Eisenhower, West Collect Six Jerry Awards for Theater Excellence

The School District of New Berlin amazingly talented high school theater programs were recognized with six Jerry Awards from the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison.

The Eisenhower program earned four awards for its production of Rent: School Edition. Rent earned awards for Outstanding Orchestra, Outstanding Costume Designer (Mary Kirby) and Outstanding Scenic Design (Kirby and Natalie Baertschy), and Rose Reichert was awarded a Jerry Spirit Award.

West’s production of Disney’s Newsies collected two awards. Dayne Anderson and Amy West were recognized for Outstanding Stage Management and Evan McKenzie earned a Spirit Award for the third consecutive year.

Formerly known as the Tommy Awards, the Jerry Awards recognize and honor excellence in high school musical theater. Overture’s Jerry Awards program is an education initiative that recognizes, honors and encourages excellence in musical theater production among area high school students. Musicals of participating schools are reviewed by a panel of educators, theater experts and industry professions. Based on reviewers’ comments and tabulations, productions and individuals receive awards in specific categories.

This year, the Jerry adjudicators reviewed nearly 100 high school musicals throughout Wisconsin this school year. Award winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony in June at the Overture Center in Madison.