Rio Rancho students named as finalists for the New Mexico High School Musical Theatre Awards

Four students from Rio Rancho High School have recently been named as finalists for the New Mexico High School Musical Theater Enchantment Awards.

The RRHS production of “Anastasia” was also chosen as a finalist for three production awards.

Kimberly Jurgens was nominated for best actress, and Harley Sechrest, Breton Sego and Jay Worthen were nominated for best actor.

“It feels amazing being recognized; there are no words to describe how grateful I am to be given the chance to perform for the Enchantment Awards. It made me feel seen, if that makes sense,” Jurgens said. “Everything went well while we were being scored, and I am proud of my acting and singing. Honestly, I am incredibly proud of everyone around me, from my stage mangers, who were always there to help me, to the orchestra who is incredible, the cast around me who make the show come to life and who put everything they have into performing. As well as the tech crew who does all the sound effects and work with the mic system and lastly our incredible director who made the show everything it is and who pointed me in the right direction when it came to acting choices. So yes, I am proud of myself, but I am also immensely proud of everyone around me.”

“To be recognized for my work on this production feels validating. I put in many hours rehearsing lines, turning my kitchen into a dance floor and singing into my bathroom mirror to make sure I was ready to perform to the best of my ability,” Sechrest said. “I know that over 70 students in 10 different shows were adjudicated for this nomination, and I’m proud to be a part of the top 20 performers in the state of New Mexico that are being recognized this year. I am extremely proud of my performance as Vlad in ‘Anastasia,’ and to know that the judges must have enjoyed my performance as well is rewarding in so many ways. I never grew up with a musical theater background like many other people in our show, and this was the most vocally demanding performance in my acting career to date, so to take all of the practice and learning that came with this entire experience and present it to my community is what I am most proud of. I would also like to express how proud I am of the entire cast and crew at Rio Rancho High School for putting in the hours and hard work it took to make ‘Anastasia.’ They are all truly heroic in the way they carry themselves with nothing but positivity and dedication.”

Gael Natal was the director of “Anastasia,’ which is one of five finalists for the Best Production, Best Direction, and Best Ensemble awards.

Forty high school students from across New Mexico were named as finalists for four top awards in the biggest celebration of high school theater in the state. The Enchantment Awards named students from 10 different high schools as nominees for the annual show. The students chosen as Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor will be announced during the show in Popejoy Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 28.

“Our show puts as many as 150 students on Popejoy’s stage to perform throughout the evening,” Laura A. Maness, co-executive director of the New Mexico High School Musical Theatre Awards said. “With that many performers, it’s a true celebration of their accomplishments, their performances and their growth as artists and individuals.”

The awards program itself is called the Enchantment Awards. This is the first time since 2019 that the program has been able to present its full show. Two winners from the show will also go on to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards.

The Enchantment Awards features solos and medleys from the Best Actress and Best Actor nominees, and a medley performed by the Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor nominees who are joined by the Directors Choice Chorus, representatives from each school registered with the program. The five finalists for production awards also perform a number from their nominated show.

“We have a lot of music in this show,” Terry S. Davis, co-executive director, said. “It’s a night filled with some astoundingly good performances by the students.”

Anastasia is being performed at the Rio Rancho High School Performing Arts Center tonight at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.

Finalists for the Best Actor and Best Actress awards are judged live the night of the show. The two winners are then sent to New York as nominees from New Mexico in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, which impacts more than 140,000 students who participate in 47 regional high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Popejoy Hall serves as the sponsor in New Mexico.

Tickets for the the Enchantment Awards range from $27.50 to $42.50. Discounts are available for students (18 and younger) and groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available online.