Central students bring home theater awards
May 17—Teen thespians from Central High School have something to brag about after earning 13 nominations and winning two prizes in the Kansas City Blue Star Awards.
The Blue Star Awards are modeled after the Tonys and recognize achievement and excellence in musical theater among Kansas City area high school students.
Central's fall 2023 production of "Mean Girls: The Musical" earned nominations in categories including outstanding performers, sophomore rising star, outstanding hair and makeup and outstanding costume design. But as Central's director and theater teacher put it, on Thursday evening the "Mean Girls" team took home the "big dog" with overall best production, edging out 29 other schools, as well as outstanding technical crew.
"There are just some years that the stars align and everything fits into place," Annie Bramlage said. "Everything is perfect. Everything is right."
Students involved in mainstage productions are often at school from 7 a.m. for classes until 10 p.m. for rehearsals, dedicating their free time to do what they love.
The students say the result was worth every minute.
"I didn't think we weren't going to win, but I also was kind of like, 'Oh, there's so many good schools' but it was just really it was unreal, honestly," said Claire Fuson, a member of the technical crew. "It was just really like adrenaline rushing. And it was really exciting."
The technical crew award was especially exciting for some students.
"There's a lot of the time less recognition for people backstage," said Allyson Wells, another technical crew member. "And so it's amazing to have this and just feel so recognized."
The cast and crew were invited to perform at the Missouri Thespians conference as well as the Blue Star Awards ceremony. Between those performances and the fall shows, audiences for Central's "Mean Girls" production numbered in the thousands.
With the awards won, the accomplishments celebrated and the semester nearly over, the cast and crew of "Mean Girls: The Musical" can finally take a much-needed breather.
"We have created a family," Bramlage said. "We are a theater family, and they are genuinely so excited for one of their own. So I think we genuinely celebrate together and recognize the accomplishments of anyone in the cast."
