Stratford’s ‘Anything Goes’ sweeps Tommy Tune Awards
Stratford High School’s production of “Anything Goes” swept the 14th annual Tommy Tune Awards competition, winning six prizes including best musical.
The sold-out Tony Awards-style ceremony that was planned for April 19 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts was canceled because of last week’s flooding, but winners were announced that evening via webcast.
Eight scholarship recipients also were revealed in the 24-minute announcement by Hot 95.7 radio personality Sarah Pepper on the Tommy Tunes Facebook page.
“Anything Goes” star Noelle Flores, who played Reno Sweeney, won best leading actress, so she will go on to compete at the national level for the Jimmy Award and college scholarships at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City on June 27.
Flores is featured in Stratford’s April 28-30 and May 6-7 performances of “A Chorus Line,” along with Collins Rush and Matthew Hopper, who were best leading actor nominees at the Tommy Tunes, and Marlina Brown, a best leading actress finalist from “Anything Goes.”
Stratford’s tap-dancing revival of Cole Porter’s popular 1934 shipboard romance also scored acting nominations for Dustin Nichols, Grayson LaGrange and Kate Schageman.
Going into the finals, “Anything Goes” led the 45-school competition
with 16 nominations in 15 categories.
“That was kind of a big wow,” said director CeCe Prudhomme.
The musical won additional Tommy Tune honors for best direction, ensemble/chorus, costume design and featured performer, Kirby Morris as Chastity (Angel No. 2).
Morris was also nominated last year for best featured performer, as Gloria in “Bye Bye Birdie,” which won best direction.
“She has such an incredible stage presence,” said Prudhomme.
“She had a really great moment that made her stand out in ‘Anything Goes’ when she danced to ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow.’ ”
Ty Doran, a senior at The Kinkaid School, claimed the coveted $5,000 Ruth Denney Scholarship, which is named in honor of the legendary Lamar High School drama teacher who was Tune’s mentor.
In addition to starring as Edna Turnblad in Kinkaid’s Tommy Tune entry, “Hairspray,” Doran performed a recurring role as Peter Tanner in last fall’s highly acclaimed drama series “American Crime” on ABC-TV. He plans to follow graduation this spring by enrolling as a theater major at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
“Hairspray,” a co-production with G.W. Carver Magnet School in Alief ISD, was nominated for 10 Tommy Tunes, including best musical.
It won for best choreography, repeating its win in that category for last year’s “A Chorus Line.”
Alex Goeringer, 18, who played Edna’s “kooky” husband, Wilber Turnblad, was a nominee for best supporting actor and the winner of a $3,000 Tommy Tune scholarship.
“I usually play serious roles, like the mean guy, so it was fun to play a goofball,” said Goeringer, who will attend Vanderbilt University.
Kinkaid sophomore Mia Munn, 16, of Bellaire was nominated for best supporting actress as Penny Pingleton, a character she believes embodies the spirit of the Carver-Kinkaid collaboration.
As Tracy’s loyal friend, she is the first to follow Tracy into a black neighborhood, saying, “I’m very pleased and scared to be here.”
“Hairspray” also won nominations for best featured performer, direction, musical direction, stage crew and technical execution, costumes, choreography and ensemble/chorus.
Also one of eight nominees for best musical was Second Baptist School’s “Grease: School Version,” whose 12 nods included Gabrielle Adickes as Sandy Dumbrowski for best leading actress, supporting actress Kendall Spurlin as Frenchy, supporting actor Tyler Braswell as Teen Angel, direction, stage crew and technical execution, musical direction, choreography, lighting, costumes, scenic design and ensemble/chorus.
Adickes also won a $3,000 Tommy Tune scholarship.
Other Memorial-area scholarship recipients included Kinkaid’s Alexandra Szeto-Joe and Savannah Faith Rucoba of Houston Christian High School, whose production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” nabbed a nod for Cole Little for best supporting actor as Sir Dennis/Galahad.
Adam Peña as Max Bialystock and Matthew Ridgers as Leo Bloom were nominees for best leading actor in “The Producers” from Spring Woods High.
“They played off each other beautifully,” said director Terry HibbertIsmert.
Episcopal High School’s “Godspell – 2012” won 11 nominations, including best musical, leading actor Sultan Abboushi, supporting actress Sofia Starrtjes, featured performer Jilian Branch, direction, stage crew and technical execution, musical direction, choreography, lighting, scenic design and ensemble/chorus.
Theatre Under the Stars sponsored the competition, in which three-judge panels of 30 Houstonbased theater enthusiasts evaluated entries during the 2015-16 school year.