5.8.2025
Inaugural KPA Bradley Awards Announces Nominees
The inaugural Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) Bradley Awards are officially announcing this year’s nominees and the ceremony will place on June 1, 2025 at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in Louisville. This program is an official regional awards program of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®), known also as The Jimmy Awards®. The KPA Bradley Awards will introduce talented youth in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to the national stage while celebrating the importance of theatre arts education. The KPA Bradley Awards are named in honor of Bradley Broecker, whose central role in bringing touring Broadway shows to Kentuckiana has made an immeasurable impact on the region’s vibrancy. The KPA Bradley Awards are presented by KPA in partnership with the Louisville Theatrical Association.
The winning students awarded Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role will represent the region at the 2025 Jimmy Awards® in New York City, which includes 10 days of private coaching, master classes and rehearsals with theater professionals, all-expenses paid. The week will culminate in a national awards ceremony at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway Monday, June 23, 2025.
“The KPA Bradley Awards speaks to our ongoing commitment to arts education and support,” said Kim Baker, Kentucky Performing Arts President and CEO. “This event will provide a foundation for young artists who are the backbone of the future of the arts in Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and the entire region.”
The KPA Bradley Awards seek to build community amongst the region’s high school musical theatre programs and amplify the significant accomplishments of our region’s educators and students.
The nominees for the KPA Bradley Awards are:
Behind the Scenes Excellence - Sponsored by Bradley Broecker
Alex Clarke / Costumes
Savannah Mack / Costumes
Luke Nobers / Props Lead
Clare O’Bryan / Stage Manager
Justine Ford Pitts / Tech Lead – Shifting Lead
Ballard High School, Louisville, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Emma Hockensmith / Choreographer
Reilly Ketterer / Assistant Director
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - THE LIGHTNING THIEF
Charlotte Davis / Assistant Stage Manager and Costume Designer
Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, KY - THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Samantha McNichol / Costume Designer
John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY - MAMMA MIA!
Penny Ferguson / Stage Manager
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Outstanding Student Designer-Sponsored by Think Tank Marketing
Savannah Mack, Costume Design
Ballard High School, Louisville, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Delaney Mullanix, Lighting Design
Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Elinor Soult, Costume Design
Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Charlotte Davis, Costume Design
Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, KY - THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Jansen Lewis, Set Design
Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, KY - THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Outstanding Technical Execution
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Cyrus Jaques as Mr. Krabs
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Sam Lynn as Don Price
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
Landon Howard as Audrey II
Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Aneesh Nair as Kevin Gnapoor
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, KY - MEAN GIRLS: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION
Finnegan Broyles as Rapunzel’s Prince
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Elaina Norton as Rose
Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - THE SECRET GARDEN
Silvia Periago as Clarisse
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - THE LIGHTNING THIEF
Lyvia McCutchen as Pearl Krabs
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Janeway Howard as Countess Ipolitov
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - ANASTASIA
Evie Robertson as Jenny Hill
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
Outstanding Dance Execution
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
Outstanding Arts Mentor-Sponsored by Bruce Merrick and Karen McCoy
Sarah Fain
Ballard High School, Louisville, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Phyllis Westfall
John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY - MAMMA MIA!
Amanda Simmons
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Maddie Anderson
Randall K Cooper High School, Union, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Cayce Crowder-Abellard
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
Outstanding Community Engagement
Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SHREK: THE MUSICAL
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - THE LIGHTNING THIEF
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - ANASTASIA
Randall K Cooper High School, Union, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Outstanding Ensemble Performance-Sponsored by Frank and Paula Harshaw
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
Best Actor in a Leading Role
John Brasher as Dickon
Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - THE SECRET GARDEN
Joey Webb as Squidward
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Carson Chesnut as Will Bloom
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
Braydon Branam as Seymour
Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Jeremiah Stephens as Schroeder
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Kelsie Thacker as Sandy Cheeks
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Abigail Scheer as Sandra Bloom
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
Jenna Morrison as Velma Kelly
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Caylen Judd as Cinderella
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Kennedy Julian as Sally Brown
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
Best Overall Musical Production-Sponsored by Michael E. Berry
Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - THE SECRET GARDEN
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - BIG FISH
New Albany High School, New Albany, IN - CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - INTO THE WOODS
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN!
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Tickets for the KPA Bradley Awards, taking place at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts June 1, 2025, 5:00PM, are available now at KentuckyPerformingArts.org.
ABOUT KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS
Bringing world class performances to Kentucky, connecting artists with the community, and providing arts education opportunities, Kentucky Performing Arts lives its statewide mission of connecting and inspiring through the arts. Kentucky Performing Arts has a significant impact on the Commonwealth’s tourism and local economy, contributing $26.3 million in an average year, including $15.8 million in direct economic impact with our patrons spending an additional $10.5 million annually. As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, Kentucky Performing Arts, along with the other agencies, seeks to preserve and promote the history, heritage, and arts of the Commonwealth.
Three locations in Louisville make up the family of venues under the Kentucky Performing Arts umbrella:
- The Kentucky Center at 501 W. Main St.
- The Brown Theatre, 315 W. Broadway
- Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, 724 Brent St.
ABOUT THE JIMMY AWARDS
The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts approximately 150,000 students who participate in 55 regional high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships since its launch in 2009. Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, Inc., the NHSMTA invites two nominees from each local regional ceremony to New York City for a rigorous theatre intensive that includes coaching sessions, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway’s most accomplished professionals. Nominees will spend ten days in New York City from Friday, June 13, 2025, through Tuesday, June 24, 2025, and their experience will culminate in an extraordinary talent showcase performed live in front of an audience on a Broadway stage. The sixteenth annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 23, 2025, at the Minskoff Theatre. For more information, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com.
The Louisville Theatrical Association, founded in 1938, is a civic, not-for-profit organization with a volunteer Board of Directors. LTA’s mission is to sustain the Broadway Series as a dynamic and primary source of performing arts entertainment; to maintain the series as a resource to enhance the quality of other arts activities in the Louisville area; to assist in the preservation of historic theatre properties; and to extend community participation in the arts through programs of education.
