Congrats to everyone who participated in the Jester Awards in 2022! 

Here's a list of those honored at the Jester Awards Ceremony this year. And here is the photo gallery (photos are free to download!). If sharing on social media or elsewhere please remember to credit photographers Kacy Meinecke or Jerry Fritchman. 

In 2002, Music Theatre Wichita launched a program called the Jester Awards to honor excellence in high school musical theatre. With a skilled and dedicated team of judges attending dozens of performances, the Jester Awards have won high praise for successfully increasing awareness and pride in the achievements of local young people.

The Jester Awards program recognizes the extraordinary amount of work, creativity, and dedication that faculty and students pour into their high school theatrical productions. Recognition is given to casts and crews, directors and designers – all who work to stage these great works of musical theatre. Within practical limitations regarding number of schools and distance from Wichita, every effort is made to be as inclusive as possible. Recent participants include a great many Wichita area schools, and schools in locations such as Garden City, Hays, Salina, and Independence.

The program has grown exponentially each year since its inception thanks to the support of founder Belden Mills and his wife Anna, the Lois K Walls Jester Fund at MTWichita, and the Naftzger Fund for the Fine Arts.