Cary-Grove High School's 'All Shook Up' receives top musical honors

Cary-Grove High School's production of "All Shook Up," an Elvis Presley jukebox tuner about the romantic entanglements among the residents of a small town, received top honors this week during the eighth annual presentation of the Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards.

In addition to being named best production Monday, the show also earned Cary-Grove graduate Amy Krigas the choreography award.

The cast of Libertyville High School's "Pippin" received the ensemble award. A production of the same musical at Benet Academy in Lisle earned awards for set designers Ramon Marth and Charlie Pipal.

The directing award went to Deerfield High School teacher Susan S. Gorman, who won for that school's production of "Crazy for You."

Deerfield High School student Jacob Simon, of Deerfield, was named best actor for his performance in "Crazy for You." The best actress honor went to Mother McAuley High School student Marguerite Reed, of Palos Park, who was honored for playing Betty Haynes in her school's production of "Irving Berlin's White Christmas."

Simon and Reed will represent Illinois next month in New York City at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, known as The Jimmys and named for Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander. The all-expenses-paid trip includes coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals and concludes with finalists from each state performing for theater professionals.

Previous award winners have included Nathan Salstone and John Clay II, who debuted on Broadway this season in "Harry Potter & The Cursed Child" and "Choir Boy" respectively. Illinois winners included Jonah Rawitz, named best actor in 2014, and Cecilia Trippiedi, best dancer 2016.