Keep an eye on your dream (The Bradley Awards)

The Bradley Awards

Presented by Kentucky Performing Arts

Coverage by Kate Barry

Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.

If you were anywhere close to the Kentucky Performing Arts on Sunday June 1st, you would have felt the excitement and palpable energy emerging from Whitney Hall. Sixteen high schools from the Kentucky and Southern Indiana area were represented and participated in the inaugural Bradley Awards!

The awards are named after Bradley Broecker, who is the former board chair and current Chairman Emeritus of the Louisville Theatrical Association and founder of Broadway Series Management, now known as Broadway Across America. The Bradley Awards intend to showcase the best, bright and determined high school musical theater students while providing the opportunity to be nominated for the Jimmy’s, the “Tonys for Teens.” Students and staff were considered for nominations in performance, technical and mentorship excellence.

The first ever Bradley Awards involved a process that started in January of 2025. Sixteen adjudicators visited schools and met with young theater artists to provide feedback on their considered productions. From these visits,  five lucky students were nominated for acting categories as well as productions for awards of excellence. The winners announced at Sunday’s awards ceremony will be sent to New York City to participate in an intensive and compete for the coveted Jimmy Award. This intensive includes an opportunity to learn from Broadway’s best coaches and professionals and take one step closer to their dreams.

No awards ceremony would be complete without musical performances. And these kids delivered high caliber numbers.  The opening number was a rousing and jubilant celebration of hope and charisma, or “rizz” as the kids say. Starting off with the obvious choice of “I hope I get it” from A Chorus Line the performers move into showstoppers from Merrily We Roll Along, Newsies, Wicked, &Juliet and The Prom. The closing number contained a bittersweet tone with plenty anticipation for next years award with selections from Back to the Future, The Wiz, Hairspray and SMASH.

Nominees from the Best Actor and Best Actress categories showed off their skills with medleys from their respected shows. There are simply too many highlights to include when speaking individually about these nominees. Carson Chesnut’s solo from Big Fish was a moment that showed this young performer is wise beyond his years. Jeremiah Stephens showed amazing vocal stamina as well as comedic timing to spare. Abigail Scheer’s variation from Big Fish provided plenty of soul while Kennedy Julian’s performances of Sally Brown from You’re a good man Charlie Brown deserved every laugh she received. Caylen Judd performance oozed quirk and charm as Cinderella at the steps of the castle from Into the woods.

The five shows nominated for Best Overall Musical Production were given time to shine throughout the ceremony. Youth Performing Arts School’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown gave a reminder of childhood playfulness with “Beethoven Day.” Sacred Heart Academy’s ensemble beautifully handled the heavy emotions and payoffs of Sondheim with Into the Woods’ Act Two finale. Daviess County High School from Owensboro Kentucky saw a large cast full of elegant movement and grace with “Come Spirit, Come Charm” from The Secret Garden. New Albany High School brought high intensity and fast movements with “Both Reached for the gun” from Chicago: Teen Edition. McCracken County High School from Paducah Kentucky saw a riveting, if not thrilling dose of storytelling and imagination with “Be the Hero” from Big Fish.

The Bradley Awards show the importance of arts education for emerging theater artists of all kinds. Musical theater can be an escape and it can be a place to play. Most importantly, it can be a place where bonds are made.

Full List of Winners:

Behind the Scenes Excellence: Emma Hockensmith and Reilly Ketterer (Floyd Central High School- The Lightning Thief)

Outstanding Student Designer: Delaney Mullanix (Bryan Station High School-Shrek The Musical)

Outstanding Technical Execution: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Youth Performing Arts School)

Best Actor in a supporting role: Finnegan Broyles (Sacred Heart Academy-Into the Woods)

Best Actress in a supporting role: Lyvia McCutchen (Franklin County High school- Spongebob Musical)

Outstanding Dance Execution: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Youth Performing Arts School)

Outstanding Arts Mentor: Amanda Simmons (New Albany High School- Chicago: Teen Edition)

Outstanding Community Engagement: Floyd Central High School-The Lightning Thief)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Youth Performing Arts School)

Best Actor in a leading role: Carson Chesnut (McCracken County High School- Big Fish)

Best Actress in a leading role: Kennedy Julian (Youth Performing Arts School- You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown)

Best Overall Musical Production: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Youth Performing Arts School)

*The Jimmy Awards will announce their winners on June 23. More information here: https://www.jimmyawards.com/

The Bradley Awards

June 1, 2025

Kentucky Performing Arts

Whitney Hall 501 West Main Street Louisville KY 40205