The Bellwood-Antis musical production of Bye, Bye Birdie was well received at the 2024 Isaac Awards, which in May recognized the finest high school theater performances in Blair and surrounding counties.
The awards took place on May 25 and 26 at the historic Mishler Theater in downtown Altoona. B-A had individuals and musical numbers nominated in every category.
The Bye, Bye Birdie cast won in the category of Best Musical Number for its performance of The Telephone Hour.
Meanwhile, two individuals – junior Giana Juart and sophomore Christian Jennings – were runners up in their respective categories. Juart was the runner-up in the category of Best Feature Actor for her portrayal of Ursula. Jennings was runner-up in the category of Supporting Actor in a Male Role for his portrayal of Harry MacAfee.
Senior Trinity Riva, who played Rosie in Bye, Bye Birdie, was the recipient of the Steven C. Helsel Legacy Scholarship Award. The $1,000 scholarship is among the most prestigious awards presented at the Isaacs and is named for the man who was the Altoona Community Theatre (ACT) Executive Director from 1987 until his death in 2018.
The Isaac Awards have been hosted annually by ACT since 2006 “to encourage and support excellence in high school musical theatre in our region through an annual awards event that recognizes student achievement,” according to the Altoona Community Theatre website.
