We also celebrate a year that saw so many young artists either beginning or continuing to make exciting splashes in the arts, including several former NYA award winners and nominees. Below are a few of those achievements that we know about so far (please email me if you have others). Congratulations to all!

~ 2016 Alumni Artists: Baby, Remember Their Names! ~

Arianna Afsar
Regional Theatre (Chicago): Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton in “Hamilton” (2016-17)
https://twitter.com/ariannaafsar
(2008 Award Nominee as Gabriella Montez in J*Company’s “Disney’s High School Musical”)

Asher Angel
TV: Disney Channel’s “Andi Mack” (filming, to air in 2017)
https://twitter.com/Asherdovangel
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5195114/
(2013 Award Winner as Jojo in Desert Stages Theatre’s “Seussical”)
(2014 Award Winner as Jeremy Jacob in Greasepaint Youtheatre’s “How I Became a Pirate”)
(2015 Junior Artist of the Year and soloist)

Noah Baird
Broadway: “Matilda” (2015-17)
http://www.noahrcbaird.com/
(2013 Award Nominee as Scarecrow in ACT-San Diego’s “The Wizard of Oz”)

Maddie Shea Baldwin
Broadway: “Bright Star” (2016)
http://www.maddiesheabaldwin.com/
https://twitter.com/madeline_shea1
(2009 Award Winner and soloist as Grizabella in San Diego Junior Theatre’s “Cats”)
(2010 Award Winner as Sally Brown in San Diego Junior Theatre’s “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”)
(2011 Award Winner as Mme. De la Grande Bouche in San Diego Junior Theatre’s “Beauty and the Beast”)
(2012 Nominee as Velma in San Diego Junior Theatre’s “Hairspray”)

Josh Breckenridge
Broadway: Come From Away (rehearsing, to open in 2017)
(2003 Award Winner and performer as Albert Peterson in Moonlight Stage Productions’ "Bye Bye Birdie")

Jill Butterfield
National Tour: Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” (2015-16)
(2008 Award Nominee as Sandy in San Diego Junior Theatre’s “Grease”)

Brian Justin Crum
TV: Finalist in “America's Got Talent” (2016)
https://twitter.com/BrianJustinCrum
National Tour: “We Will Rock You”
(2005 Award Winner and soloist as Joseph in J*Company’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”)

Veronica Dunne
Broadway: Roxie Hart in “Chicago” (Oct. 17-Nov. 26, 2016)
Film: Christy in “The Ninth Passenger” (2017)
TV: Marisa Clark in Disney Channel’s “K.C. Undercover” (2015-17)
https://twitter.com/veronica_dunne
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2765134/
(2011 Award Winner as Baker’s Wife in Oaks Christian School’s “Into the Woods”)
(2012 Award Winner and soloist as Roxie in Young Artists Ensemble’s “Chicago” and Audrey in High Street Arts Center’s “Little Shop of Horrors”)
(2013 Artist of the Year and performer)

Riley Glick
National Tour: Ensemble in “A Christmas Story” (2016)
(2014 Award Winner as Tina Denmark in Phoenix Theatre’s “Ruthless”)

Nathan Harrington
Sabrina Carpenter Tour: Opening for Sabrina Carpenter with the Harletson trio (Nov. 17-Dec. 13)
http://www.harletson.com/
https://twitter.com/NateHarringtons
(2012 Award Winner and Performer as Joseph in Desert Stages Theatre’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”)

Sydney Marie Hawes
Regional Theatre: Lillian Disney in Phoenix Theatre’s world premiere of “When You Wish: The Story of Walt Disney” (2016)
https://twitter.com/sydney_hawes
(2008 Award Nominee and performer as Cinderella in Greasepaint Youtheatre’s “Into the Woods”)
(2009 Award Winner and performer as Catherine in Greasepaint Youtheatre’s “Pippin”)

Emma Howard 
Film: Emily in “The Beguiled” directed by Sofia Coppola (filmed in 2016, to be released in 2017)
w/Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Colin Farrell, & Oona Laurence
Broadway: performed with Sutton Foster in Violet (2013-14)
Broadway: Hortensia in original cast of Matilda (2012-13)
http://www.emmahoward.net/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5773826/
(2011 Award Winner as Oliver in MET2’s “Oliver!”)
(2016 Award Winner as Gertrude in MET2’s “Seussical”)

Emily Koch
https://twitter.com/EmBKoch
National Tour: Elphaba in “Wicked” (2015-16)
(2007 Award Winner as Eponine in Hamilton Academy of Music’s “Les Miserables”)

Brennyn Lark
Broadway: Eponine in “Les Miserables” (2015-16)
https://twitter.com/BrennynLark
(2011 Award Winner and soloist as Aida in Kidz Theater’s “Aida”)

Oona Laurence 
Film: Amy in “The Beguiled” directed by Sofia Coppola (filmed in 2016, to be released in 2017)
w/Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Colin Farrell, & Emma Howard
Film: Natalie in Pete's Dragon (2016)
Broadway: Matilda in original cast of Matilda (2012-13)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4802218/
(2014 Award Winner as Matilda in Broadway’s “Matilda”)

Emily Alyn Lind
Film: “The Babysitter” (filmed in 2016, to be released in 2017)
Film: Sophie in “Replicas” (filmed in 2016, to be released in 2017) (w/Keanu Reeves)
TV: Young Amanda Clarke in “Revenge” (2011-15)
https://twitter.com/EmilyAlynLind
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3014840/
(2011 Award Winner as Vanessa Marks in “November Christmas”)
(2013 Award Winner as Heidi Wyrick in “Haunting in Connecticut 2”)
(2014 Award Winner as Jamie Kelly in “Dear Dumb Diary”)

Matthew Malecki
Regional Theatre: Ub in Phoenix Theatre’s world premiere of “When You Wish: The Story of Walt Disney” (2016)
(2010 Award Winner as Benjamin Coffin III in Act One Theater Arts’ “Rent”)
(2011 Artist of the Year and soloist)
(2012 Award Winner as Sweeney Todd in PaccoArts’ “Sweeney Todd”)

Ross Nemeth
Regional Theatre: Young Walt in Phoenix Theatre’s world premiere of “When You Wish: The Story of Walt Disney”
National Tour: Chip in “Beauty and the Beast” (2015-16)
National Tour: Ensemble in “A Christmas Story” (2016)
(2014 Award Nominee as Iago in Desert Stages Theatre’s “Aladdin”)

Ashley Park
Broadway: Tuptim in “The King and I” (2015-16)
https://twitter.com/ashleyparklady
(2009 Award Winner as Little Sally in Pioneer Theatre Guild’s “Urinetown”)

Francesca Reale
TV: Emily in Netflix's “Haters Back Off!” (2016)
https://twitter.com/franlreale
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5590588/
(2012 Award Winner and Performer for Outstanding Youth Choreography at the Hamilton Academy of Music)

Rachel Redleaf
TV: Beth in Netflix's “Atypical” (cast in 2016, to be released in 2017)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6637304/
(2011 Award Winner as LeFou in Desert Stages Theatre’s “Beauty and the Beast”)
(2012 Award Winner as Wicked Witch in Desert Stages Theatre’s “The Wizard of Oz”)
(2013 Award Winner as Ursula in Desert Stages Theatre’s “The Little Mermaid”)
(2014 Artist of the Year)

TJ Rossi
Regional Theatre: Young Walt in Phoenix Theatre’s world premiere of “When You Wish: The Story of Walt Disney”
(2015 Award Winner as Lion in Musical Theatre of Anthem’s “The Wizard of Oz”)

Taylor Sackson
Lead singer for Vintage Wednesday who opened for Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and their Hollywood Vampires in Phoenix on Dec. 3, 2016
http://vintagewednesday.com/
(2014 Award Winner as Katherine in Red Mountain High School’s “The Taming of the Shrew”)
(2015 Award Winner as Lydia/Lola in Red Mountain High School’s “The Road to Shambala”)

Elizabeth Sams
Opened for Air Supply in Los Angeles on Oct. 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/elizabethsamss
(2016 Award Winner and Performer as Leading Player in Oaks Christian School’s “Pippin”)

Kyle Selig
Regional Theatre (San Diego): Homer Hickam in The Old Globe’s world premiere of “October Sky”
Broadway: Elder Price in “Book of Mormon” (2016)
https://twitter.com/kyleaselig
(2010 Award Winner as Don Lockwood in Academy for the Performing Arts’ “Singin’ in the Rain”)

Kelsey Shaw
National Tour: Ensemble & Grace u/s in “Annie” (2016-17)
(2010 Award Winner as Belle in MET2’s “Beauty and the Beast”)
(2011 Artist of the Year and soloist)
(2012 Nominee as Grace Farrell in MET2’s “Annie”)

Emily Skeggs
Tony Nominee as Medium Alison in “Fun Home” (2015-16)
https://twitter.com/EDSkeggs
http://www.emilyskeggs.com/
(2008 Award Winner as Oolie/Donna in LaGuardia’s “City of Angels”)

Kimberly Ann Steele
National Tour: Ensemble in Motown the Musical (Cast in 2016, to begin touring Jan. 11, 2017)
https://twitter.com/tweetsof_steele 
(2009 Award Winner and Performer as Dorothy in El Camino High School’s “The Wiz”)

Emma Stratton
http://www.emmastratton.com
National Tour: Helen Sinclair in “Bullets Over Broadway” (2015-16)
(2008 Award Winner and performer as Amneris in J*Company’s “Aida”)
(2010 Award Winner and performer as Meredith Parker in Canyon Crest Academy’s “Bat Boy”
pictured below singing at the ceremony with fellow award winner Erin Wuthrich/Ryn Weaver of "Octahate")

Izabela Vidovic
Film: Via Pullman (daughter of Julia Roberts) in “Wonder” (filmed in 2016, to be released in 2017)
TV: Taylor in “The Fosters” (2015-16)
https://twitter.com/IzabelaVidovic
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4207679/
(2013 Award Winner as Olivia Mead in “Christmas Angel”)
(2014 Award Winner as Maddy Broker in “Homefront”)

Alexis Louise Young
National Tour: "RENT" 20th Anniversary Tour (2016-2017)
https://twitter.com/mslexilouyou
(2011 Award Nominee as Maria in Classical Academy’s “West Side Story”) 
(2012 Award Winner and Soloist as Dorothy in Carlsbad Community Theatre’s “The Wiz”)