Host Lamont J. Whitaker opened The 2024 Jewel Awards ceremony with a musical medley
photo by Elliot Walker
Christian Heritage School performs a song from their Best Musical-winning production of ”The Addams Family”
photo by Luke Wilson
The cast of ”Fiddler on the Roof” from Chattanooga Christian School perform a song from their production
photo by Luke Wilson
Gracia Wright and Jazhel Arostegui sing in the closing number of The 2024 Jewel Awards ceremony
photo by Elliot Walker
Local high school theatre students packed the Walker Theatre on Saturday for the first annual Jewel Awards, presented by the Tivoli Theatre Foundation. Part of the Foundation’s newly formed education department, The Jewel Awards seeks to support, encourage, and grow high school theatre programs and connects them to The Broadway League Foundation’s National High School Musical Theatre Awards. The evening was hosted by actor Lamont J. Whitaker, who is currently on tour with “The Book of Mormon.”
Chattanooga Christian School set the record with nine wins for their production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” including Best Music Direction and Best Choreography, and Christian Heritage School took home the top award of Best Musical for their production of “The Addams Family.”
The evening featured performances from each production as well as six Best Actor and Actress Finalists: Jazhel Arostegui (Christian Heritage School), Haven Gee (Signal Mountain High School), Charlie Stebbing (Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts), Ethan Stoddard (Chattanooga Christian School), Baleigh Wadel (Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts), and Gracia Wright (Christian Heritage School). Ultimately, Jazhel Arostegui and Gracia Wright earned the Best Actor and Actress wins. Both students will travel to New York City this summer to compete in the Jimmy Awards and will perform in a showcase at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre on June 24.
The Tivoli Theatre Foundation also presented the first Excellence in Theatre Education Award to Mrs. Lori Wortman of Boyd-Buchanan School. Mrs. Wortman was selected for this award because of her deep care for her students and community. One student said about her, “She creates a space where we are free to fail, because in failure, we grow [into] the strong person we were created to be.” Mrs. Wortman will receive a classroom grant of $1,000 to continue her work in theatre education.
For a full list of awards and winners, visit www.tivolichattanooga.com/education/jewelawards