Starlight Celebrates Area High School Students with 2026 Blue Star Awards Ceremony

Starlight is pleased to share the 2025-26 Blue Star Awards winners, who were just announced in a red-carpet ceremony at Starlight Theatre Thursday, May 21.

Thirty seven winners took home the top prizes in 32 categories, and $10,000 in monetary prizes were awarded to deserving high school students. The ceremony also featured 10 onstage performances.

Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards®, Starlight’s annual Blue Star Awards recognize achievement and excellence in musical theatre among Kansas City area high school students. In the 2025-26 Blue Star Awards season, 66 schools and 5,100 metro students participated, making it one of the largest and most respected high school musical awards programs in the nation.

The 2026 Blue Star Awards were made possible by an anonymous donor with support from Jeff Ayers, The Jeannette & Jerome Cohen Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, The Mary Elizabeth Martin Scholarship Trust US Bank N.A., Trustee, and Starlight’s community engagement program benefactors.

2025-26 Blue Star Awards Winners

Ceremony Ensemble
Central – Macormick Carlson
Liberty North – Lainey Beaty
Park Hill – Chamberlain Webster
St. Teresa’s Academy – Lainey McManamy

Community Impact Award
De Soto

Creative Contribution Award
Olathe West – Lydia Treff for Choreography

Technical Contribution Award
Olathe West – Teddy Garcia for Publicity and Marketing

Dream Production Award
Liberty – Hannah Mees for Direction

Rising Star Scholarship – Sophomore
Pembroke Hill – Cecilia Miller

Rising Star Scholarship – Junior
Blue Valley Southwest – Aliyah Lawrence

Rising Star Scholarship – Senior
Blue Springs – Cailey Petersen

Student Reporter
Fort Osage – Malia Arnold
Lee’s Summit North – Jake Johnson

Jimmy Awards – Best Actor
Megan Sheehan
Park Hill South High School
Jesus Christ Superstar

Jimmy Awards – Best Actress
Charlotte Sweet
Platte County High School
Disney’s Newsies

Orchestra – Tier I
Lawrence Free State – The Addams Family Musical (School Edition)

Orchestra – Tier II
Olathe Northwest – Mean Girls High School Version

Scenic Design – Tier I
Excelsior Springs – Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Scenic Design – Tier II
Central – Footloose

Lighting Design – Tier I
Lawrence Free State – The Addams Family Musical (School Edition)

Lighting Design – Tier II
Liberty – The Phantom of the Opera

Costume Design – Tier I
Belton – Disney’s Descendants: The Musical

Costume Design – Tier II
Olathe East – Between the Lines

Hair & Makeup Design – Tier I
Platte County – Disney’s Newsies

Hair & Makeup Design – Tier II
Park Hill South – Jesus Christ Superstar

Technical Crew – Tier I
Raymore-Peculiar – Pippin – Costume Crew

Technical Crew – Tier II
Liberty – The Phantom of the Opera – Set Crew

Performer in a Lead Role – Tier I
Ruskin – The Prince of Egypt – Desmond Walker III as Moses

Performer in a Lead Role – Tier II
Liberty – The Phantom of the Opera – Olivia Dolton as Christine Daaé

Performer in a Supporting Role – Tier I
Raytown – Hadestown: Teen Edition – Cameron Ritchie as Hermes

Performer in a Supporting Role – Tier II
Liberty North – Mean Girls High School Version – Jillian Downing as Janis Sarkisian

Performer in a Featured Role – Tier I
Lawrence Free State – The Addams Family Musical (School Edition) – Harper York as Grandma

Performer in a Featured Role – Tier II
Blue Valley Northwest – Grease – Ryan Peterson as Doody

Ensemble – Tier I
Platte County – Disney’s Newsies

Ensemble – Tier II
Blue Springs South – Anything Goes

Overall Production – Tier I
Platte County – Disney’s Newsies

Overall Production – Tier II
Liberty – The Phantom of the Opera