Helena kids at Grandstreet Theater won national theater awards at the 2024 Junior Theater Festival West.
“We went out to Sacramento in February and we performed 15 minutes of a cutting from a musical and so we chose Frozen Jr. as our show this year,” said Marianne Adams, the Director of Education at Grandstreet Theater.
“I sort of followed Anna’s journey in the story and then all the little goofy characters that she met along the way and thinking about all the different ways these little communities she meets express love,” Retta Leaphart, the Director of Frozen Jr. at Grandstreet Theater said.
34 kids traveled with Grandstreet for this year’s festival and performed their chosen section of Frozen Jr.
At this year’s awards ceremony, Grandstreet received awards for excellence in dance and outstanding student direction and choreography for their performance.
“It’s honestly really cool to feel the pride and the work that you’ve put into the choreography get a medal,” said Malin Ryerson, an award winner at Grandstreet Theater.
They also took home awards for winning the Tech Olympics and performance all-stars.
“We were all sitting together and we heard our theater and we got up and were like oh my god that’s us,” Lyla Ackerman, an award winner at Grandstreet Theater said.
The kids also participated in workshops throughout the weekend with a focus this year on writing musicals.
Grandstreet faculty say they see growth in the students after the workshops they participate in.
“I see a difference in their rehearsal etiquette. Those kids that go come back here, and when they do a show here, I see that they have a little higher level of skill as far as rehearsal goes and rehearsal etiquette and knowing how to take a note and not take it personally,” said Marianne Adams, the Director of Education at Grandstreet Theater.
Grandstreet is also the only theater school from Montana to get invited to the JTF festival and loves to represent the state and city of Helena.
“We’re always really proud to be from Montana and show them that Montana has so really great talent,” Marianne Adams, the Director of Education at Grandstreet Theater said.
“Brings pride to the entire Helena community of look at what Grandstreet is providing for is providing for your kids and your students,” said Lyla Ackerman, an award winner at Grandstreet Theater said.
