Bobby G Awards Outstanding Actor and Actress nominees. Photo by John Moore.

When The Bobby G Awards take place on Thursday (May 28), 10 Colorado students from as far away as Durango will be saluted as nominees for Outstanding Actor and Actress. All 10 will perform together in a medley at Thursday’s awards ceremony at  the Buell Theatre. The chosen two will advance next month to the National High School Music Awards in New York, where they will undergo a week-long training intensive that culminates in a performance on a Broadway stage.

Get to know your 10 nominees in their own words in the capsules below. We asked the nominees about their shows, about how musical theatre has bettered their lives, and what they would say to anyone who thinks theatre isn’t cool. 

As one student puts it: “Musical theatre made me who I am, and I like being me.”

Emma Buchanan
Durango High School
Senior
Eponine in Les Miserables
​Teacher: Kristin Winchester
College plans: Pursuing a BFA in Musical Theater at Wright State University

Favorite Les Miserables memory:
Our opening night. There was such an exciting buzz from the audience, and the cast was honestly living in every moment. Simply put: It was magical.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
It has taught me to collaborate with a variety of people to be able to bring everyone/everything together. 

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
I have never met people more passionate about expressing, creating and learning about humanity, and what it’s like to work as a team. People who work in the theater work 24/7 to give other people an escape for a few hours. But what I would probably end up saying is: Your face isn’t cool!

Raegan DeBord
Mountain View High School
Junior
Amneris in Aida the Musical
Teachers: Phil Forman and Karla Quniones
College plans: University of Northern Colorado to double-major in education (mathematics) and musical theatre

Favorite Aida memory:
Getting to share the experience with three of my little sisters – two from my family and our family’s foreign-exchange student for the year. I loved sharing that experience with them.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
It has taught me how to work with people I don’t always like. It has taught me to appreciate the little things in life. It has prepared me for future job interviews. And it has helped me with my confidence.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
If someone were to tell me that, I would be really confused, because theatre is beautiful. It’s telling a story to an audience every time you hit that stage which. Who doesn’t love a good story, cool costumes – and guys who sing?!

Ty Eatherton
Chaparral High School
Senior
Puck in Puck’s Potion
Teacher: David Peterson
College plans: The University of Northern Colorado to study Theatre Education

Favorite Puck’s Potion memory:
Flying. Hands down. Being above the world gives a different perspective, and I’m so blessed to have had that opportunity.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
I am a more an extrovert because of musical theatre. It allows me to express my individuality and teamwork skills all in one.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
Never judge something until you try it. Who doesn’t love an adoring audience standing and cheering for you? 

Sam Hulsizer
Rock Canyon High School
Junior
Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls
Teacher: Cindy Baker
College plans: Somewhere in California for film acting

Favorite Guys & Dolls memory:
Interacting with my counterpart Meredith Ham, who played Adelaide.  We had amazing acting chemistry together, and she would always push me to work harder. I think she helped me grow as an actor almost as much as playing the actual part. 

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Because of my musical theater background, I have pretty darn good people skills. I’m able to confront a large group of people and propose ideas as well as interact individually with others to share concerns. I also think it has allowed me to think quickly and to become better at improvising. It also has helped me develop accents – which isn’t really useful, but it’s still fun.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
If people don’t think theater is cool, well it doesn’t really matter what they think. Contrary to what most people believe, performers don’t act or dance or sing for others; they do it because it’s something they love and enjoy. So if people don’t think that musical theater is cool, I say, “Who cares?” because I think it’s cool, and it’s helped me through a lot in my short time on Earth.

Charlie Kolbrener
Fairview High School
Senior
Moonface Martin in Anything Goes
Teacher: Janice Vlachos
College plans: Pitzer College in Los Angeles

Favorite Anything Goes memory:
There’s a scene in the show where I am locked in prison with the two Chinese converts. This is an old show, so the portrayal of the two converts may have been a little bit racist. Anyway, during our time in prison, Billy sings a love song to Hope through the prison bars. The two converts and I decided it would be funny if we hid a pot of tea in the cell and then took it out to drink when they sang their song. So every night, we would pull a pot of tea and three cups out from under a crate and drink tea while Billy sang a love song.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
This is actually what I wrote my common app essay about. I think performing has given me a new understanding of people’s experiences and emotions. My time on stage has allowed me to understand more about how other people feel and act. So essentially, performing and acting has taught me more about people in general and how we interact.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
I say, “You’re not cool!” But seriously, it is lame for people to think theater isn’t cool. You get to perform for adoring fans and escape from the monotony of life through your character. Theater is one of the coolest things around.

Taylor (Loren) Lang
Mountain View High School
Senior
Aida in Aida the Musical
Teachers: Phil Forman and Karla Quniones
College plans: I plan to go to CSU this fall for education … or maybe music … or maybe music education. I have some time to decide (I hope!)

Favorite Aida memory:
One will stick with me the most: It was our final performance, and though we were all sickly, sweaty and tired due to the fact that it was our second performance that day, we came together for one of the most moving songs in the show, “The Gods Love Nubia.” We were all crying our eyes out. We made it to the end, and barely having gotten our last notes out, I fell into my dear friend Owen’s arms once the blackout hit. We all stood there hugging and crying for several seconds before we had to vacate to the backstage hallway for intermission. Once we were there, the tears didn’t stop. In that moment we said our goodbyes to each other and shared our thankfulness for this wonderful show.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Musical theatre not only helps you to better express yourself, it gives you a sense of organization and release. It allows you to show a side of yourself people may not usually get to experience. It keeps you organized because you have to tell a story. You have to discipline yourself like you would have to do with a job in the real world. Musical theatre also gives you an outlet to release energy and emotions you may not otherwise have. But above all, musical theatre gives you a way to build a family of people who are just like you; who all may be going through the same things you are. You form relationships with people all around you.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
Anyone who says theatre isn’t cool has clearly never experienced watching a giant chandelier fall from the ceiling above you, or felt the passion that emanates from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as they battle for their souls. Secondly, theatre does not have to be “cool.” You just have to love it like an athlete would love football, or running or swinging a bat. As long as there is love in what you are doing, then it should never matter what someone says. Sticks and stones. So, what would I say is this: “Why is your definition of cool any more significant than mine?”

Dylan Ruder
Valor Christian High School
Senior
Beast in Beauty and the Beast
Teacher: Kurt Muenstermann
College plans: Azusa Pacific University (California) to pursue a BFA in Acting for the Stage and Screen 

Favorite Bobby G Awards memory:
I think my favorite part of the process over the past two years has simply been the interactions with the other nominees. They’re all such interesting, talented people, and getting to know them has been a blast.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Well, my freshman year I had a teacher tell me that I couldn’t sing. I don’t think he meant it in a condescending or negative way, but it was still a blow to my confidence. While I know that I’m definitely not the prettiest singer, musical theater has taught me to sing and has rebuilt that confidence. Rest assured, my teacher and I have long since reconciled, and he is the one who even helped me prepare for my Bobby G Awards audition. I am very honored and thankful to call him a mentor and friend.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
​Typically, I don’t have people tell me theatre isn’t cool, but that is because I have already established a relationship with most people at my school. Those kinds of people respect me for who I am, rather than what I do. I think that is really important, and I try to do the same for them. But on the off-chance someone does say that, I usually just shrug and choose to have a good day anyway. If you choose to let every little negative thing impact you personally, you would never have a good day.

​

Alei Russo
Fairview High School
Senior
Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes
Teachers: Janice Vlachos and Michael Bizzaro
College plans: Pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre at Rider University in Lawrence Township, N.J.
 
Favorite Anything Goes memory:
I’m lucky because I loved the feeling every night after finishing the first act. I was out of breath, but big tap numbers are always my favorite. I loved the feeling I had standing on the front of the stage with the rest of the cast backing me up because we were this one unit that always gave our all in this one number. I think the joy we had in it really showed based on the audience’s response.  
 
How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Musical theatre has given me confidence and purpose. I’ve always been a shy child but after performing for so many years, I have really learned how to present myself in a new way. Musical theatre made me who I am, and I like being me.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
I tell them it doesn’t have to be. My opinion is that it is cool, but everyone is allowed their own opinion. The world would be very boring if everyone had the same opinions, so, fine, judge me for doing theatre – but I’m a thespian, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

​

Evatt Salinger
Durango High School
Senior
Jean Valjean in Les Miserables
Teachers: Kristin Winchester and Walker White
College plans: Pepperdine University to pursue a BFA in Theatre and Music with a minor in Applied Mathematics

Favorite Les Miserables memory:
When we brought Les Miserables to perform at the Bellco for the Colorado State Thespian Conference, the sound guy carrying our equipment rolled his car during the seven-hour drive from Durango to Denver, rendering many of our mics useless. The few mics that still worked didn’t arrive until late that day, less than an hour before curtain. So we rented hanging and hand mics to supplement our short supply. Many of the actors spent much of the show slyly passing of hand mics to each other while blowing the roof of the Bellco. At the very end of the show, I was put onto my third mic pack and sent onstage with a hand mic hidden in my pocket. As I began the epilogue version of “Bring Him Home”, the orchestra quieted. “God on high …” Nothing. My mic wasn’t working. I felt the audience momentarily panic. Without skipping a beat, I pulled out the hand mic from my pocket. There was a sudden laughter of relief from the audience. I sang the rest of the epilogue with the hand mic, trying to keep a straight face, while feeling the corners of my mouth tug upward in response to the laughter. Performing Les Miserables at the Bellco was incredible for many reasons, but all the extraordinary experiences are overshadowed by one thing: Les Miserables was the last opportunity I would have to share the stage with my brother. As a freshman, Curtis stunned us all with his rich voice and impassioned acting, and standing off stage listening sing “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” is something I’ll never forget. I am so proud of him.

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Oddly enough, musical theatre has inspired me to forgot about thinking about myself and be more mindful of others. It’s impossible to act honestly onstage while caught up in yourself – that’s not how we go about communicating in the real world.  Each moment should be abandonment, uncertain of what or how you partner onstage will say next. It’s always a new adventure, and parallels the way I choose to live my life.

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
You know, more than 10 percent of the students who attend my school were involved in Les Mis. The strength and passion in our productions have attracted many kids to try theatre, and now we’re very respected in the school. People get very psyched about our shows. I’m thankful for the support from our school, and the fact that I’ve almost never been ridiculed for the art I love to create. I hope that for all theatre kids.

Lea Schoengarth
Westminster High School
Senior
Mimi Marquez in Rent
Teacher: Andrè Rodriguez

Favorite Rent memory:
My friends and I were always starving at rehearsal so we started bringing snacks and having mini potlucks. After a while more people started bringing food, and we had a feast before rehearsal every day. 

How has musical theatre helped prepare you for other aspects of your life?
Being in musical theatre has taught me to take risks and to not always stay in your comfort zone. 

What do you say to anyone who says theatre isn’t cool?
I would just explain that we had so many different groups of people in our productions: Cheerleaders, football players, baseball players and wrestlers. You don’t need to be a certain kind of person to appreciate art.

2015 Bobby G Awards: Ticket information
Thursday, May 28
7 p.m.
Buell Theatre
Tickets: 303-893-4100, 800-641-1222 or  BUY ONLINE
Complete list of nominees

Our 2014-15 Bobby G Awards coverage to date:
Video: Coloradans on Broadway to high-schoolers: ‘Be relentlessly yourself’
2014-15 Bobby G Awards nominations spotlight Colorado high-school musical theatre
2015 Bobby G Awards announces list of participating schools
Annaleigh Ashford raises $735 for new Bobby G Awards memorial fund
Denver Center establishes Randy Weeks Memorial Fund for The Bobby G Awards