Starlight Celebrates with 2025 Blue Star Awards Ceremony
Starlight is pleased to share the 2024-25 Blue Star Awards winners, who were just announced in a red-carpet ceremony at Starlight Theatre Thursday, May 15. Thirty four winners took home the top prizes in 31 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 2024-25 Blue Star Awards season, a record-breaking 66 schools and nearly 5,300 metro students participated, making it one of the largest and most respected high school musical awards programs in the nation.
The 2025 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.
Starlight’s 23rd Annual Blue Star Awards Ceremony was held Thursday, May 15, 2025.
In order of announcement at the Blue Star Awards Ceremony, the full list of winners can be found below.
Ceremony Ensemble Scholarships
Finley Pennington – Platte County High School
Kaitlyn Seim – Platte County High School
Louisa Bartlett – Shawnee Mission Northwest
Outstanding Performer in a Featured Role, Tier II
Lauren Knight as Madame de la Grande Bouche
Lee’s Summit West High School
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Outstanding Performer in a Featured Role, Tier I
Syerra Funderburke as Berthe
Ruskin High School
Pippin
Outstanding Orchestra, Tier II
Raymore-Peculiar High School
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Outstanding Orchestra, Tier I
Lawrence High School
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Creative Contribution Award
Rozella Ranes for Choreography
Park Hill South High School
Technical Contribution Award
Aldric Yang for Stage Management and Sound Design
Rockhurst High School
Outstanding Costume Design, Tier II
Central High School
Elf The Musical
Outstanding Costume Design, Tier I
Harrisonville High School
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design, Tier II
Olathe South High School
The Pirates of Penzance
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design, Tier I
Bishop Miege High School
She Loves Me
Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Role, Tier II
Jalen Mack as Eddie Souther
Park Hill High School
Sister Act
Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Role, Tier I
Charlotte Sweet as Rosie Mulligan
Platte County High School
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Ensemble, Tier II
Raymore-Peculiar High School
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Outstanding Ensemble, Tier I
Blue Springs South High School
Fiddler on the Roof
Community Impact Award
Liberty North High School
Anastasia The Musical
Dream Production Award
Ashlyn Warren for Direction
Olathe West High School
Outstanding Technical Crew, Tier II
Lighting Crew
Park Hill South High School
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Outstanding Technical Crew, Tier I
Set Crew
Excelsior Springs High School
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Lighting Design, Tier II
Park Hill South High School
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Outstanding Lighting Design, Tier I
Basehor-Linwood High School
Anastasia The Musical
Sophomore Rising Star Scholarship
Maddy Heits – Liberty High School
Junior Rising Star Scholarship
Addy Davis – Olathe West High School
Senior Rising Star Scholarship
Cameron Hargrove – Blue Valley Southwest High School
Outstanding Scenic Design, Tier II
Park Hill South High School
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Outstanding Scenic Design, Tier I
Platte County High School
Mamma Mia!
Outstanding Performer in a Lead Role, Tier II
Megan Sheehan as Orpheus
Park Hill South High School
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Outstanding Performer in a Lead Role, Tier I
Supha Yates as SpongeBob SquarePants
Fort Osage High School
The SpongeBob Musical
Jimmy Awards – Best Actress
Hadley Wilson
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Mamma Mia!
Jimmy Awards – Best Actor
Caden Barner
Liberty North High School
Anastasia The Musical
Outstanding Overall Production, Tier II
Park Hill South High School
Hadestown: Teen Edition
Outstanding Overall Production, Tier I
Platte County High School
Mamma Mia!