Bellefonte Student Takes First Place in Musical Theater Competition

BELLEFONTE — Bellefonte Area Middle School student Addison Wynkoop took first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing 2024 National Student Auditions competition’s youth musical theater category.

The semifinal and final auditions for the competition were held from Thursday, June 27, through Saturday, June 29, in Knoxville, Tennessee, in conjunction with the NATS 58th national conference, according to the NATS website.

Wynkoop, a vocal student of Kelly Scott Studios in Bellefonte, was selected as a semifinalist from over 1,000 other youth performers in the preliminary rounds of the competition, beating out a wide pool of talented singers from 14 American and Canadian regions, as well as performers from six chapters spread out over four continents. According to the NATS website, more than 400 student singers were featured during the competition, and 16 new categories, including the youth category Wynkoop took first prize in, debuted for the first time this year.

For the final round of performances, Wynkoop sang “I Can’t Say No” from the Broadway musical “Oklahoma,” and the judges couldn’t say no to giving her the top spot.

“This accomplishment feels unreal to me. I didn’t think I would make it this far, but I am overjoyed that I did,” Wynkoop told The Centre County Gazette when she was first named a semifinalist for the competition.

And with the goal of one day stepping center stage in a Broadway production, her win puts her one step closer to achieving her dreams.

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