Best Southwest High Schools Nominated for DSM Awards

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Best Southwest schools nominated for DSM HSMTA
Waxahachie HS Matilda the Musical ensemble

Dallas Summer Musicals recently announced the nominees for the 10th Annual DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards (HSMTA). The awards ceremony will be presented virtually through DSM’s YouTube page on June 11. Awards will be announced live, plus live performances and acceptance speeches by nominees and winners.

The DSM HSMTA celebrates the power of the arts and its ability to significantly improve all areas of education. The annual DSM HSMTA recognizes artistic and educational achievements of North Texas students and their high school programs. A diverse group of qualified judges from the North Texas theater community attended 41 performances from

39 participating high schools to evaluate the productions.

“We are thrilled to be recognizing the hard work and talent of students and teachers across North Texas for the 10th year in a row,” says Ken Novice, president of Dallas Summer Musicals. “DSM is so proud of this year’s participants who, although faced with the challenges of the pandemic, kept the spirit of musical theatre alive through their productions. It’s truly an honor to celebrate everyone involved. Congratulations to all of the 2021 nominees!”

DSM HSMTA

Awards will be presented in 15 categories and scholarships are awarded to outstanding graduating seniors who are nominated by their teachers and selected by the DSM scholarship panel. DSM HSMTA will award $55,000 in cash scholarships to foster the great talent North Texas has to offer. The scholarship program has awarded over $400,000 in cash scholarships to deserving students so far.

All nominees are listed at DSMHSMTA.org. Winners will be announced in a virtual livestream of the DSM HSMTA awards ceremony on June 11 through DSM’s YouTube page. A link to view the livestream will be posted at DSMHSMTA.org and on DSM’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Best Southwest Nominees

Waxahachie HS is nominated in nine categories for their production of “Matilda the Musical.” The categories are Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Music Direction, Best Scenic Design, Best Ensemble, and Best Orchestra. Anthony Gallo is nominated for Best Actor, Belle Winn is nominated for Best Actress, and Noah Reynolds is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for their roles in “Matilda the Musical” at Waxahachie HS.

Best southwest schools nominated for DSM HSMTA
Anthony Gallo, Waxahachie HS

Cedar Hill HS is nominated in five categories, including Best Orchestra and for Best Costume Design for “The Wiz.” Jacobie Thornton is nominated for Best Actor, Sydney Wade is nominated for Best Actress, and Sandy Johnson is nominated for Best Featured Performer for Cedar Hill HS’s production of “The Wiz.”

Isabella Tueck of Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy is nominated for Best Actress for “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”

Duncanville High School

Evan Lee, a Duncanville HS student, was awarded Special Recognition for Outstanding Performance in “Dreamgirls.” Rebekah Lowery, Duncanville HS theatre instructor, said, Evan Lee, a Duncanville HS student, was awarded Special Recognition for Outstanding Performance in “Dreamgirls.”

Rebekah Lowery, Duncanville HS lead theatre director, said, “We actually did not get to perform ‘Dreamgirls’ due to issues with Covid. We participated in the audition only track that DSM offered this year for schools that could not do a full production. Evan was cast as Curtis before we had to cancel the production, and that was the part he performed for his submission. He is a Junior and is in A Cappella and Velocity Show Choir. He is extremely hard working and talented.”

Best southwest schools nominated in DSM HSMTA
Duncanville HS
Evan Lee

“Next year, we are hoping to return to a normal production schedule which would include a musical. We are hoping to fully compete in the Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre Awards,” she said.

Since 1941, the non-profit Dallas Summer Musicals Inc. (DSM) has presented the Best of Broadway to North Texas audiences. Located in the historic Music Hall at Fair Park, DSM promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through education and community outreach programs, while enriching the cultural landscape of North Texas and the Southwest Region. “Wicked the Musical” returns to kick off the 2021 DSM touring Broadway shows at the Music Hall at Fair Park August.