Exclusive #BTS footage of the Blumey Awards rehearsals

It's hard to believe the 2017 Blumey Awards are right around the corner (Sunday, May 21)!

72 nominees from 23 Charlotte-region schools are competing in the 6th Annual High School Musical Theater Awards, also known as The Blumey Awards, presented by Wells Fargo. For a reminder of this year's nominees, click here!

Like the Tony Awards®, The Blumey Awards Ceremony will feature a performance by each of the six nominated schools in the best musical category, a medley of performances by the six finalists for Best Actor and for Best Actress, and an opening and closing number that features two students from each of the forty-six participating schools.

Rehearsals have been in full swing all week at Stage Door Theater before the big ceremony takes over the iconic Belk Theater this weekend.  Check out this teaser video we put  together of our performers hard at work! Keep in mind - this is after a mere TWO DAYS after meeting each other for the first time!

David Dabbon will once again serve as the music director and orchestrator for The Blumey Awards (that's him on the piano bench - he does that a lot).  David is a New York based composer and Grammy nominated orchestrator and has served as the music director since the inaugural Blumey Awards ceremony in 2012.  

Chris Bailey, a professional choreographer, will choreograph the opening and closing numbers as well as the medleys. Chris has been the choreographer for numerous West End, Broadway, and touring shows including the US national tours of Evita and Shrek the Musical, as well as Assassins at Menier Chocolate Factory in London.

The Blumey Awards generates a lot of buzz throughout the community and like true entertainment professionals, some members of our group are making the local media rounds promoting the show.

Here we see two of our Best Actress nominees with WBTV Morning Break anchor Kristen Miranda Thursday morning.

The blonde on the left is Analise Malick from Davidson Day School. She's nominated for her role as "Bonnie" in Bonnie & Clyde

In the middle is Domenica Coka from Carmel Christian School. She's nominated for her role as "Sandra Bloom" in Big Fish.

While backstage they also bumped into Piff The Magic Dragon and his sidekick Mr. Piffles!

As a newbie to the Blumey Awards - I can honestly say it's one of the most magical things I've ever witnessed and again, I've only seen REHEARSAL at this point.

Sunday night is going to be knock your socks off fantastic and if you don't have a ticket to the hottest show in town (they essentially sold out instantly) - you're still in luck!

The show will be broadcast on WTVI on Tuesday, May 30 at 8 p.m.

Break a leg, Blumey nominees!