Student thespians from Lehigh Valley area high schools gathered under the State Theatre spotlights for the 2023 Freddy Awards May 25.

Musical productions from both Liberty and Freedom high schools celebrated wins.

The Freddy Award for Outstanding Production Number was presented to Liberty’s production of “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” for their energetic “Brotherhood of Man” scene.

Freedom’s “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” garnered the Freddy for Outstanding Use of Scenery.

Freddy nominees Ja’nayia Campbell from Lehigh Valley Academy’s “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” and Kayla Luybli from Saucon Valley’s “Mary Poppins” were each awarded a three-week scholarship for the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet/Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley Summer Dance Intensive.

As a contender for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, Freedom’s talented cast entertained the audience with a performance of “Be Our Guest.”

Liberty graduate Rebekah “Bex” Vermuelen attended as a presenter. Vermuelen had won her Freddy for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Maria Rainer in Liberty’s “The Sound of Music” last year.

Student actors from all 29 participating schools sang and danced across the stage for the opening and closing numbers. A Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School made its first Freddy appearance.