THEATRE UNDER THE STARS ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF THE 2023 TOMMY TUNE AWARDS

THIS YEAR MARKED THE FIRST TIME THE AWARDS SHOW WAS HELD IN PERSON SINCE 2019

The 2023 Tommy Tune Awards from Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) had a triumphant return to the stage last night as a deafening crowd cheered with delight at each award that was given.

“We are ecstatic to be back in person this year,” said Jacob Shideler, TUTS Interim Director of Education. “Seeing these students shine and support one another in this shared passion they have for the arts is the greatest thing about the Tommy Tune Awards.”

The magical evening was hosted by Broadway star, Michael James Scott.

The winners of the 2023 Tommy Tune Awards are:

Outstanding Musical:

Tier 1: G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Tier 2: Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Jimmy Awards^® Nominee Winner:

Nic Rhew, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Jimmy Awards^® Nominee Winner:

Makenzie Woolridge, Cypress Ranch High School, Into The Woods

Jimmy Awards^® Nominee Runner Up:

Taylor McMullen, The Kinkaid School, The Hello Girls

Jimmy Awards^® Nominee Runner Up:

Jackson Nichols, Bridgeland High School, Damn Yankees

North Star Award:

Kira Sledge, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Congeniality Award:

Jackson Nichols, Bridgeland High School, Damn Yankees

Spirit Award:

Julius Bob, Clear Creek High School, Big Fish

Outstanding Ensemble:

Tier 1: Klein Cain High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Tier 2: Kingwood High School, Les Misérables and Clear Springs High School, Oliver!

Outstanding Technical Achievement:

Tier 1: C.E. King High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Outstanding Technical Achievement:

Tier 2: Houston Christian High School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Orchestra:

Tier 1: Klein Forest High School, Little Shop of Horrors

Tier 2: Cypress Ranch High School, Into the Woods and Klein High School, Matilda

Outstanding Director:

Tier 1: Roshunda Jones-Koumba, G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Tier 2: Bobby Linhart and Allen Currier, Houston Christian High School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Music Direction:

Tier 1: Pamela Dickson, G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Tier 2: Gyasi Blanton and Marcie Baker, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Choreography:

Tier 1: Drew Doyle, Madison Herbert and Gracie Morgan, Dulles High School, All Shook Up

Tier 2: Bobby Linhart, Melissa Tyler and Anoushka Patel, Houston Christian High School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Lighting Design:

Tier 1: Chris Pruett, Caden Leonard and Mary Kennedy, Klein Cain High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Tier 2: Sophia Rowles, Seven Lakes High School, Cinderella

Outstanding Scenic Design:

Tier 1: Chris Pruett, Gavin Newton and Lilly Zapata, Klein Cain High School, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Tier 2: David Clayton and Garrett Sugg, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Costume Design:

Tier 1: Bailey Day and Cora Frasier, G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Tier 2: Sammer Ali and Emma Whitton, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Sound Design:

Tier 2: Alex Borg, Henry Cohen and Josh Humel, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Stage Management:

Tier 1: Emani Caston and Niya Kelly, G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Tier 2: Kate Diers, Stratford High School, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Supporting Lead:

Landon Rouse, Cypress Ranch High School, Into the Woods

Michael Karash, Kinder HSPVA, Mamma Mia!

Lucius Watt, Kingwood High School, Les Misérables

Outstanding Singer:

Mallory Migi, Friendswood High School, The Music Man

Cortlandt Barrett, Kinder HSPVA, Mamma Mia!

Outstanding Actor:

Faith Jackson, Bridgeland High School, Damn Yankees

Ryan Randolph, G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Ephraim Iwama, Concordia Lutheran High School, Tarzan

Charley Schwinger, Second Baptist School, Guys and Dolls

Demi Briggs, Second Baptist School, Guys and Dolls

Alee Blanter, St. Agnes Academy, Bright Star

Greyson Guzman, Klein High School, Matilda

Outstanding Dancer:

Drew Doyle, Dulles High School, All Shook Up

Faith Bumper, G.W. Carver High School, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Anoushka Patel, Houston Christian High School, Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Honorable Mention:

Camila Horberg-Perez, Cypress Ranch High School, Into the Woods

The power of education, artistry and community comes together at the Tommy Tune Awards where passionate young adults – who can and will set the world on fire – have the opportunity to share their creative accomplishments with their greater-Houston community.

Throughout the 2022-23 school year, adjudicators evaluated every participating school’s show, focusing on each element of the production. The adjudicators 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 were 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.