Three Midlakes students are moving one step closer to a national stage after being selected among the top high school performers in the region.
Justin Herman Jr., Ellie Dorr and Brian Cannan have advanced in the Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s Stars of Tomorrow NYC Bound competition, earning recognition for their lead roles in Midlakes Theatre Experience’s recent production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
Herman, a senior, and Dorr, a junior, were selected for their portrayals of Sir Harry and Lady Larken, while Cannan, a sophomore, advanced for his role as Prince Dauntless. The trio now joins a group of 40 finalists chosen from more than 200 student performers who auditioned for the annual competition.
The NYC Bound program evaluates students individually for their performances in leading roles, separate from their school’s overall production. Finalists will take the stage at the West Herr Auditorium Theatre on May 21, where top performers will be selected to represent the region at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards — commonly known as the Jimmy Awards — in New York City in late June.
Herman returns to the competition after representing Midlakes last year. Both he and Dorr also earned honors for leading roles in the school’s production of “The Little Mermaid.”
Cannan has also been recognized beyond the stage this year, representing Midlakes at the New York State School Music Association Area All-State Festival, where he performed on French horn with the Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Jared Chase of Nazareth University.
Midlakes Theatre Experience, along with more than 40 other high school productions, was evaluated by a panel of judges from the Rochester Broadway Theatre League, which provided feedback and scoring for participating schools.
While individual finalists prepare for the next round, the full Midlakes ensemble is scheduled to perform a portion of the “Once Upon a Mattress” Act 1 finale on May 8 as they await overall production results.
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