BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Shea's Performing Arts Center and The Lipke Foundation announced the nominees for the 2019 Kenny Awards Wednesday night.
Nearly 200 students and educators from the 10 finalist schools headed to Shea's Smith Theatre in hopes that their production gets nominated for one of the 14 award categories. It was also live streamed on the Shea's Facebook page.
The Kenny Awards recognizes outstanding musical productions of local high schools. The ceremony is the culmination of a year-long program that honors and recognizes the talent, hard work and dedication of area students and teachers to high school musical theatre in Western New York.
This year, the Lipke Foundation is doubling the grant award for the school that wins Outstanding Musical Production to $10,000. Since its beginning, The Kenny Awards put $125,000 into area high school theatre programs.
The 26th Annual Kenny Awards ceremoney will be held at Shea's on Saturday, May 11th at 6pm. Ceremony tickets are available now through a finalist school for $8.00 presale. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Saturday, April 27 at 10:00 am and may be purchased online at Ticketmaster, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, or in person at Shea’s Box Office, 650 Main Street. The day of the ceremony, tickets may be purchased for $10.00.
For information on the Kenny Award Program, visit KennyAwards.weebly.com
The nominees are as followed:
Outstanding Orchestral Performance
Cleveland Hill Schools - Newsies
Nardin Academy - The King and I
Niagara Wheatfield High School - Sister Act
West Seneca West Senior High School - Legally Blonde
Outstanding Technical Design
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts - Les Miserables
Narden Academy - The King and I
Sweet Home High School - Mamma Mia
Tonawanda High School - Mamma Mia
Outstanding Choral Performance
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts - Les Miserables
Narden Academy - The King and I
Tonawanda High School - Mamma Mia
West Seneca West Senior High School - Legally Blonde
Outstanding Scenic Design
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts - Les Miserables
Cuba-Rushford Middle/High School - Annie
Sweet Home High School - Mamma Mia
Tonawanda High School - Mamma Mia
Outstanding Dramatic Performance
Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts - Les Miserables
Cleveland Hill Schools - Newsies
Narden Academy - The King and I
West Seneca West Senior High School - Legally Blonde
Outstanding Costume Design
Cleveland Hill Schools - Newsies
Niagara Wheatfield High School - Sister Act
St. Mary's High School - The Addams Family
West Seneca West Senior High School - Legally Blonde
Outstanding Dance Performance
Cleveland Hill Schools - Newsies
St. Mary's High School - The Addams Family
Sweet Home High School - Mamma Mia
West Seneca West Senior High School - Legally Blonde
Showstopper
“Bows,” ending mega mix, Tonawanda High School, Mamma Mia
“The King of New York,” Cleveland Hill Union Free Schools, Newsies
“Lay All Your Love on Me,” Sweet Home High School, Mamma Mia
“Whipped Into Shape,” West Seneca West Senior High School, Legally Blonde
The Blossom Cohan Award
(Honors a performer who “blossoms” in a role)
Sean Jones as Race in Cleveland Hill Union Free School’s Newsies
Haylee Morris as Rosie in Tonawanda High School’s Mamma Mia
Abby Poczciwinski as Sister Mary Lazarus in Niagara Wheatfield High School’s Sister Act
Isaac Stearns as Lurch in St. Mary’s High School’s The Addams Family
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
The Ancestors, St. Mary’s High School, The Addams Family
The Greek Chorus, West Seneca West Senior High School, Legally Blonde
Joey, TJ, and Pablo, Niagara Wheatfield High School, Sister Act
Tanya and Rosie, Tonawanda High School, Mamma Mia
Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role
Tallulah Gordon as Madame Thenardier, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, Les Misérables
Mary Clare Noonan as Tuptim, Nardin Academy, The King and I
Lucy SanGeorge as Paulette, West Seneca West Senior High School, Legally Blonde
Emily Smith as Fantine, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, Les Misérables
Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role
Andrew Cegielski as Scarecrow, John F. Kennedy High School, The Wizard of Oz
Robert Dauria as Lun Tha, Nardin Academy, The King and I
Marten Linnan as Lucas, St. Mary’s High School, The Addams Family
Nick Scott as Curtis Jackson, Niagara Wheatfield High School, Sister Act
Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role
Alexandra Bastian as Sophie, Sweet Home High School, Mamma Mia
Alaina Buckenroth as Mother Superior, Niagara Wheatfield High School, Sister Act
Emily Kuhn as Sophie, Tonawanda High School, Mamma Mia
Jessica Molle as Lady Thiang, Nardin Academy, The King and I
Kathryn Opalinski as Donna, Tonawanda High School, Mamma Mia
Penelope Sergi as Elle Woods, West Seneca West Senior High School, Legally Blonde
Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role
Robert Barksdale as Emmett, West Seneca West Senior High School, Legally Blonde
Lane Findlay as Oliver Warbucks, Cuba-Rushford Middle/High School, Annie
Isaiah Gethers as Javert, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, Les Misérables
Dylan Gurnari as Gomez Addams, St. Mary’s High School, The Addams Family
Austin Marshall as The King, Nardin Academy, The King and I
Matthew Wilson as Jean Valjean, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, Les Misérables
Rising Star: Special Recognition
Jacob Dutka as the Mayor of Munchkinland, John F. Kennedy High School, The Wizard of Oz
Johnny Kiener as Prince Chulalongkorn, Nardin Academy, The King and I
Samuel Parker as Gavroche, Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, Les Misérables
Jonah Williams as Les, Cleveland Hill Union Free School, Newsies
