester” — The Addams Family Musical School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Evelyn Burt as “Alice” — Alice By Heart — The Emery / Weiner School

Gracen Barrett as “Velma Kelly” — Chicago: Teen Edition — William B. Travis High School

Haley Griffin as “Katherine Plumber” — Disney’s Newsies — Cypress Ranch High School

Immanuel Poole as “Billy Flynn” — Chicago: Teen Edition — Westfield High School

Isaiah Jackson as “Gomez Addams” — The Addams Family Musical School Edition — Klein Oak High School

Jayden Rangel as “Jack Kelly” — Disney’s Newsies — Pasadena Memorial High School

Julia Acevedo as “Matilda” — Matilda The Musical — Clear Springs High School

Julia Ellisor as “Belle” — Disney’s Beauty & The Beast — Clear Creek High School

Julia Frederick as “Ariel” — Disney’s The Little Mermaid — Pearland High School

Kate Murray as “Cady” — Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Kira Sledge as “Dorothy Brock” — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Knox Wright as “Jonny Warner” — Zombie Prom — Clear Lake High School

Kylan Blacketer as “Mr. Wormwood” — Matilda The Musical — Clear Springs High School

Lily Tondera as “Scuttle” — Disney’s The Little Mermaid — Second Baptist School

Michael Deis as “Billy Lawlor” — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Natalie Green as “Phyllis Rogers Stone” — Follies — Bridgeland High School

Nic Schweers as “Sebastian” — Disney’s The Little Mermaid — Second Baptist School

Olivia Garcia as “Little Red Riding Hood” — Into The Woods — Kerr High School

Payton Daly as “Marie” — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Reese McMullen as “Charlotte” — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Reid Adkison as “Benjamin Stone” — Follies — Bridgeland High School

Tad Hart as “Sonny” — Xanadu — Kingwood High School

Talia Turlich as “Janis” — Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Vonta Ward as “Amos Hart” — Chicago: Teen Edition — C.E. King High School

Outstanding Supporting Lead Finalists:

Alan Rodarmel as “Cogsworth” — Disney’s Beauty & The Beast — Clear Creek High School

Andrew Dybala as “Andy Lee” — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Angelica Salva as “Maggie Jones” — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Anna Kovacik as “Melpomene” — Xanadu — Kingwood High School

April Acevedo as “Mary Sunshine” — Chicago: Teen Edition — Westfield High School

Chloe Smith as “Madame De La Grande Bouche” – Disney’s Beauty & The Beast – Clear Creek High School

Chris Kositprapa as “Sebastian” — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Christopher Melendez as “Lord Farquad” — Shrek The Musical — Spring Woods High School

Cole Griffin as “Lewis” — Pippin — Patricia E. Paetow High School

Emma Taylor as “Annie” — 42^nd Street — Stratford High School

Giselle Quintero as “Glinda” — The Wizard of Oz — South Houston High School

Itzarie Amaro as “Dragon” — Shrek The Musical — Spring Woods High School

Ivan Davidson as “Frank Farmer” — The Bodyguard — G.W. Carver High School

Jaxon Daniel as “Pepper” — Mamma Mia! — Ridger Point High School

Joshua Lewis as “Pumba” — Disney’s The Lion King Jr. — Hightower High School

Kian Ritchie as “Thernardier” — Les Misérables School Edition — Houston Christian High School

Lauryn Palmer as “Stormy Weather” — After Midnight — Kinder HSPVA

Lohrii Nelson as “June” — Chicago: Teen Edition — C.E. King High School

Michael Flores as “General Genghis Khan Schmitz” — Sesussical The Musical — Dickinson High School

Nina Le as “Les” — Disney’s Newsies — Pasadena Memorial High School

Patrick Cashion as “Bill” — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Pierce Markowitz as “Jean-Michel” — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Regan Etter as “Calliope” — Xanadu — Kingwood High School

Ronnit Jain as “Josh” — Zombie Prom — Clear Lake High School

Takera Swain as “Nikki Marron” — The Bodyguard — G.W. Carver High School

Tyrese Clark as “Timon” — Disney’s The Lion King Jr. — Hightower High School

Outstanding Singer Finalists

Aisha Choquette as “Mae Tuck” — Tuck Everlasting — Obra D. Tompkins High School

Alexandra Cordova as “Roxie Hart” — Chicago: Teen Edition — C.E. King High School

Amanda Matos D’Lacoste as “Winnie Foster” — Tuck Everlasting — Obra D. Tompkins High School

Annabelle Cody as “Cosette” — Les Misérables School Edition — Houston Christian High School

Andrew Knobbe as “Enjorlas” — Les Miserables School Edition — Houston Christian High School

April Acevedo as “Mary Sunshine” — Chicago: Teen Edition — Westfield High School

Avery Humphreys as “Miss Adelaide” — Guys and Dolls — Clear Falls High School

Caroline Jacobson as “Donna Sheridan” — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Caroline Lane as “Ursula” — Disney’s The Little Mermaid — Second Baptist High School

Cassie Santiago as “Catherine” — Pippin — Patricia E. Paetow High School

Chloe Smith as “Madame De La Grande Bouche” — Disney’s Beauty & The Beast — Clear Creek High School

Comfort Azagidi as “Woman Be Wise” — After Midnight — Kinder HSPVA

Emma Vogelsang as “The Witch” — Into The Woods — Memorial High School

Gentry Lumpkin as “Dee Dee” — The Prom — Kinder HSPVA

Isabella Allon as “Baker’s Wife” — Into The Woods — Memorial High School

Isabelle King as “Ella” — Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — The Kinkaid School

Jayla Cork as “Catherine Parr” — SIX: Teen Edition — Dulles High School

Kailey Cavazos as “Sophie Sheridan” — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Kayli Martin as “Catherine Parr” — SIX: Teen Edition — Thomas Randle High School

Kendahl Lemons as “Donna Sheridan” — Mamma Mia! — Langham Creek High School

Kennedy Spies as “Olive Ostrovsky” — The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Dickinson High School

Madison Taylor as “Sandy Dumbroski” — Grease: High School Edition — St. Francis Episcopal

Marie Popp as “Kira” — Xanadu — Kingwood High School

Reese McGrenera as “Sophie” — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

TJ Saenz as “Harry” — Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Torin Merchant as “Motormouth Mable” — Hairspray — Angleton High School

Outstanding Actor Finalists:

Andrew Johnson as “Horton The Elephant” in Suessical The Musical — Dickinson High School

Aubree Hurst as “Anya” in Anastasia — Jordan High School

Caroline Lane as “Ursula” in Disney’s The Little Mermaid — Second Baptist High School

Dylan Jones as “Damien” in Mean Girls High School Edition — Klein Collins High School

Garrett Smith as “Miss Agatha Trunchbull” in Matilda the Musical — Montgomery High School

Jackson Wenzel as “Nathan Detriot” in Guys and Dolls — Clear Falls High School

Josh Adams as “Sky” in Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Outstanding Dancer Finalists:

Berlyn Ann Nyondo as “Ensemble” in Mamma Mia! — Klein High School
Camron Lettries as “Principal Dancer” The Bodygaurd — G.W. CARVER HIGH SCHOOL

Gavin Warfield as “Daybreak Express” in After Midnight — Kinder HSPVA

Giovanni Gonzales as “Principal Dancer” in The Bodygaurd — G.W. CARVER HIGH SCHOOL

Julian Nanez as “Eddie” in Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Maryam Zaafran as “Lead Dancer” in Aida — St. Agnes Academy

Outstanding Honorable Mention Finalists:

Avery Elkins as “Patty” in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown — Houston Christian High School
Braylon McMorris as “Ensemble” in Mamma Mia! — Ridge Point High School

Ella Steinitz as “Matilda” in Matilda the Musical — Montgomery High School
Matthew Moland as “Pepper” in Mamma Mia! — Klein High School

Trestyn Bartilome-Panes as “Joey Baltimore” in Guys and Dolls — Clear Falls High School

Yair Rivera as “Crutchie” in Disney’s Newsies — Pasadena Memorial High School

2024-2025 Student Reporters*:

Alyssa Jones — Mamma Mia! — Klein High School  

Ricky Ragazzo — AIDA — St. Agnes Academy

*Each year, the Jimmy Awards invites select Student Reporters from participating Regional Awards Programs like the Tommy Tune Awards to cover Jimmy Awards events through social media. The Tommy Tune Awards has adopted the Student Reporter opportunity in an effort to include students who are not eligible to be nominated as performers. This provides a chance to expand TTA connections into other areas of your schools – e.g. journalism, film, and other related departments. The chosen TTA Student Reporters will be able to work directly with the Tommy Tune Awards Marketing Team to get an insider look at what it takes to cover an awards ceremony, as well as contend for an opportunity to cover the Jimmy’s on June 24.

In addition to these awards, the Tommy Tune Awards Program awards scholarships to graduating seniors who plan to pursue a career in the arts. 

The Tommy Tune Awards offers an opportunity for students and educators to share their creative accomplishments while instilling in young people the value of engaging in the performing arts as a lifelong pursuit.

Every year, Houston area High Schools produce a full-length musical in order to compete in 17 categories: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lead, Outstanding Supporting, Outstanding Singer, Outstanding Actor, Outstanding Dancer, Honorable Mention,  Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Technical Achievement, Outstanding Scenic Designer, Outstanding Costume Designer, Outstanding Lighting Designer, Outstanding Stage Manager, Outstanding Musical Director, Outstanding Orchestra, Outstanding Choreographer, and Outstanding Director.

Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, the adjudicators evaluated each participating school’s show, focusing on each element of the production. The adjudicating mentors are made up of a group of Houston-based theatre professionals who have backgrounds as performers, designers, directors, choreographers, and musicians; and who have years of experience working in arts education and administration.

The Tommy Tune Awards are named for Broadway legend, Houston native and Lamar High School alumnus Tommy Tune.  A performer, director and choreographer with more than 50 years of stage experience, Tune received nine Tony Awards for his work in the following productions: Seesaw, My One and Only, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Nine, Grand Hotel and The Will Rogers Follies. He was also awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2003 by President Bush.

Jimmy Awards^Ⓡ

Of the 28 Tommy Tune Award nominees for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role, two will be selected via a rigorous audition process adjudicated by a panel of industry professionals ultimately winning an opportunity to represent Houston and TUTS at the Jimmy AwardsⓇ. The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (the Jimmy Awards®) are a national celebration of outstanding student achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance and elevating the importance of theatre arts education in schools. The Jimmy Awards are presented by The Broadway League Foundation.

Theatre Under The Stars is grateful to our Tommy Tune Awards sponsors HEB and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.