Blumey Awards names top high school theater students and programs in Charlotte region
There’s a reason local theater supporters call the Blumey Awards “the best night in Charlotte.” The passion, excitement and talent that’s on display for the beloved event from Blumenthal Arts is always palpable.
Last Sunday night’s 11th annual Blumeys was no exception. Winners in 15 categories were announced, and the audience got to see nominees for Best Actor, Best Actress perform on stage at Belk Theater in uptown Charlotte.
School district programs that took home awards included Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Union County Public School, Kannapolis City Schools and Cabarrus County Schools, as well as private schools like Carmel Christian School in Matthews.
Central Academy of Technology and Arts in Monroe, a traditional Blumeys powerhouse in UCPS, won seven of the 15 awards at the show.
“The Blumey Awards is one of the most special nights in Charlotte each year,” Blumenthal Arts President and CEO Tom Gabbard said in a statement. “We are thrilled for all of the students, teachers, parents and supporters.”
Lainey Gaston from Concord Academy won Best Actress for her portrayal of “Narrator” in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and Rylan Lowe from A.L. Brown High in Kannapolis won for his portrayal of “Shakespeare” in “Something Rotten!”
Gaston and Lowe will go to New York City and compete in the national high school musical theater awards program, the Jimmy Awards, also known as the Jimmys. That program takes place June 24. on Broadway in the Minskoff Theatre.
Here’s the winners list from the 2024 Blumeys
Here’s the rest of the winners from the Blumeys program:
Best Musical, Tier 1 school: Cabarrus County High, “Pippin.”
Best Musical, Tier 2 school, Central Academy of Technology and Arts, Monroe, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.”
Best Supporting Actor: Carmel Christian School, Caeden Moore as Vlad in “Anastasia.”
Best Supporting Actress: CATA, Haley Ciaramella as Sonya Rostova in “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.”
Best Featured Performer: Weddington High, Callum Bridgers as Escapologist/Doctor in “Matilda the Musical.”
Best Overall Direction: CATA, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.”
Best Ensemble/Chorus: Concord Academy, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Best Choreography Execution: CATA, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
Best Student Orchestra: CATA, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
Best Student Costume Designer: CATA, Madison McLeod, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
Best Student Set Designer Concord Academy, Nate Fisher, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Best Student Stage Manager: Hopewell High School, Chloe Carper, “Cinderella” (Concord Broadway)
Best Student Reporter: CATA, Brody Martin
In addition to the awards, five students were awarded college scholarships.
The Mary Doctor Fine Arts Scholarship went to Kate Woodcook from Ardrey Kell High and Gabby Laatz from CATA. The The Gordon Hay Scholarship Committee selected Sophie DiBella, Grace Guess and Ella Grace Wolfe as the 2024 scholarship recipients.
At the Blumeys
The show hosted by local broadcaster Brigida Mack featured a performance by each of the six schools nominated in the best musical category, a medley of performances by the six nominees for best actor and actress, and an opening and closing number that features two students from each of the 50 participating schools.
Students could look to some of the presenters and guests of honor for what their show biz futures might hold.
They included Liam Pearce, a 2018 Blumey Award Best Actor nominee who starred on Broadway in “How to Dance in Ohio,” and Amina Faye, a 2016 Blumey Award and Jimmy Award winner who was on the “SIX” national Broadway tour.
Two other former Blumey participants are on Broadway now — Phillip Johnson Richardson is “Tinman” in the revival of “The Wiz” while two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada is “Daisy Buchanan” in “The Great Gatsby.” And Reneé Rapp, coming off the “Mean Girls” movie as Regina George is in the midst of a nationwide concert tour.
Maybe some of this year’s Blumey participants will see their names up in lights one day too.
Or, as in Noblezada’s case, they could become a pillar on Broadway. Her character photo as Daisy adorned one of the pillars in front of the Broadway Theatre for “The Great Gatsby.”
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