2025 GENE KELLY AWARD NOMINEES
Pittsburgh CLO and The Michael J. Kara Family are proud to announce the nominees for the 34th Annual Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, taking place on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30pm at the Benedum Center.
Nominees have been recognized in categories including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Actor & Actress, Design, and Technical Execution, Vocal and Dance Ensembles, and Student Orchestra. The winners for Outstanding Actor and Outstanding Actress will go on to represent Pittsburgh CLO at the Jimmy Awards®, held June 23, 2025 at Broadway’s Minskoff Theater.
In addition to the more than 34 awards, several cash and university scholarships will be presented, made possible through generous donations from the CLO Ambassadors, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Seton Hill University, Point Park University Conservatory and Robert Morris University.
Over the past three months, a panel of adjudicators – including educators, administrators, and industry professionals – attended performances at 34 high schools across Allegheny County. Final scoring was tabulated by Deloitte LLP, official auditor of the Gene Kelly Awards.
2025 Gene Kelly Award Nominees:
Budget Level I
Avonworth High School – SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Carlynton Jr./Sr. High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – CHILDREN OF EDEN
Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
McKeesport Area High School – TITANIC the Musical
Westinghouse Arts Academy – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Budget Level III
Montour High School – Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School – SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Woodland Hills Senior High School – HAIRSPRAY
OUTSTANDING CREW/TECHNICAL EXECUTION
Budget Level I
Avonworth High School – SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Bishop Canevin High School – XANADU
Carlynton Jr./Sr. High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – NEWSIES
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Quaker Valley High School – MY FAIR LADY
Budget Level III
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Shady Side Academy Senior School – WE WILL ROCK YOU: School Edition
West Allegheny High School - FOOTLOOSE
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Thomas Jefferson High School – SHREK THE MUSICAL
Woodland Hills Senior High School - HAIRSPRAY
Budget Level I
Avonworth High School – SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Carlynton Jr./Sr. High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – CHILDREN OF EDEN
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – NEWSIES
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Budget Level III
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
West Allegheny High School - FOOTLOOSE
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Pine-Richland High School – 42nd STREET
Woodland Hills Senior High School - HAIRSPRAY
Budget Level I
Carlynton Jr./Sr. High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – CHILDREN OF EDEN
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – 9 TO 5 The Musical
Budget Level II
Chartiers Valley High School – SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Budget Level III
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
West Allegheny High School - FOOTLOOSE
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School – SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Woodland Hills Senior High School - HAIRSPRAY
Budget Level I
Avonworth High School – SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Carlynton Jr./Sr. High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – CHILDREN OF EDEN
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – NEWSIES
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Budget Level III
Montour High School – DISNEY’s THE LITTLE MERMAID
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School – SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Woodland Hills Senior High School - HAIRSPRAY
Budget Level I
Avonworth High School – SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – CHILDREN OF EDEN
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – 9 TO 5 The Musical
Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
McKeesport Area High School – TITANIC the Musical
Westinghouse Arts Academy – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Budget Level III
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
West Allegheny High School - FOOTLOOSE
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Pine-Richland High School – 42nd STREET
Woodland Hills Senior High School - HAIRSPRAY
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pine-Richland High School – 42nd STREET
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – 9 TO 5 the Musical
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Shady Side Academy Senior School – WE WILL ROCK YOU: School Edition
Spencer Callaghan
Student Director
Elizabeth Forward High School
Kennedy Edwards
Student Stage Manager
Gateway High School
Ivy Freshwater & MaryKate Tracy
Student Stage Managers
Montour High School
Zack Frollini
Student Band Leader/Conductor
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Grace Schmigel
Student Costume Coordinator
Avonworth High School
Mikayla Webber
Student Stage Manager and Scenic Charge
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Will Benedum
Squidward Q. Tentacles
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Westinghouse Arts Academy
Wyatt Bernardini
Old Prince Bolkonsky
NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Mycah Harris
Fedya Dolokhov
NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Carson McKinney
Willard Hewitt
FOOTLOOSE
West Allegheny High School
Daniel Morgan
Hades
HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Hampton High School
Noah Prosky
Thomas Nostradamus
SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Ady Burgoyne
Tobias Ragg
SWEENEY TODD: SCHOOL EDITION
Avonworth High School
Faith Evans
Tabatha/Cheshire Cat
ALICE BY HEART
North Hills High School
Harmony Karwoski
Johanna
SWEENEY TODD: SCHOOL EDITION
Avonworth High School
Beatrice Laurenson
Beggar Woman
SWEENEY TODD: SCHOOL EDITION
Avonworth High School
Sophia Priore
Maggie Jones
42nd STREET
Pine-Richland High School
Siddaly Sykes
Portia
SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School
Mateo Carrasco
Orpheus
HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Carlynton Jr./Sr. High School
Amerik Cirota
SpongeBob SquarePants
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Westinghouse Arts Academy
Severin Harmon
Bobby Child
CRAZY FOR YOU
Sewickley Academy
Paxon Masters
Sweeney Todd
SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Avonworth High School
Eamonn McElfresh
Pierre Bezukhov
NATASHA, PIERRE, & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Vaughn Spencer
Julian Marsh
42nd STREET
Pine-Richland High School
Hallie Cantola
Sandy Cheeks
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Westinghouse Arts Academy
Anna Karmanos
Dorothy Brock
42nd STREET
Pine-Richland High School
Mariana Mangual
Ella
Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA (Broadway Version)
Seton LaSalle Catholic High School
Lucy Myers
Mrs. Lovett
SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Avonworth High School
Livia Rocco
Tracy Turnblad
HAIRSPRAY
Woodland Hills High School
Ava Stropkaj
Ariel
Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID
Montour High School
Budget Level I
Avonworth High School – SWEENEY TODD: School Edition
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – CHILDREN OF EDEN
Budget Level II
Elizabeth Forward High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Budget Level III
North Hills High School – ALICE BY HEART
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – HADESTOWN: Teen Edition
Woodland Hills Senior High School - HAIRSPRAY