Wausau Pilot & Review
Local high school theater departments and performers, including several from Wausau-area schools, were recognized for their talents when Madison’s Overture Center announced this year’s Jerry Awards recipients on May 11.
The largest program of its kind in Wisconsin, the Jerry Awards encourages, recognizes and honors excellence in high school musical theater. The program began in the 2009/10 school year in Madison and has since expanded across the state of Wisconsin. Educators and industry professionals reviewed over 100 high school productions across the state, providing valuable feedback. The program elevates the importance of musical theater within high schools.
The Grand Theater is proud to have partnered with Overture Center since 2016 to expand the program to North Central Wisconsin schools. Our region is well-represented among award recipients this year, with two local schools receiving Outstanding Musical awards, six students receiving Outstanding Lead Performance awards, six students receiving Outstanding Supporting Performance awards, and several other awards going to our region’s school productions.
The 2022/23 Jerry Awards program will culminate in a live Awards Show June 11 at Overture Center in Madison to honor student and school achievements, including appearances by the Outstanding Award recipients. The Central Wisconsin Jerry Ensemble, a Grand Theater program featuring 22 students from 10 area high schools, also will perform in the show’s opening number.
North Central Wisconsin schools received Jerry Awards for outstanding achievements in the following areas:
Outstanding Musical:
- Antigo High School’s Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins
- DC Everest Senior High School’s Chicago: Teen Edition
Outstanding Ensemble: Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
Outstanding Direction: Kate Janssen, Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
Outstanding Lead Performance:
- Logan Preul (as Mary Poppins) in Antigo High School’s Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins Mansi Peters (as Velma Kelly) in DC Everest Senior High School’s Chicago: Teen Edition Olivia England (as Dorothy Gale) in Lakeland Union High School’s The Wizard of Oz
- Massa Justice (as Dorothy Brock) in Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
- Nolan Mudler (as William Shakespeare) and Nolan Travis (Nick Bottom) in Wausau West High School’s Something Rotten!
Outstanding Supporting Performance:
- Jonah Gilbert (as Emerald City Guard) in Lakeland Union High School’s The Wizard of Oz Jaiden Pillai (as Lazar Wolf) in Merrill High School’s Fiddler on the Roof
- Alyssa Imse (as Maggie Jones) in Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
- Elena Larson (as Gingy/Sugar Plum Fairy) in Rhinelander High School’s Shrek The Musical William Iriarte (as Christopher Belling) in Wausau East High School’s Curtains
- Milo Holdhusen (as Shylock) in Wausau West High School’s Something Rotten
Outstanding Dance Performance: Finn Noll (Bobby Pepper), Wausau East High School’s Curtains
Outstanding Overall Design: Marshfield High School’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
Outstanding Scenic Design: Ethan Jahnke, Lakeland Union High School’s The Wizard of Oz
Outstanding Costume Design:
- Louise Caroselli, Lakeland Union High School’s The Wizard of Oz
- Judy Clure, Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
Outstanding Lighting Design:
- Sophia Simac, Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
- Bex Konner and Riley Zarm, Rhinelander High School’s Shrek The Musical
Spirit Award:
- Jay Nibarger, DC Everest’s Chicago: Teen Edition
- Isaac Olson, Lakeland Union High School’s The Wizard of Oz
- Sophia Lee, Marshfield High School’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
- Jaiden Pillai, Merrill High School’s Fiddler on the Roof
- Emma Perry, Northland Pines High School’s 42nd Street
- Sophia Parish and Travis White, Rhinelander High School’s Shrek The Musical
- Evian Vongphakdy, Wausau East High School’s Curtains
- Nathan Murillo Barahona, Wausau West High School’s Something Rotten!
For more information on the Jerry Awards, visit the The Grand’s website at www.grandtheater.org/programs, contact The Grand’s Director of Development & Community Engagement Katy Lang at [email protected], or call our Ticket Office at 715-842-0988.
