Dazzle winners from Firestone, Hudson head to New York musical theater competition

Saturday night at Playhouse Square couldn't have been more perfect for local musical theater students Kyle McFalls and Lindsey Ross.

McFalls, a junior at Firestone CLC, and Ross, who just graduated from Hudson High School, won best actor and actress awards at the Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square in Cleveland May 18. After competing against students from 37 Northeast Ohio high schools, they came out on top among a field of eight finalists each for best actor and best actress.

McFalls, 17, said he was astounded when his name was announced on the State Theatre stage as best actor.

"My body just takes me to the podium and I'm just like gasping for breath and I'm just like shocked and utterly confused and baffled at what's happening," he said. "I thanked my school and my parents and Playhouse [Square] for giving me the opportunity."

He said he'd wanted to compete in the Dazzle Awards ever since his older brother, Firestone grad Connor, did in 2021, when the program was largely virtual due to the pandemic.

McFalls won the award for his role as SpongeBob SquarePants in "The SpongeBob Musical." Ross, 18, won as the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods."

She said she had a similar experience when she found out she had won best actress.

"I was in a state of complete shell shock that whole night from there on. I I don't even remember giving the speech, I was so overwhelmed with excitement," she said. "The amount of excitement I felt in that moment is unbearable."

Each student received a check for $1,500 and will next represent Northeast Ohio at the 15th annual Jimmy Awards in New York June 24. The Jimmy Awards/National High School Musical Theatre Awards program, which runs a total of 10 days, is a theater intensive that includes coaching sessions, training and rehearsals led by Broadway professionals, culminating with the talent showcase June 24 on the Minskoff Theatre stage.

Busy preparations for Jimmys

Both students are now busy preparing for the Jimmys. That includes plenty of logistics and preparing and rehearsing their musical selections, including songs from their school shows and additional up-tempo songs and ballads. McFalls and Ross will be coached in early June by Victoria Bussert, director of the prestigious musical theater program at Baldwin Wallace University.

Ross will be a freshman in the musical theater program at Baldwin Wallace in the fall. McFalls, a theater and choir student who was nominated for best actor for the Dazzle Awards last year, plans to prepare for college musical theater auditions for the fall.

Both have been finalists for the Shining Star CLE singing competition, and Ross was also a best actress nominee at last year's Dazzle Awards.

Ross and McFalls appeared together in the musical "Mean Girls" last year at Rubber City Theatre in Akron, she as Regina and he as Aaron.

On June 10, the theater plans to have a special recital celebration for the community at the University of Akron's Sandefur Theatre to highlight Ross' and McFalls' singing before they leave for New York. See rubbercitytheatre.com or check Rubber City Theatre on Facebook for updates.

In more Dazzle Awards news, Hudson High School won Saturday for Best Student Orchestra for the third straight year as well as Best Scenic Design and Best Tier 2 Musical with a budget of $13,000 or more. Firestone senior Rylee Horowitz also won the Spirit of the Dazzle Awards as the student who most embodies camaraderie, passion and an infectiously positive attitude through rehearsal week.

Looking forward to New York

Both McFalls and Ross are well aware of what a special opportunity competing in the Jimmys is.

"I'm definitely looking forward the most to working with all these Broadway professionals," McFalls said. "This is what I want to do for a career, and to get to learn from so many people who've found such great success from it, it's just an amazing opportunity."

Ross said she's excited to take master classes from Broadway stars.

"It's gonna be a crazy week," she said.

"I am looking forward to meeting people who love musical theater like I love musical theater," she said of other students. "I'm just looking forward to getting to share that love of great music with people who understand my love for it."

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Firestone, Hudson musical theater kids heading to Big Apple for Jimmys