Blumenthal Arts Announces 11th Annual Blumey Awards Winners

May 27, 2024 (Charlotte, NC) – The eleventh annual Blumenthal Arts High School Musical Theater Awards culminated Sunday, May 26, at a gala award celebration where winners in 15 categories were announced and nominees for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Bank of America Best Musical performed live on stage at the Belk Theater. The Blumey Awards are presented by Bank of America.

Central Cabarrus High School won the Tier 1 Bank of America Best Musical Award for its production of Pippin. Central Academy of Technology and Arts won the Tier 2 Bank of America Best Musical Award for its production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Lainey Gaston from Concord Academy won Best Actress for her portrayal of “Narrator” in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Rylan Lowe from A.L. Brown High School won for his portrayal of “Shakespeare” in Something Rotten.

Blumenthal Arts President and CEO Tom Gabbard said, “The Blumey Awards is one of the most special nights in Charlotte each year. We are thrilled for all of the students, teachers, parents, and supporters—and we congratulate all participants on their major achievements.”

 

Award-winning TV news anchor and reporter, Brigida Mack, emceed the black-tie event. Among the award presenters and special guests were Liam Pearce (2018 Blumey Award Best Actor nominee and Broadway’s How to Dance in Ohio), Amina Faye (2016 Blumey Award and Jimmy Award winner, SIX national Broadway tour), Eli Dills (2022 Blumey Award Best Student Set Designer and Gordon Hay Scholarship recipient), Nicholas Rodriguez (Broadway Dreams; Broadway’s Company), Deidre Goodwin (Broadway’s Chicago and A Chorus Line, Associate Director for Broadway’s Spamalot revival), Katie Ruttenberg (2023 Blumey Award Best Actress winner), Lance Toppin (2023 Blumey Award Best Actor winner), and Portia Sherman MacKinnon (Senior Vice President, Head of Enterprise Digital Operations, Bank of America).  

2024 Blumey Award winners:

Bank of America Best Musical – Tier 1

Central Cabarrus High School – Pippin

Bank of America Best Musical – Tier 2

Central Academy of Technology and Arts – Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Best Actor

A.L. Brown High School – Rylan Lowe as Shakespeare – Something Rotten!

Best Actress

Concord Academy – Lainey Gaston as Narrator – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Best Supporting Actor

Carmel Christian School – Caeden Moore as Vlad – Anastasia

Best Supporting Actress

Central Academy of Technology and Arts – Haley Ciaramella as Sonya Rostova – Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Best Featured Performer
Weddington High School – Callum Bridgers as Escapologist/Doctor – Matilda the Musical

Best Overall Direction

Central Academy of Technology and Arts – Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Best Ensemble/Chorus
Concord Academy – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Best Choreography Execution

Central Academy of Technology and Arts – Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Best Student Orchestra

Central Academy of Technology and Arts – Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Best Student Costume Designer

Central Academy of Technology and Arts – 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

Central Academy of Technology & Arts – Brody Martin

 

Along with The Blumey Awards, five students were awarded college scholarships. The Mary Doctor Fine Arts Scholarship annually benefits two graduating high school seniors within the Charlotte region who are preparing to pursue a degree in the arts. Scholarships are typically $10,000 and are annually renewable during a student’s four-year undergraduate program. This year, the Mary Doctor scholarship committee selected Kate Woodcook from Ardrey Kell High School and Gabby Laatz from Central Academy of Technology and Arts. Kate has been accepted to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design this fall, where she plans on pursuing a degree in Acting and Directing. Gabby has been accepted to attend Emerson College this fall, where she plans on pursuing a degree in Theatre.

The Gordon Hay Scholarship Committee selected Sophie DiBella, Grace Guess, and Ella Grace Wolfe as the 2024 scholarship recipients. Sophie, who will attend NYU this fall to pursue a BFA in Drama for Lighting Design, was awarded $10,000 (the first student to receive this increased amount). Grace, who will attend Elon University this fall to pursue a degree in Theatrical Design/Technology, was awarded $2,500. Ella Grace, who is currently attending UNC-Chapel Hill pursing a degree in Dramatic Arts & Media and Journalism, was also awarded $2,500. Each year, deserving high school seniors or college freshmen or sophomores are selected to receive this unique scholarship. The award is not for tuition, class fees, or living expenses, but for special learning opportunities related to the recipient’s career interest in a nonperformance discipline within the performing arts (e.g. lighting and sound design, set design, costume design, stage management, etc.).

To find out more about college scholarships, visit blumenthalarts.org/college-scholarships.

The gala celebration was a highlight of the competition, which started in January when local schools began presenting their annual musical theater productions. Each school’s musical was viewed and evaluated by a panel of three judges, who awarded points according to detailed guidelines. 

The Blumey Awards is produced by Blumenthal Arts and is presented by Bank of America. The Doctor Family Foundation, Peg and Jay Adamczyk, and The Leon Levine Foundation provide additional  support, as well as PAGE Power Systems for sponsoring Best Student Set Designer and Wells Fargo for sponsoring Best Ensemble/Chorus. Charlotte joins more than 50 other cities, including Pittsburgh, Houston, and Atlanta, in hosting annual high school musical theater awards programs.

“The Arts are pivotal to a thriving city, and Bank of America is proud to sponsor an organization bringing musical theater coaching, support, and recognition to students, staff, and schools across our community,” said Grace Nystrum, Charlotte Market Executive for Bank of America.

Like the Tony Awards®, The Blumey Awards Ceremony features a performance by each of the six nominated schools in the best musical category, a medley of performances by the six nominees for Best Actor and for Best Actress, and an opening and closing number that features two students from each of the 50 participating schools.

The New York–based creative team included Broadway composer and Grammy-nominated orchestrator David Dabbon (Broadway’s Beetlejuice, Funny Girl, Disaster!, and others), as conductor, music director, and arranger, and Reagan Casteel (Broadway’s Once Upon a One More Time, Dancin’) as music director and arranger. Director and choreographer Deirdre Goodwin (Broadway’s A Chorus Line, Chicago) choreographed the event. 

The schools that competed this year are featured in the video below!

 

For more information: BlumenthalArts.org/BlumeyAwards

For photos and interview requests, contact Rachel Peterson, rachel.peterson@blumenthalarts.org

 

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ABOUT BLUMENTHAL ARTS
Blumenthal Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment, and education not-for-profit. For more information, call (704) 372-1000 or visit BlumenthalArts.org. Blumenthal Arts receives support from the Infusion Fund and the North Carolina Arts Council. Generous support is also provided by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights series, and Equitable, sponsor of the Equitable Bravo Series.

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