After several students put in countless hours of hard work and careful preparation, they advanced in the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theater competition. Camille Huckaby, Esra Melech and Sage Rockow earned a spot as semi-finalists for the Broadway Dallas award.
Broadway Dallas is a non-profit organization that has presented premier Broadway shows in North Texas since 1941. They do shows with a theater group and also run a highly prestigious award contest to recognize the best high school actors, actresses, and stage crew in North Texas.
“I was nominated as a semifinalist for the Broadway Dallas Award, and if you’re nominated, it means you portrayed that role the best and that judges feel like you did well in the show and were very committed,” Broadway Dallas Semi-finalist junior Sage Rockow said.
Broadway Dallas starts by hand-picking students across North Texas and then emails you the information needed to audition. The award is very competitive; all three actresses had to compete against 5,000 other students ranging from freshman-seniors in high school all around North Texas.
“The judges go around the schools, and they grade each performer, and to be the semifinalist, you had to be in the top 25 scores,” Broadway Dallas Semifinalist senior Camille Huckaby said.
The students have about a week to prepare before performing in front of five to six judges to audition. The judges start by picking eight different people across North Texas, and if you get nominated, you then get the opportunity to perform in front of a few different judges.
“The three semi-finalists all went into the show giving it their all and sending everything they did. They are also all three just really incredible performers, and all have really strong, powerful voices,” theater teacher Brittany Murphy said.
Being nominated for the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theater Award is the second biggest High School Musical Theater Award in the country, and it can also help you further your acting or singing career. Scouts look at nominees to find actors or actresses in college or even further in musical productions.
“There’s an award show in New York that you can get into by winning this award show. Winning lead performer in a musical at the Broadway Dallas High School Music Theater Awards can lead to you going to the Jimmy Awards, which is the biggest high school awards in the country. A lot of people who win the Jimmy Awards become Broadway Stars,” Murphy said.
Students had to prepare two pieces of music that were used in the show they were awarded for. Students had to pick, cut, and practice their music ahead of time in order to be fully prepared to perform.
“Once I decided what songs I wanted to sing, I just went back to listen and watch myself sing the song that I was going to sing. After I resung the song multiple times and tried to remember how to be a leading player again,” Broadway Dallas Semi-finalist Esra Melech said.
The Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theater Award is a prestigious award that rewards hard work and dedication. It allows students to further their acting careers and practice auditioning in front of judges.
“These girls prepare by being in class, auditioning for things, taking risks, and putting themselves out there. None of these girls would have achieved this if it weren’t for their hard work or effort because even if they are amazing actresses, if they aren’t willing to give it their all, then it doesn’t matter,” Murphy said.
