Davenport Central High School students continue to shine in theater.
The Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards have been released and the following students were recognized for their performances in Central’s April production of “Rock of Ages”:
- Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role: Croix Baker as Drew
- Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role: Mia Roldan as Sherrie
- Special Recognition in a Principal Role: Emily Winn as Anita Bath
For their nominations as performers, Croix Baker (for the second year in a row) and Mia Roldan will participate in the Triple Threat Award program with other advanced performing students across Iowa, Central drama director Thea IntVeld said Friday.
In addition to a special performance at the June 1 Iowa High School Musical Theater Association showcase, students will audition for theater camp scholarships and the opportunity to represent Iowa at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City this summer.
As well as their nominations for Triple Threat, Croix and Mia will perform live on stage for the spotlight showcase with their song, “High Enough.”
The 2023 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase is produced by Des Moines Performing Arts as the culmination of a year-long education initiative. The showcase will be held at the Des Moines Civic Center on Thursday, June 1 at 7 p.m. and will recognize a total of 94 schools from across the state, IntVeld said.
“Congratulations goes out to our wonderful performers! Their hard work and dedication to this show has really paid off and we are very proud of you,” she posted on Facebook.
Emily Winn, a sophomore, last year was chosen to perform in the Iowa High School Musical Theatre Awards Showcase, held June 18, at the Des Moines Civic Center. She won the chance to represent Iowa at the 2022 Jimmy Awards.
That included 92 participants nationwide making their debut on a Broadway stage when they performed in a talent showcase. During this event, a panel of judges selected two students for the coveted awards of Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress (the winners were from San Antonio and San Diego).
The program has invited two nominees (a boy and girl) from each regional ceremony across the country to New York City to participate in a theatre intensive including coaching and rehearsals with Broadway professionals in preparation for a one-night-only talent showcase on a Broadway stage.
The Jimmy Awards (formally the National High School Musical Theatre Awards) took place June 27, 2022 at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre.
Emily — who starred as Ariel in Central’s production of “The Little Mermaid” in April 2022 — wore an Ariel costume and wig that was provided, for a special character medley in the show, culmination of a nine-day program in New York City.
Last year, the Iowa High School Musical Theatre Association awarded Emily, Croix Baker and Gage McAlister with the “Triple Threat” from “The Little Mermaid.”
Throughout the school year, theater professionals traveled across the state to review high school musical productions. The best students from those schools come together to share highlights from their productions on the Des Moines Civic Center stage and to receive honors for their work in performance, technical and creative categories.
In addition, students will work under the direction of a guest music director and choreographer from New York City to give the best performances of their young lives.
Davenport Central also was invited to the International Thespian Festival with Croix, Emily, and three other students who qualified with a superior ranking and will compete in the along with the fall play, “Steel Magnolias,” that won as a chapter select production. They performed it at Iowa Thespian Festival last November at University of Northern Iowa.
Students will perform excerpts from the play during the festival at Indiana University-Bloomington, June 19-23. Central will also show a 45-minute excerpt of the play on May 26th at 7 p.m. in the school Performing Arts Center for the public at no charge.
The 14th-annual Jimmy Awards ceremony will take place on June 26, 2023, again at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre, where “The Lion King” is currently the second longest-running show on Broadway.
This year continues Central’s tradition of earning “Triple Threat” honors. Peyton Reese (a 2019 Central grad) was the Iowa “Triple Threat” representative at the Jimmys in June 2019 — winning for Central’s production of “Heathers.”
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