USD 457: GCHS Drama Department Wins Jester Awards

(Courtesy of USD 457)

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Garden City High School drama department won Jester Awards for Ensemble/Chorus and Lighting from the Music Theatre of Wichita on Sunday, May 5^th. Garden City High School was nominated for a total of 11 Jester Awards for the fall musical Evita, which performed on March 1^st – 3^rd in the Garden City High School auditorium. 

The Ensemble Award is a great award, it means overall the entire cast excelled and was dynamic.  It is the first time GCHS has won this particular award.

There will be a free encore performance of Hamlet on Friday, June 7th at 7:00 p.m. in the Garden City High School auditorium, 2720 Buffalo Way Blvd.  This performance is to prepare the cast for the International Thespian Festival (ITF) that will appear on the mainstage.  Performing at the ITS Festival is like winning a national title or winning the Super Bowl for high school theatre programs.  Garden City High School will present Hamlet in the Kimball Theatre at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska on June 25^th for theatre students, teachers, colleges and theatre professionals from around the United States. 

Nominations from Evita this year included:

• Cameo Performer – Alondra Fuentes (The Mistress)
• Ensemble
• Small Ensemble – The Officers: Daniel Darter, Issac Arrieta, Kyler Bennett, Ricardo Fuentes, Tyrel Haynes, Jared Arellano, Johb Silva
• Orchestra – Lyle Sobba
• Musical Direction – Misty Baldwin and Olivia Henning
• Choreography/Staging –  Misty Baldwin, Jhamel Transfiguracion, Alo Jurado, Kirstin Neff
• Technical Achievement – Ivy Servin (Costume Design)
• Costume Design – Miss Robyn Hilt & Ivy Servin
• Scenic Design – Barbara Hilt, Alice Hilt
• Lighting Design – Alice Hilt & Barbara Hilt
• Lobby Display – Alice Hilt, Technical Theatre Classes and Costuming Classes

Hamlet Cast and Crew Attending the International Thespian Festival June 24^th-29^th:

Directing Staff: Barbara Hilt (Lead Director), Alice Hilt (Assistant Director/Backstage Manager), Andie Alvarado (Assistant Director), Robyn Hilt (Costumer), and Wyatt Smith (chaperone/crew)

Seniors: Alondra Fuentes (running crew/swing), Arihn Quinene (Ophelia), Daniel Darter (Horatio), Delaney DeSpain (Cornelius/Player Prologue), Eresay Alcantar (Marcellus), Karmen Herrera (Voltimand/Doctor of Divinity/Player Queen), Katie Chandler (dresser/costumes), Leorenz Altamirano (Polonius/Dane/Priest), Nancy Tran (Stage Manager/lighting tech), and Noah Ulrich (Ghost/Player Queen/Norwegian Captain/Dane)

Juniors: Aubrey Simon (dresser/costumes), Jared Arellano (Guildenstern/Osric/Gravedigger), Johb Silva (Claudius), Nathan Ayala (Hamlet), and Tammy Truong (costume designer/running crew)

Sophomores: Jairus Lobmeyer (Rosencrantz/2^nd Clown/English Ambassador), Jessica Angulo (Gertrude), Kyler Bennett (Laertes/Francisco/Player Lucianus), and Seferino Ramirez (dresser/costumes/running crew)

Freshmen: Amilia Baca (sound/lighting tech), Byrant Detvongsa (Bernardo), Jaelyn Grim (running crew), and Yesenia Chavez (running crew)

Music Theatre Wichita launched a program called the Jester Awards to honor excellence in high school musical theatre. The program recognizes the extraordinary amount of work, creativity, and dedication that faculty and students pour into their high school theatrical productions. Recognition is given to casts and crews, directors and designers – all who work to stage these great works of musical theatre.