Montezuma students win theater awards

MONTEZUMA -- The Montezuma High School Theater Department will participate in the 2025 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase, presented by EMC Insurance Companies, in honor of the school's achievements for its November’s production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

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Produced by Des Moines Performing Arts as the culmination of a yearlong education initiative, the showcase will be held at the Des Moines Civic Center Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. and will recognize a total of 103 adjudicated schools from across the entire state.

Montezuma will be recognized with the following awards and honors:

•Outstanding Overall Performance

•Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Addyson Probasco as Belle

•Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Owen Desrochers as Beast

•Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Jayden Doll as Lumiere

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•Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Ethan Desrochers as Gaston

•Special Recognition for Ensemble

•Special Recognition in a Principal Role, Gracie Wilson as Mrs. Potts

•Special Recognition in a Principal Role, Bryn Fantazia as LeFou

•Special Recognition Behind the Scenes for Olivia Burnett for Lighting Design

•Montezuma will be honored in a special video shown at the Showcase, in celebration of its receipt of an Outstanding Overall Performance Award — one of the program's highest honors.

Ethan Desrochers, Gracie Wilson and Bryn Fantazia will represent Montezuma by performing in a collaborative inter-school medley led by a guest Broadway music director and choreographer.

Jayden Doll will perform an excerpt from his award-winning role in “Beauty and the Beast” as Lumiere.

Doll and Owen Desrochers will also participate in the Triple Threat Award program with other advanced performing students. In addition to a special performance at the showcase, students will audition for theater camp scholarships and the opportunity to represent Iowa at the Jimmy Awards or National High School Musical Theatre Awards, in New York City this summer.

Tickets to the Showcase, which start at $15, go on sale Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. at DMPA.org, the Des Moines Civic Center Ticket Office, and by phone at 515-246-2300.

The Awards Showcase will be livestreamed at IowaPBS.org as part of a collaboration with Iowa PBS. Iowa PBS will also broadcast a highlights special of the event later this summer on dates to be announced.