playbill vip

The Iowa High School Musical Awards, Presented by Des Moines Performing Arts, celebrates the extraordinary achievements of young musical theater artists.  The program aims to create visibility and support for high school musical theater programs and to highlight the importance of arts education.

Panels of community adjudicators comprised of performing arts educators and professionals attend and review each participating school production. Students and directors receive valuable constructive feedback that can be used to grow and strengthen their future work. Based on reviews and scores, schools ultimately receive awards in honor of their achievements in categories ranging from choreography, design, supporting performer, lead performer and overall musical production. 

The IOWA HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER AWARDS is designed to be celebratory rather than competitive in nature. Any student or school at an outstanding level is recognized for their achievement. Multiple honorees may be named in each category as performances merit.

The year culminates in a professionally produced award showcase event held on the Civic Center stage featuring outstanding student performances.  You may buy your tickets at the Des Moines Performing Arts site.

The year-long program consists of three main components:

• Learning Opportunities
  Throughout the school year, workshops led by theater professionals help students grow. While some sessions focus on performance skills, others focus on technical areas such as lighting design, scenic design, and stage management. Many opportunities connect students directly with Broadway professionals. For example, Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster led a vocal audition master class.
• Professional Review
  Participating musical productions receive a professional review. A panel of performing arts educators and professionals (adjudicators) attend each school's musical and provide feedback on everything from individual actors' performances to the orchestra, set, lighting, costumes, and more. Teachers and students use these insights to make their next show even stronger. Schools participating year over year have seen dramatic transformations in skill, student enthusiasm, and community support.
• Awards Showcase & Recognitions
  The year culminates in a professionally produced Awards Showcase celebrating student achievement at the Des Moines Civic Center.