JHS Spring Musical Earns State Honors

The Johnston High School Drama department will participate in the 2021 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase, presented by EMC Insurance Companies, in honor of the school’s achievements for its April production of “Once Upon A Mattress.”

The JHS production of "Once Upon a Mattress" will perform in an honor showcase this summer.

The JHS production of “Once Upon a Mattress” will perform in an honor showcase this summer.

Iowa PBS will broadcast a year-end Awards Showcase on July 9, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. The broadcast will feature highlights from several musical productions submitted for adjudication by high schools from across the state this year. Featured performances will be recorded at the Des Moines Civic Center in early June.

The ensemble of “Once Upon A Mattress” will perform an excerpt from their production for the Showcase, in celebration of the school’s receipt of an Outstanding Musical Production Award – the program’s highest honor. Emma Erdoes will also perform an excerpt from her award-winning role in “Once Upon a Mattress” as Princess Winnifred.

Johnston High School will also be recognized with the following awards and honors:

  • Special Recognition for Ensemble
  • Special Recognition for Student Orchestra
  • Special Recognition for Performance in a Principal Role- Nicolas Zimmerman as “Sir Harry”

Additional honors and recognition for all 78 schools in this year’s program will be available in a special online gallery at DMPA.org that will launch on July 9, 2021 in tandem with the Iowa PBS broadcast.

IHSMTA is a yearlong, signature education initiative of Des Moines Performing Arts.