MHS play up for three Jester Awards
Several members of the cast of Marion High School's production of "Annie, Get Your Gun" have been nominated for three specific Jester Awards, given annually by Music Theatre of Wichita.
The school applied for the competition last fall, Janet Killough, MHS theater director, said.
"We had to tell about obstacles we overcame, how we made the decision to do 'Annie,' who was involved in the production, how the community was involved, and similar things," Killough said.
The school paid a $30 entry fee, and told MTW the dates of the production. The Wichita organization sent a team of three judges, unannounced: "We didn't know when they were here, or who they were," said Killough.
The judges, after seeing the MHS show, nominated "players" in three categories: outstanding chorus, outstanding ensemble performance, and outstanding orchestra.
There are a total of 18 categories, Killough said, including outstanding production, outstanding performance (individual), outstanding actor and actress, outstanding supporting actor and actress, choreography and others.
Only high school musicals are judged, Killough said. "This is the first year we have entered the Jester competition. Most of the other schools in it were (Class) 4A, 5A, and 6A schools, mostly, in fact, 5A and 6A." Marion High School is in the 3A class.
The Jester Awards ceremony will be June 1 at Century II in Wichita.
The schools nominated for outstanding production and some of the other awards will perform, and then winners of all the awards will be named.
"We will not perform," Killough said. "But they will show a clip or two from our 'Annie.'"
Tickets for the June 1 ceremony are $10 each. Anyone wishing to attend it should contact Killough at the high school.
"It's a very prestigious honor to be nominated," she said. Payment of the $30 entry fee guarantees nothing, does not assure that one's show will get any nominations from the judges.
Killough said MHS will enter the competition every year from now on.
"It's a wonderful competition, and it encourages high schools," she said.
The Moonshine Lullaby Trio from the show, Eric Smith, Tyson Heidebrecht, and Michael Brookens, is nominated for outstanding ensemble performance.
"We had a young cast, and they did a good job," Killough said. "Sixty kids, including cast and crew, were involved in the production."
