Rock Valley College

01/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/29/2026 14:37

RVC Starlight Theatre: Favorite in the Chicagoland Area

RVC Starlight Theatre: Favorite in the Chicagoland Area

  • Awards
  • 01/29/2026

According to the voters of BroadwayWorld Chicago, Rock Valley College Starlight Theatre is a fan favorite. Through public voting, RVC Starlight took the top spots in eight out of 20 of the 2025 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards categories. Nominations and winners are determined entirely through public online voting rather than by a panel of critics, making the awards a reflection of audience engagement and community enthusiasm. As a result, the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards function less as a juried critical assessment and more as a celebration of local theatre that has resonated strongly with audiences in each region. RVC Starlight received an overwhelming 46 nominations this year.

Some cast members of RVC Starlight's production of Ragtime perform on preview night

"I know the amount of effort Chris Brady and his team put into each of these productions, and they do a first-class job," said Rick Jenks, RVC Vice President of Operations. "We are seeing the benefits of their hard work. I want to congratulate the entire Starlight crew, volunteers, and actors. They do a wonderful job representing our college and our community."

BroadwayWorld, a major online theatre news outlet covering Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional theatre worldwide. Their annual awards recognize excellence in local, professional, community, and touring theatre productions across cities and regions, with each area, such as Chicago, hosting its own set of categories honoring work produced during a defined season.

RVC Starlight's 2025 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards include:

  • Best Dance Production: The SpongeBob Musical
  • Best Lighting Design of a Play or Musical: Bryan Rivera, Ragtime
  • Best Direction of a Musical: Christopher D. Brady, Ragtime
  • Best Performer in a Musical: Alex McIntyre, Ragtime
  • Best Scenic Design of a Play or Musical: Brandon Mechler, Ragtime
  • Best Sound Design of a Play or Musical: Aaron Hill, The Wedding Singer
  • Best Theatre for Young Audiences Production: Mary Poppins
  • Favorite Local Theatre: RVC Starlight Theatre

This year, RVC Starlight will celebrate its 60th Season of spectacular nights under the stars with four mainstage productions, a StarBright production for our younger performers, and a special one-night-only staged concert to celebrate our nation's Semiquincentennial. Get the full story about the 60th Season here.

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Rock Valley College published this content on January 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 29, 2026 at 20:37 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]