The 33rd annual Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater has announced the nominees who will take the stage for the ceremony and musical extravaganza on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at the Benedum Center.
ceremony and show. (Images: Sharon Eberson)
Pittsburgh CLO and The Michael J. Kara Family made the announcement on Wednesday, May 8. The judging panel, comprised of performing arts educators, arts administrators, entertainment professionals and performers have spent the past three months attending performances at the following 33 Allegheny County high schools:
Avonworth High School, Baldwin High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Brentwood High School, Carlynton Junior Senior High School, Chartiers Valley High School, Eden Christian Academy, Elizabeth Forward High School, Gateway High School, Hampton High School, Keystone Oaks High School, McKeesport Area High School, Montour High School, North Hills High School, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Penn Hills High School, Pine-Richland High School, Pittsburgh Allderdice High School, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, Plum Senior High, Quaker Valley High School, Redeemer Lutheran School, Riverview Jr./Sr. High School, Saint Joseph High School, Serra Catholic High School, Seton LaSalle Catholic High School, Sewickley Academy, Shady Side Academy Senior School, Springdale Jr./Sr. High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, West Allegheny High School, Westinghouse Arts Academy, and Woodland Hills High School.
The Gene Kelly Awards, launched in 1991, are patterned after Broadway’s Tony Awards, with many winners going on to careers in film, TV and on Broadway. The annual show, produced by Pittsburgh CLO, features scenes from nominated shows, performances by top nominees and celebrity presenters.
The winners of the best actress and actor categories have the opportunity to go on to the national Jimmy Awards, presented by The Broadway League Foundation June 24, 2024, at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre, home of Disney’s The Lion King. The Jimmys were established in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances.
2024 GENE KELLY AWARD NOMINEES
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
Budget Level I
- Bishop Canevin High School, ALL SHOOK UP (School Edition)
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
Budget Level II
- Avonworth High School, INTO THE WOODS
- Quaker Valley High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY School Edition
- West Allegheny High School, BYE BYE BIRDIE
Budget Level III
- Elizabeth Forward High School, BIG FISH
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
Budget Level IV
- Hampton High School, TUCK EVERLASTING
- Pine-Richland High School, MAMMA MIA!
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Budget Level I
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!
- Saint Joseph High School, DISNEY’s TARZAN
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
Budget Level II
- Avonworth High School, INTO THE WOODS
- Quaker Valley High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition)
- Serra Catholic High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition)
Budget Level III
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
Budget Level IV
- Hampton High School, TUCK EVERLASTING
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Woodland Hills High School, WONDERLAND Pilot Production
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Budget Level I
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!
- Saint Joseph High School, Disney’s TARZAN
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
Budget Level II
- Avonworth High School, INTO THE WOODS
- Quaker Valley High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition)
- West Allegheny High School, BYE BYE BIRDIE
Budget Level III
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
Budget Level IV
- Pine-Richland High School, MAMMA MIA!
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Woodland Hills High School, WONDERLAND Pilot Production
BEST VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Budget Level I
- Bishop Canevin High School, ALL SHOOK UP (School Edition)
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
Budget Level II
- Avonworth High School, INTO THE WOODS
- Quaker Valley High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition)
- West Allegheny High School, BYE BYE BIRDIE
Budget Level III
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
Budget Level IV
- Hampton High School, TUCK EVERLASTING
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Woodland Hills High School, WONDERLAND Pilot Production
BEST DANCE ENSEMBLE
Budget Level I
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!
- Saint Joseph High School, Disney’s TARZAN
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
Budget Level II
- Quaker Valley High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition)
- Sewickley Academy, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
- West Allegheny High School, BYE BYE BIRDIE
Budget Level III
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
Budget Level IV
- Hampton High School, TUCK EVERLASTING
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Woodland Hills High School, WONDERLAND Pilot Production
BEST CREW/TECHNICAL EXECUTION
Budget Level I
- Bishop Canevin High School, ALL SHOOK UP School Edition
- Saint Joseph High School, Disney’s TARZAN
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
Budget Level II
- Avonworth High School, INTO THE WOODS
- Keystone Oaks High School, ANYTHING GOES (2022 Revival)
- McKeesport Area High School, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
Budget Level III
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
Budget Level IV
- Pine-Richland High School, MAMMA MIA!
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Woodland Hills High School, WONDERLAND Pilot Production
BEST STUDENT ORCHESTRA
- Hampton High School, TUCK EVERLASTING
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Pine-Richland High School, MAMMA MIA!
- Shady Side Academy Senior School, ZOMBIE PROM
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ARTIST
- Brady Bandik, Lighting Designer, Thomas Jefferson High School
- Bree Boyd, Student Producer, Woodland Hills High School
- Kennedy Edwards, Stage Manager, Gateway High School
- Sophie Feldhues, Dance Captain, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School
- Abigail Gindlesperger, Student Director, Elizabeth Forward High School
- Bailey Linza, Choreographer, Saint Joseph High School
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Cole Johnston as Vice Principal Douglas Panch THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, North Hills High School
- Jack Kelly as Charlito “Chip” Tolentino, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, North Hills High School
- Leo Matthews as Jud Fry, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School
- Eamonn McElfresh as Tobias Ragg, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
- Jack Miller as Fester Addams, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition), Quaker Valley High School
- Javian Ortega-Rodriguez as Beadle Bamford, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Sophia Burik as Rona Lisa Peretti, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, North Hills High School
- Kelly Campion as Marie, The Fairy Godmother, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA (Broadway Version), Baldwin High School
- Addy Janicki as Matron Mama Morton, CHICAGO: Teen Edition, Westinghouse Arts Academy
- Kayleigh Johnson as Mrs. Potts, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Thomas Jefferson High School
- Rissa Williams as Beggar Woman SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
- Jay Zhu as Delilah Strict, ZOMBIE PROM, Shady Side Academy Senior School
BEST ACTOR
- Zachary Burkovich as Shrek, SHREK The Musical, Penn Hills High School
- Mateo Carrasco as Gomez Addams, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition), Carlynton Junior Senior High School
- Tyler Guinto-Brody as Edward Bloom, BIG FISH, Elizabeth Forward High School
- Severin Harmon as Cosmo Brown, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, Sewickley Academy
- Max Peluso as Don Lockwood, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, Sewickley Academy
- Kai Sachon as Sweeney Todd, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
BEST ACTRESS
- Emma Hopf as William Barfee, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, North Hills High School
- Hope Johnson as Mrs. Lovett, SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
- Mariana Mangual as Dorothy Gale, THE WIZARD OF OZ (RSC Version), Seton LaSalle Catholic High School
- Lucy Myers as The Witch, INTO THE WOODS, Avonworth High School
- Paulina Sanchez as Roxie Hart, CHICAGO: Teen Edition, Montour High School
- Olivia Virgin as Belle, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Thomas Jefferson High School
BEST MUSICAL
Budget Level I
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!
- Saint Joseph High School, Disney’s TARZAN
Budget Level II
- Avonworth High School, INTO THE WOODS
- Quaker Valley High School, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (School Edition)
Budget Level III
- North Hills High School, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
- Westinghouse Arts Academy, CHICAGO: Teen Edition
Budget Level IV
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- Woodland Hills High School, WONDERLAND Pilot Production
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Tickets to the 2024 Gene Kelly Awards go on sale to the public on May 17, 2024. For details, visit
