Williamsburg students earn musical theater awards

Williamsburg High School’s 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 production of “Newsies.”

Produced by Des Moines Performing Arts as the culmination of a year-long 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, said a press release from the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards.

Williamsburg High School will be honored in a special video shown at the Showcase, in celebration of its receipt of an Outstanding Overall Technical and Creative Achievement Award - one of the program's highest honors.

Hudson Nunnelley and Maelyn Parsons will represent Williamsburg High School by performing in a collaborative inter-school medley led by a guest Broadway music director and choreographer.

Cooper Bott and Parsons will perform an excerpt from their award-winning role in “Newsies” as Jack Kelly and Katherine Plumber.

Bott 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.

Williamsburg High School will also be recognized with the following awards and honors: Outstanding Overall Technical and Creative Achievement; Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role: Cooper Bott as Jack Kelly; Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role: Maelyn Parsons as Katherine Plumber; Special Recognition in Ensemble; Special Recognition in a Principal Role: Hudson Nunnelley as Davey; and Special Recognition in a Behind-the-Scenes Role: Brody Hawk for Lighting Design.

Tickets to the Showcase start at $15 and are available at DMPA.org, the Des Moines Civic Center Ticket Office and by phone at 515-246-2300.

The Awards Showcase will be live-streamed 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.