Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Portales High School junior Liam Hurley, foreground left, rehearses during the week of May 8-14 for the Popejoy Awards in Albuquerque. Hurley was selected as one of 10 nominees for "best actor" at the awards, which are designed to recognize excellence in high school musical theater across New Mexico.
PORTALES — After participating in New Mexico's premier high school musical theater award ceremony, a Portales High School junior has returned with experience he will carry with him for the rest of his life.
Liam Hurley participated in the Popejoy Awards, which recognize excellence in high school musical theater, from May 8-14 in Albuquerque after being selected as one of 10 nominees for best actor for his performance in PHS' production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie."
Joseph Erwin and Rheagyn Gonzales, who also performed in "Thoroughly Modern Millie," also attended the awards.
Hurley, 17, spent every day leading up to the Sunday awards ceremony rehearsing from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. with students from 13 other New Mexico high schools.
"It was a real honor and a real privilege to go and be part of that, because it was a really big deal," PHS drama teacher Heather Hagler said. "I know my students gained a lot from it."
Has this experience shaped your future in any way? How?
I feel like it made me more open. It made me feel like I could open up to people and actually talk and do stuff in front of people. Popejoy's a big stage. I would never have thought of me being able to get up there and sing a solo with me just on stage in front of a bunch of people. That was kind of nerve-wracking.
I'm wanting to do musical theater. That's kind of why I'm doing this — because they (the Popejoy Awards) did it really professionally. They had everything scheduled, and it gave me kind of a feel of what it would be like to actually do something like that professionally.
What will you always take with you from your experience at the Popejoy Awards?
I think I'll just take away just being myself, and learn new things, learn from different people, and just have fun.
What influence has performing arts had in your life?
It's opened me up a lot. If you're in theater, you can't just be all comfortable and be by yourself. You have to be open and out of your comfort zone. It's had a really positive impact on me, and I feel like I've changed a lot from doing theater. Each year it's different. I feel like I grow each year.
