The entire Shawnee Mission Northwest theater department and orchestra were called into the auditorium during Thursday’s seminar on April 30th, to receive Blue Star nominations. 

Starlight considers Blue Star Awards as one of the largest and most admired high school musical theatre awards programs in the nation. It annually recognizes achievement and excellence in musical theatre among Kansas City area high school students,” according to their website. Various categories for these awards include outstanding choreography for October’s, The Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee, as well as best featured actress for the stepsisters in Cinderella, the musical held in February. 

This is the most nominations Northwest has received since theater teacher Shawnasea Holst has worked for Thespian Troupe 888. Students who applied to be in the ceremony ensemble, if nominated, get to perform at the opening ceremony at the Starlight Theater on May 22. 

“It’s just a fun medley of a ton of songs and dancing,” junior John Leon, who was one of two students who received this nomination, said. 

The other was junior Louisa Bartlett.  

The ceremony overlaps with graduation, but both Leon and Bartlett said they would choose to perform for Blue Star rather than attend graduation if it were to fall on the same date next year. 

“It’s really sad, because a bunch of my friends are graduating,” Bartlett said. 

Other students who were nominated this year were sophomore Harper Ward for outstanding choreography, senior Elenor Roberts and Louisa Barlett for best featured actresses in the musical Cinderella. Barlett was also nominated for the Junior Rising Star Scholar Award. Hair and makeup, and the pit orchestra received an Outstanding.

“I am crazy proud, not only because it’s the most we’ve received since I’ve been here, but especially because it’s for our individual students,” Holst said.