High school actors representing Belleville and O’Fallon on a New York stage

For the first time ever, the two students representing St. Louis at the 15th annual Jimmy Awards June 24 are from the metro-east region.

Will Kinsella of O’Fallon Township High School and Theo Rickert of Belleville West are currently in New York City, preparing for the one-night-only talent showcase on Broadway. The ceremony highlights the best of high school musical theatre talent and features nominees from over 50 regions around the United States.

Formally known as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, Kinsella and Rickert earned the honor by being named Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress at the seventh annual St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards on May 24 at the Fox Theatre.

Kinsella’s award-winning performance was as Marius in OTHS’s spring musical, “Les Miserables: School Edition,” and Rickert’s was as Spongebob Squarepants in “The SpongeBob Musical” at Belleville West.

“As they performed on the Fox stage at the SLHSMTA, they were up against some fierce competition, and they managed to rise to the top. I know they will represent the St. Louis region very well,” said Nick D. Johnson, Belleville West director who was nominated for the school production.

Kinsella and Rickert are among the 102 national finalists taking part in a week-long intensive before the live competition on Monday at the Minskoff Theatre, presented by the Broadway League Foundation.

People will be able to access a streaming link online at YouTube and Facebook. Singer-actor Josh Groban is host of the show that starts at 6:30 p.m.

The actor and actress winners received an all-expenses-paid trip and participate in a week-long professional development experience with coaching by industry professionals and rehearsals. They were surprised with tickets to the Tony Awards Sunday.

“I still have tears of joy when I think of all the incredible experiences Theo is having during their time in NYC,” Johnson said.

Johnson, and OTHS director Eve Knipp, commented on the pair as performers, but also as human beings.

“Will is such a talented actor and, quite frankly, an overall wonderful person. He’s kind, generous, gracious – just an amazing human,” Knipp said.

“We all are just over the moon that Theo is attending the Jimmy’s. I have directed Theo in three musicals, and it is always a pleasure working with them. They are always professional and courteous,” Johnson said.

“SpongeBob was such a great role to showcase Theo’s range. They are classically trained as an opera soprano – and is in the Opera Theater of St. Louis Artist-in-Training program, but this role allowed them to develop and showcase their tenor chops, including some pretty impressive belting.” Johnson said.

“It was really fun to watch Theo and Eric Perschbacher, as Patrick Star, develop chemistry in all of their scenes. Those two would go home after rehearsals and add little extra moments – glances, giggles, mirrored movements – that took their songs like ‘BFF’ and ‘Hero is My Middle Name’ to the next level,” he said.

At this year’s St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards, Belleville West’s production of “The SpongeBob Musical” tied with Visitation Academy’s “Mean Girls: School Edition” to win Outstanding Musical Level 2.

West’s Lukas Pellman and Peyton Long won supporting actor and supporting actress awards, Perschbacher was nominated, and Camryn Houk won for costume design.

The St. Louis awards are produced by the Fox Theatre, The Muny and The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, and celebrate achievements in musical theatre. A year-long adjudication process culminates in an awards ceremony modeled on the Tony Awards.

The St. Louis awards are part of a national program that impacts more than 140,000 students who compete annually. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, more than $5 million in educational scholarships have been given out since the awards program began in 2009.

LeeAnne Mathews, Education and Artistic Director for the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, said 44 schools in the region asked to be judged for this year’s local awards, and that involved about 3,000 area students.

“The sense of community this builds with high school students and teachers is really special,” Mathews said.

She said representatives from the Fox and The Muny went to each high school personally to let them know they were nominated.

“It was really exciting to see all of the students, and to see the schools, and their theater departments. It was a great way to commemorate their achievements,” she said.

Mathews will be in New York City for the awards, as will Johnson, who will be cheering them on as they step onto a Broadway stage.

“They get to work with all these talented professionals, and it has an impact on them,” Mathews said.

Kinsella is the third student from OTHS and with Rickert, they are the third and fourth teens in the metro-east to compete in the Jimmys.

OTHS alumni Gage Williams competed last year, selected for the Rising Star Award by the artistic staff. “Showing impressive advancement in one week, this nominee took notes and direction to heart; was eager to learn from others,” said Jimmy Awards co-founder Van Kaplan.

Meadow Nguy represented Illinois in 2012 and Michael Harp of Swansea, who attended Althoff Catholic High School, won the St. Louis outstanding actor award twice in 2019 and 2020.

Harp was the host of this year’s St. Louis Awards.

Last year, OTHS’s musical “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” also took home the Outstanding Musical Level 2 Award, and Kinsella was named Outstanding Supporting Actor. Eve Knipp was nominated as director.

“I was so excited for him winning this year and to see him and Gage on the Fox stage, both Outstanding Lead Actor winners, two years in a row was truly phenomenal,” Knipp said.

For more information, visit www.JimmyAwards.com. Their Facebook page is being updated with rehearsal photos daily. For more information about the St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards, visit their Facebook page.