THE DPAC RISING STAR AWARDS
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The 15th annual DPAC Rising Star Awards took place on Sunday, May 17. The 2025 / 2026 season included over 50 high school participants with more than 200 student nominees. Through this program, DPAC is honored to recognize the outstanding high school musical theater programs in our region and the dedication to keeping the arts alive in our school systems.
The awards ceremony was hosted by Clay Aiken and featured a large ensemble which includes students from each participating high school, alumni performances spanning all the way back to the first ever season of Rising Stars, plus twenty student finalists who competed live for the chance to advance to the national level of the competition called the Jimmy Awards®. During the first half of the awards ceremony, finalist performances were adjudicated by a panel of three highly esteemed judges whose scores determined the two students named as “Best Actor” and “Best Actress”, awards that came with $2,000 in scholarships and an all-expenses paid trip to NYC where they will compete nationally at the Jimmy Awards® in New York City this June.
Gabriel Emery (Wake Forest High School) was named Best Actor, and Mollie Reeves (Cardinal Gibbons High School) was named Best Actress. Tune in to the Jimmy Awards® live stream on Monday, June 22 to support Gabriel and Mollie as they make their Broadway debuts. To learn more about the Jimmy Awards®, visit www.JimmyAwards.com.
Congratulations to all participating programs, finalists, and winners.
Best Actor and Best Actress
- Best Actor: Gabriel Emery (junior at Wake Forest High School) — Nick Bottom, Something Rotten!
- Best Actress: Mollie Reeves (senior at Cardinal Gibbons High School) — Amalia Balash, She Loves Me
Best Ensemble (Tier 1 and Tier 2)
- Best Ensemble (Tier 1): Massey Hill Classical High School — Hadestown Teen Edition
- Best Ensemble (Tier 2): Cardinal Gibbons High School — Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Best Musical (Tier 1 and Tier 2)
- Best Musical (Tier 1): Knightdale High School — SIX The Musical
- Best Musical (Tier 2): Wake Forest High School — Something Rotten!
Student Production Awards
- Best Student Costume Design: Lillie Martin (Durham School of the Arts) — Hadestown Teen Edition
- Best Student Lighting Design: Michael "Kit" Gouldie (Knightdale High School) — SIX The Musical
- Best Student Choreography: Harper Lindberg & Reese Given (Heritage High School) — Newsies
- Best Student Orchestra: Green Level High School — Seussical TYA
- Best Student Set Design: Dayana Cruz (St. Thomas More Academy) — Swept Away
Outstanding Performance in an Ensemble
- Thomas Barnhill (Weaver Academy)
- Sophia Bell (Cardinal Gibbons High School)
- Emma Bernstein (Durham Academy)
- Angel Johnson (Jordan Matthews High School)
The DPAC Shining Star Award
- Colleen Eveson (St. Mary's School)
Best Dancer
- Maddie Behrens (Cardinal Gibbons High School)
New York Film Academy Recipients
- Gabriella Brunson (Pinecrest High School)
- Gabriel Emery (Wake Forest High School)
- Campbell Hill (St. David's School)
- Ethan Johnson (CE Jordan High School)
- Nicolas Sanchez (Enloe Magnet High School)
Check out this Behind The Scenes video by Root Media for an insight into the rehearsal process this season.
About The DPAC Rising Star Awards
Since 2010, The DPAC Rising Star Awards have celebrated outstanding achievements in high school musical theatre made throughout central North Carolina. This program focuses attention on the meaningful work being done both on and off stage by dedicated teachers and students. The DPAC Rising Star Awards are part of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards®, also known as the Jimmy Awards®, in honor of Jimmy Nederlander Sr.
The DPAC Rising Star Awards — 2026 / 2027 Season
DPAC understands that most schools set their show calendars for the next school year each spring. To help plan ahead for participation in The DPAC Rising Star Awards, here is an overview of the timeline for next season:
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September 2026 — School Registration Begins
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October 5, 2026 - April 18, 2027 — School Musical Adjudication Window
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May 18, 2027 — The DPAC Rising Star Awards
More information about how to apply for the upcoming season will be placed on our website in late summer/early fall.
