EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School students will perform at The Fabulous Fox Theatre in recognition of their impressive spring musical production.
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EHS received several Ken Page Awards nominations, which recognize high school musical theater programs across the Greater St. Louis region, for their production of “9 to 5: The Musical.” Director Ashley Melton noted that the nominations are prestigious and she looks forward to the award ceremony on May 28, 2026, and her students’ corresponding performances at The Fox Theatre.
“The nomination is just a celebration of its own. And then if we get to bring home a trophy on the night of the award ceremony, that’s a double bonus,” she said.
There are 57 schools competing for Ken Page Awards nominations, so to be selected as the top five in any category is already a major accomplishment. This year, EHS received eight nominations.
Gracie Cook, Ella Carter and MaKenzie Tarr were all nominated in the Outstanding Leading Actress category. These three students will perform solos at The Fox during the award ceremony.
The EHS production also received a nomination for Outstanding Ensemble. Jonah Sheckler received a nomination for Outstanding Technical Execution, while Cathy Vano was named for Outstanding Pit Orchestra. Jen Blum Tatara received an Outstanding Costume Design nomination and Emily Ottwein was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction.
Students Liv Warner and Mark Hill will perform in the award ceremony’s opening number. Melton is excited that many students will have this opportunity to perform on The Fox’s stage.
Winners of the Ken Page Awards will go on to the Jimmy Awards in New York City at the Minskoff Theatre. These students will spend a week on Broadway, taking theater workshops and engaging with Broadway performers. Only the top 100 high school performers across the country are chosen to progress to the Jimmy Awards.
But no matter what happens during the awards ceremony on May 28, Melton is already proud of the “fabulous musical” she and her team of teachers and students produced. She always encourages her students to perform to the best of their abilities, and she is pleased to see that the adjudicators from the Ken Page Awards recognized their talents as well.
She noted that a major conflict of the musical is sexual harassment in the workplace, so it was important to her to handle these conversations carefully. She invited the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Human Resources Department to speak with students about how to identify and address workplace sexual misconduct.
Melton often invites “community stakeholders” to speak about topics that they cover in their theater productions. She wants to connect the art to larger conversations, and she makes a point to choose shows that have “educational merit” for her students.
“It opens doors for difficult conversations in a safe place where they’re comfortable with their directors, with the students that are working on the shows together. Those conversations are not always easy to have in a school setting,” she explained. “I think that’s what theater does for us, for these kids. It opens up conversations that we wouldn’t normally be able to have, in a scholarly way.”
Melton is eager to take over 60 students to the Ken Page Awards later this month. She noted that community members are also welcome to attend and support the school; you can purchase tickets online.
She is also proud to note that many schools on the Illinois side of the river received nominations, including Collinsville, Belleville and Mascoutah. Melton is excited to see so many local students receiving regional recognition.
She is hopeful that the Ken Page Awards will result in a few wins for Edwardsville, but no matter what happens, she hopes her students understand how proud she is of them.
“I think overall, it was a fabulous musical,” she added. “The dancing and the singing was phenomenal. The set was incredible. But there’s also something that our students can take away from it as a life lesson.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or abuse, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673), text HOPE to 64673 or visit RAINN.org/hotline.
