Montezuma's Beauty & the Beast receives top honors

     Owen Desrochers as “Beast” and Addyson Probasco as “Belle” in the Montezuma production of Beauty and the Beast were the recipients of Outstanding Achievement in Principal Role honors in the 2025 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase slated for May 29 at the Des Moines Civic Center. A number of Montezuma students will be recognized at the award’s show and have the opportunity to work with a Broadway director alongside students from 103 Iowa high schools.

by Kelly Kaup
 
      The Montezuma High School Theater Department participated in the 2025 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase, presented by EMC Insurance Companies, in honor of the school's achievements for its November’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. 
     Produced by Des Moines Performing Arts as the culmination of a year-long education initiative, the showcase was held at the Des Moines Civic Center on Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. and recognized a total of 103 adjudicated schools from across the entire state.
Montezuma was recognized with the following awards and honors:

• Outstanding Overall Performance
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Addyson Probasco as “Belle”
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Owen Desrochers as “Beast”
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Jayden Doll as “Lumiere”
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role, Ethan Desrochers as “Gaston”
• Special Recognition for Ensemble
• Special Recognition in a Principal Role, Gracie Wilson as “Mrs. Potts”
• Special Recognition in a Principal Role, Bryn Fantazia as “LeFou”
• Special Recognition Behind the Scenes for Olivia Burnett for Lighting Design
• Montezuma will be honored in a special video shown at the Showcase, in celebration of its receipt of an Outstanding Overall Performance Award - one of the program's highest honors.

   Ethan Desrochers, Gracie Wilson, and Bryn Fantazia represented Montezuma by performing in a collaborative inter-school medley led by a guest Broadway music director and choreographer.
      Jayden Doll performed an excerpt from his award-winning role in Beauty and the Beast as Lumiere.
     Jayen Doll and Owen Desrochers also participated in the Triple Threat Award program with other advanced performing students. In addition to a special performance at the showcase, students will audition for theater camp scholarships and the opportunity to represent Iowa at the Jimmy Awards, or National High School Musical Theatre Awards, in New York City this summer.

​      Ethan Desrochers, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, back, along with Bryan Fantazia, as “LeFou” and others will be recognized for their work in the Montezuma Theater production of Beauty and the Beast at the 2025 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase slated for May 29 at the Des Moines Civic Center. Montezuma received 10 honors along with students participating in the Triple Threat Award program and working with a Broadway director at the event.