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This year's award winners were selected from nominations by a panel of more than 50 judges and reviewers. In addition to the youth who performed in schools and youth arts companies, anyone age 18 and under who performed at a show reviewed by a judge was also considered for the NYA awards, as well as the adults who participated in the youth productions backstage (directors, set designers, costume designers, etc.) and guest adult performers in productions designed for youth. College artists are eligible for our University Arts (UniArts) Awards presented in conjunction with the National Youth Arts Awards. A few award-winning alumni include Tony Nominee Emily Skeggs [2008] (Broadway: Medium Alison in Fun Home, TV: Young Roma in When We Rise), Asher Angel [2013, '14, '15, '17] (TV: Jonah Beck in Andi Mack), Brian Crum [2005] (TV: America's Got Talent finalist), Veronica Dunne [2011, '12, '13] (Broadway: Roxie in Chicago, TV: Marisa Clark in K.C. Undercover), Emma Howard [2011, '16, '17] (Broadway: Hortensia in Matilda, Film: The Beguiled), Brennyn Lark [2011] (Broadway: Eponine in Les Mis), Ashley Park [2009] (Broadway: Tuptim in The King and I), and multiple-Grammy Nominee Ariana Grande [2009]. 

The award winners will be formally presented with their awards on stage and nomination certificates will be available at the registration table for the nominees. The ceremonies honoring all of their accomplishments are held in different regions of the country including multiple ceremonies in Arizona, California, Colorado, Virginia, and New York. If award winners can't make it to their ceremony, they might be able to attend one of the other ceremonies. Thank you all for your incredible work and all the unforgettable entertainment over the past year, and we hope you can join us!

Ceremony Portfolio for Agents: Award recipients and nominees are eligible for talent agency submissions. If you're interested in having NY and LA agents review your headshot/resume, please email them to rob@nationalyouththeatre.com. If any of the agencies are interested, you'll be contacted directly via the email on your resume. Reminder: Your resume should only have the email and cell of someone age 18 or over (your parent or guardian if under 18). 

Rob Hopper
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Executive Director
National Youth Arts

Arizona - Scottsdale Ceremony
RSVP 
NYA Awards | Nominees
Sunday, August 6
Registration begins @ 6:15 p.m.
Awards Presentation begins @ 7:00 p.m.
The Dutton Family Theater
East Valley High School
7420 E. Main St. 
Mesa, AZ 85207

Please click here for more details and ticket information

And the Winners are ...

Outstanding Production:
Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Production (Junior Division):
School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Choral Production:
Broadway Under the Stars (Horizon High School)

Artist of the Year:
Reagan Burows (Elle in Desert Mountain’s Legally Blonde, Ursula in DST’s The Little Mermaid, Emily Hobbs in DST’s Elf Jr.)
Sam Primack (Frank Abignale, Jr. in Chaparral’s Catch Me If You Can, Johnny in Spotlight’s American Idiot, Emmett in Spotlight’s Legally Blonde, Thenardier in Theater Works’ Les Mis)
Liam Thibeault (Carl Hanratty in AYT’s Catch Me If You Can, Charlemagne in Pippin, Mrs. Bumbrake in Peter and the Starcatcher, Various Roles in The Laramie Project @ Greasepaint, Doody in VYT’s Grease)
Johnna Watson (Sandy in Greasepaint’s Grease, Fastrada in Greasepaint’s Pippin, Ivy in Nearly Naked’s Bare)

Junior Artist of the Year:
Jack Yampolsky (Buddy in DST’s Elf Jr., Dewey in DST’s School of Rock, Archie in Greasepaint’s 13)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:
Eric Flayton as Carl Hanratty in Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
George Piccininni-Avery as Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)
Nathan Sheppard as Pippin in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Shawn Wong as Leading Player in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:
Aubrey Cole as Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Colleen Jacobson as Ella in Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Gabi Johnson as Maria Rainer in The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Emma Nowicki as Rosalie in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Greta Perlmutter as Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play:
Shelby Cornforth as Shelby in Steel Magnolias (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Briana Fleming as M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Alyssa Gonzalez as Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Logan Myers as Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Scottsdale Christian Academy)

Outstanding Lead Actor (Junior Division):
Isaac Greenland as Dewey in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Lead Actress (Junior Division):
Olivia Rose Feldman as Tina Denmark in Ruthless! (Desert Stages Theatre)
Talia Novack as Rosalie in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Natalie Wiley as Patrice in 13 (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actor (College Division):
Keegan Luther as Various Roles in The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:
A.J. Nielsen as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Allie Campina as Gabriella in Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Gretchen Carpenter as Timon in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Noa Gauthier as Berthe in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Alyssa Granger as Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Vaibu Mohan as Witch in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Anna Sera as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Rebecca Steiner as Brenda Strong in Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Allison Steward as Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Lauren Stewart as Jovie in Elf Jr. (Pinnacle Creative Arts Studio)
Ava Tyson as Catherine in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Ciara Walker as Paulette in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Camden Wawro as Cinderella in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actor (Junior Division):
Kyle Hoffmaster as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Anthony Moretti as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
Jack Paransky as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center)
Isaac Speyer as JoJo in Seussical (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actress (Junior Division):
Frankie Keffer as Scar in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Olivia Venteicher as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
Macie Wilbur as Flounder in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play:
Sawyer Bland as Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Declan Kinnane as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play:
Nell Decker as Mrs. Irene Molloy in The Matchmaker (Desert Mountain High School)
Gracie Doan as Paula Thompson in Murder’s in the Heir (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Sara Harpenau as Mammy in Wiley and the Hairy Man (Chaparral High School)
Natalie Slaiman as Minnie Fay in The Matchmaker (Desert Mountain High School)
Bella Tindall as Various Roles in The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
Ali Giordano as Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Ensemble:
Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Ensemble (Junior Division):
Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)

Outstanding Lighting Design:
Matt Stetler for Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Set Design:
Tiffany Atkinson, Jacqueline Mitts, Rick Sandifer for The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Choreography:
April Rozier for Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Emily Starrett for Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)

Outstanding Fight Choreography:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)

Outstanding Youth Orchestra:
Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)

Outstanding Musical Direction:
Curtis Moeller for Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Direction:
Sandy Flayton for Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Beth Reynolds for Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

* ...And the additional Nominees are ... *

Outstanding Production:
Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Steel Magnolias (Marcos de Niza Theatre)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:
Justin Charpentier as Buddy in Elf Jr. (Pinnacle Creative Arts Studio)
Jared Lara as Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Casey Likes as Evan in 13 (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Jacob Mitchell as Horton in Seussical (Horizon High School)
Riley Schor as Topher in Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Kyle Watkins as Emmett in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Eric Williams as Baker in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:
Alyssa Armstrong as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Abby Cardenas as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)
Peyton Woolf as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Peyton Woolf as Mitchie Torres in Camp Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play:
Blake Sullivan as Peter in Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Kyle Watkins as Horace Vandergelder in The Matchmaker (Desert Mountain High School)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play:
Ellie Hoffman as Karen Wright in The Children’s Hour (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Colleen Jacobson as Truvy in Steel Magnolias (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Claire Metzler as Mrs. Dolly Levi in The Matchmaker (Desert Mountain High School)
Marena Sever as Martha Dobie in The Children’s Hour (Chaparral Performing Arts)

Outstanding Lead Actor (Junior Division):
Collin Maddock as Beast in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
Noah Sucato as Simba in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)

Outstanding Lead Actress (Junior Division):
Elle Feinstein as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray (Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center)
Olivia La Porte as Belle in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
Raechel & Simone Rawicz as Annie in Annie (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Guest Actor:
Rob Dominguez as Cat in the Hat in Seussical (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Lead Actor (College Division):
Jack Rose as Danny in Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actor (College Division):
Keegan Luther as Kenickie in Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actress (College Division):
Jordan Yampolsky as Cinderella in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:
Dillan Butler as Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Spencer Charpentier as Buffalo Bill Cody in Annie Get Your Gun (Pinnacle Creative Arts Studio)
Harrison Geesey as Max Detweiler in The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Anand Khalsa as Oliver Warbucks in Annie (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Michael Mauck as Jean-Michel in Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Gianna Agostinelli as Paula Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Shannon Bloom as Ursula in The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)
Natalie Brodar as Liesl in The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Natalie Brothen as Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Mia Carlson as Dolly Tate in Annie Get Your Gun (Pinnacle Creative Arts Studio)
Paige Corbin as Emily Hobbs in Elf Jr. (Desert Stages Theatre)
Paige Corbin as Jan in Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Makenzie Couch as Rafiki in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Benny Cowans as Lucy in 13 (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Briana Fleming as Marie in Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Lindy Goldstein as Margo in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Gillian Kinzie as Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)
Grace Napoletano as Vivienne in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Taylor Penn as Rizzo in Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Alek Rahman as Pilar in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Kendra Richards as Jovie in Elf Jr. (Desert Stages Theatre)
Celine Sanel as Marty in Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Natalie Slaiman as Serena in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)

Outstanding Supporting Actor (Junior Division):
Zachary Astrowsky as Freddy in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Bennett Curran as Zack in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Owen Donsker as Lawrence in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Bo O’Brasky as Billy in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Eric Orson as Lawrence in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Noah Simmons as Young Simba in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Declan Skaggs as Freddy in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Isaac Speyer as Flounder in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Matthew Steward as Ned in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Matthew Steward as Lefou in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
Xander Zeeb as Billy in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actress (Junior Division):
Kara Armstrong as Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Gabby Astrowsky as Summer in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Sarah Astrowsky as Katie in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Kassandra Berg as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray (Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center)
Elise Carpenter as Young Nala in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Ava Chaffee as Lily St. Regis in Annie (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Sophie Cunningham as Tomika in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Olivia D’Ortenzio as Molly Hobbs in Elf Jr. (Pinnacle Creative Arts Studio)
Audrey Harris as Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray (Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center)
Jenna Hollerbach as Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Contanca Langer as Andy Hosten in Camp Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Tabitha Momeyer as Katie in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Brielle Quintana as Rosie Day in Camp Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Brielle Quintana as Summer in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Sydney Vance as Flounder in The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)
Macie Wilbur as Tomika in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Sydney Wohland as Nala in The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play:
Sawyer Bland as Various Roles in The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Ben Davis as Simon Starkweather in Murder’s in the Heir (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Harrison Geesey as Bensonhurst in Murder’s in the Heir (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Erik Harper as Dallas in The Outsiders (Chaparral High School)
Zev Kurtzman as Johnny in The Outsiders (Chaparral High School)
Jacob Modra as Mr. Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Scottsdale Christian Academy)
Aidan “Boy” Natoli as Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Grant Roberts as Various Roles in The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Danny Seep as Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Scott Snedden as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play:
Madison Ablin as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Gianna Agostinelli as Dog in Wiley and the Hairy Man (Chaparral High School)
Molly Dickinson as Cherry in The Outsiders (Chaparral High School)
Sophia Drapeau as Smee in Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Alden Hobbs as Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Scottsdale Christian Academy)
Gabi Johnson as Fiona Starkweather in Murder’s in the Heir (Notre Dame Preparatory)
Brenna Kayce as Miss Flora Van Huysen in The Matchmaker (Desert Mountain High School)
Allie Krusniak as Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Sophia Penn as Slank in Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Taylor Penn as Astor in Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Greta Perlmutter as Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Allison Steward as Various Roles in The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:
Vaughan Jones as Mr. Mayor in Seussical (Horizon High School)
Mark Munoz as Ensemble in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Hayden Skaggs as Theo in School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
Summer Beckman as Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Ally Chisenski as Fosse in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Noa Gauthier as Ensemble in Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Sarah Kaiser as Mrs. Mayor in Seussical (Horizon High School)
Hallie Reggio as Fosse in Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:
Haylee Woodruff as Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)

Outstanding Featured Actress (Junior Division):
Olivia Hizme as Aquata in The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
London Wood as Babette in Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Our Lady of Perpetual Help)

Outstanding Featured Actor (Junior Division):
Kyle Hoffmaster as Richie in 13 (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Ensemble:
13 (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Elf Jr. (Pinnacle Creative Arts Studio)
The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
The Little Mermaid (Don Bluth Front Row Theatre)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)

Outstanding Ensemble (Junior Division):
School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Costume Design:
Maria Amorocho for Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Jaimee Andreotti for The Matchmaker (Desert Mountain High School)
Beth Jacobson for Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Rebecca Steiner for Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)

Outstanding Lighting Design:
Paige Corbin and Matthew Villarreal for School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Drake Dole, Paige Corbin, Matthew Villarreal for The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Tom Holmberg for The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Dale Nakagawa for Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Donna Petersen for Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Mack Woods and Dylan Fulop for Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)

Outstanding Set Design:
Bret Aikens for Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Valerie Stutterheim and Jett McCullough for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Ken Wilson for The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)

Outstanding Choreography:
Tiffany Atkinson for The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Cate Carlino, Erin Tarkington, Peyton Woolf for Camp Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
Liza Noriega for Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Emily Starrett for Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Peyton Woolf for School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Hair/Makeup Design:
Spencer Claus for Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)

Outstanding Special Effects:
Mack Woods for The Outsiders (Chaparral High School)

Outstanding Sound Design/Original Music:
Pete Bish for Pippin (Greasepaint Youtheatre)

Outstanding Musical Direction:
Emmy Ant for School of Rock (Desert Stages Theatre)
James May for Catch Me If You Can (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Curtis Moeller for Grease (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Jennifer Moore for Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)

Outstanding Direction:
Tiffany Atkinson for The Little Mermaid (Desert Stages Theatre)
Lisa Barton Figueroa for Into the Woods (Desert Stages Theatre)
Joanie Colson for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Horizon High School)
Ed Como for The Children’s Hour (Chaparral Performing Arts)
Maureen Dias-Watson for Peter and the Starcatcher (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Tambra Lamb for The Lion King (CYT-Phoenix)
Patrick McChesney for Cinderella (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Patrick McChesney for Steel Magnolias (Marcos de Niza Theatre)
Marilyn Mumaw for Legally Blonde (Desert Mountain High School)
Colin Ross for The Laramie Project (Greasepaint Youtheatre)
Bonnie Wilson for The Sound of Music (Notre Dame Preparatory)