Lyme-Old Lyme High School Senior Follows Dance Dream Into Spotlight with Sondheim Award

Editor’s Note: This article was contributed by Charlotte Thuma, a Lyme-Old Lyme High School sophomore who performed in “Hello, Dolly!” as a member of the ensemble.

OLD LYME, CT – When Thomas Kelly signed up for a class at Broadway Kids & Company School of Performing Arts in Niantic as an 11 year old, he had no idea it was the first step toward becoming Lyme-Old Lyme High School’s inaugural Stephen Sondheim Award winner.

This month, Kelly took home the prize for Best Supporting Actor at the award ceremony on May 9 in New Haven. He was also nominated for Best Choreography as the only student in a field of adult professionals. 

The Stephen Sondheim Awards honor high school musical theater students and educators across Connecticut and Massachusetts. While many students, educators and productions at Lyme-Old Lyme High School have been nominated in past years, musical director Kristen Pekar said no one has ever won. 

In an interview last week, Kelly said he signed up for the class at Broadway Kids because he wanted to be a movie actor. But the school had a competitive dance team, and because COVID-19 pandemic restrictions had caused enrollment to drop, he decided to audition for the team despite his lack of experience. He was selected, and realized that he had discovered his passion.

Watching a group of older students perform a contemporary lyrical dance piece, he realized he wanted to dance like they did someday. That determination led to positions as a choreographer in multiple Lyme-Old Lyme High School musicals and, eventually, to the role of Ambrose Kemper in this year’s production of Hello, Dolly! 

“Receiving the first Sondheim award in LOLHS history is something I never imagined happening, so the element of that surprise made it all the more exciting,” he said. “It feels amazing to know that I am forever-connected to our school’s history; it feels surreal.”  

For Kelly, the award represents all the teachers, directors, cast members, and friends who helped him over the past four years. 

“I feel incredibly honored to be able to leave this kind of legacy at LOLHS,” he said. 

Kelly has been involved with the musical all four years at the high school. He was assistant choreographer in his freshman year for Mamma Mia. During his sophomore and junior years, he was a dance captain for Nice Work If You Can Get It and Newsies. In his senior year, he helped to choreograph the school’s production of Hello Dolly! while playing the supporting lead role.

Pekar, the musical director, said Kelly has been a leader from the start. 

“He really showed that he was patient. He really cared about the production, and trying to help every person on stage be the best dancer they could possibly be,” she said in an interview this week. 

She described his progression from “a dancer that everybody can rely on” to an actor and part of the creative team. Now, he’s more of a colleague than a student. 

“He is a great bridge between the adults and the students,” she said. “He understands both sides of the coin, what the students wanted it to be and what the production team wants the production to be.” 

Kelly said his musical theater experience at the high school was about more than rehearsals and performances. 

“It became a second home that I looked forward to every day,” he said. “I found some of my closest friendships, some of my biggest mentors, and so many opportunities to push myself outside of my comfort zone.”

He credited each show with teaching him new lessons in confidence, discipline and how to trust the people around him. 

“Theater at LOLHS gave me a place where I felt challenged, supported, seen and completely myself,” he said. 

Kelly will be attending Boston Conservatory at Berklee in the fall. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in commercial dance and hopes that someday he will have the opportunity to perform professionally. 

He also plans to continue with choreography. He said he envisions owning his own studio and inspiring younger dancers the way his teachers have inspired him. 

“Whether it is on stage, in studios or on screen, choreography is definitely something I see being a major part of my future,” he said.