West Briar Middle School
Director's Page

The Tommy Tune Awards Program

The Tommy Tune Awards Program celebrates the educational value, artistry, and community of high school musical theatre in the Greater Houston area through adjudication, healthy competition, and creative programming. The Tommy Tune Awards are named for Houston native and Lamar High School alumnus Tommy Tune; who has made an illustrious career on Broadway as an actor, dancer, choreographer and director.

This program offers an opportunity for students and educators to share their creative accomplishments while instilling in young people the value of engaging in the performing arts and the value such and engagement can produce for any students chosen career in life.

Each year approximately 3500 students participate in the Tommy Tune Awards Program. Houston area High Schools produce a full-length musical in order to compete in 15 categories: Leading Actor, Leading Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Featured Performer, Ensemble, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Costume Design, Stage Crew & Technical Execution, Orchestra, Musical Direction, Choreography, Direction, and Overall Best Musical. 

Winners of many of these categories receive college scholarships to help them pursue the study of Theatre in college.  To date approximately $454,000 has been awarded to Houston’s young performers, designers, musicians, directors, and playwrights.

Each school is adjudicated by a team of Adjudicators (judges) who are professional Houston-based performers, directors, designers, musicians, arts educators, etc. and have met rigorous criteria.

Productions are evaluated in each category listed above and  based on a 100 point scale rubric. This process runs from October to March, and the top scores are nominated and announced mid-March at a formal Tony Awards style ceremony held at The Hobby Center for The Performing and Visual Arts. In Downtown Houston.

Theatre Under The Stars acts as the administrative body of the Tommy Tune Awards, coordinating school and adjudicating schedules, facilitating the scholarship award process, and producing the awards show.