McCallum Theatre Hosts The Lucie Arnaz Awards, Top Student Performers Advance To Jimmy Awards

The McCallum Theatre hosted and presented The Lucie Arnaz Awards on Sunday, May 31. The celebration of high school musical theatre excellence throughout California’s Inland Empire was produced and directed by David W. Green, with musical direction by Michael Orland and hosted by actor Kevin Chamberlin.

Created to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of students, educators, and productions in musical theatre, the Lucie Arnaz Awards honor excellence in public and private high schools throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Named for acclaimed stage, television, and film star Lucie Arnaz, the awards program recognizes achievement in performance, production, direction, choreography, and arts education.

Among the evening’s highest honors were the Lucie-A Awards for Outstanding Leading Actor and Outstanding Leading Actress. This year’s winners were Elizabeth Eldar of Musical Theatre University in Rancho Mirage, California, and Rowen Gilstrap of Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California. They will represent the Inland Empire at the prestigious Jimmy Awards on June 22 at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City.

Established in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances, the National High School Musical Theatre Awards—commonly known as the Jimmy Awards—were created to elevate the importance of theatre arts education and recognize outstanding student achievement in musical theatre. Named for legendary Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the year-round program is administered by The Broadway League. The McCallum Theatre is a proud member of The Broadway League.

Winners from regional programs across the United States travel to New York City to participate in the national competition, an intensive week of coaching sessions, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway’s most accomplished professionals. The experience culminates in a one-night-only showcase performance on a Broadway stage, celebrating the nation’s most talented high school musical theatre performers.

Additional honors presented during the Lucie Arnaz Awards ceremony included:

• Outstanding Musical: Into the Woods — Murrieta Valley High School
• Outstanding Choreography: Hairspray — Beaumont High School
• Outstanding Ensemble: The Addams Family — J.W. North High School
• Outstanding Direction: Jennifer Sheldrake, Murrieta Valley High School

The Lucie Arnaz Awards continue to highlight the transformative power of arts education while celebrating the next generation of performers, directors, choreographers, and theatre professionals throughout the Inland Empire and beyond.