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Past Triangle Rising Stars Winners and Finalists

2022 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER and Jimmy Awards Top 4 Finalist: Symoné Spencer (Fanny Brice, Funny Girl, Enloe High School)
    • Madeline Atwater (Bea, Something Rotten, Millbrook High School)
    • Reaghan Given (Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors, Heritage High School)
    • Emily Hartsoe (Jershua Abbott, Daddy Longlegs, Longleaf School of the Arts)
    • Hayes Hunter (Genevieve, The Bakers Wife, C.E. Jordan High School)
    • Ellie O’Connell (Alice, Bright Star, C.E. Jordan High School)
    • Hannah Richman (Passionella, The Apple Tree, UNCSA High School)
    • Hannah Szemereta (Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins, Apex Friendship High School)
    • Hannah Watters (Sonia, Godspell, Heritage High School)
    • Brooke Willse (Fanny Brice, Funny Girl, Wake Forest High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER, Jimmy Awards Top 4 Finalist, and Jimmy Awards ‘Spirit of the Jimmy’s’ Recipient: Joshua Thompson (Miles Tuck, Tuck Everlasting, Weaver Academy)
    • Noah Colvin (Jack Kelly, Newsies, Enloe High School)
    • Avery Davidson ( Orsino, Twelfth Night, Durham Academy)
    • Maximiliano Fernandez-Escalona (Bert, Mary Poppins, Apex Friendship High School)
    • Ryan Gregory (Edward Bloom, Big Fish, Enloe High School)
    • Conor Kruger (Pippin, Pippin, Enloe High School)
    • Alex Lim (Jimmy Smith, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cary Academy)
    • Clark Phoenix (Jervis Pendleton, Daddy Longlegs, Longleaf School of the Arts)
    • Braden Shepstead (Beast, Beauty and the Beast, Heritage High School)
    • Levi Stine (Billy Cane, Bright Star, C.E. Jordan High School)
  • Best Dancer
    • Joshua Thompson, Weaver Academy
  • Triangle Shining Star
    • Emily Hartsoe, Longleaf School of the Arts
  • Best Musical:
    • WINNER: CE Jordan High School, Bright Star
    • Apex Friendship High School, Mary Poppins
    • Durham School of the Arts, Urinetown: The Musical
    • Heritage High School, Tarzan
    • Heritage High School, Frozen Jr.
    • West Johston High School, Matilda
  • Best Ensemble
    • WINNER: Apex Friendship High School, Mary Poppins
    • Clayton High School, Chicago Teen Edition
    • Durham School of the Arts, Urinetown: The Musical
    • Heritage High School, Tarzan
    • Heritage High School, Frozen Jr.
    • Longleaf School of the Arts, Daddy Longlegs
  • Best Set Design
    • WINNER: Durham School of the Arts, Urinetown: The Musical
    • CE Jordan High School, Bright Star
    • East Wake High School, Fame Jr.
    • Heritage High School, Tarzan
    • Heritage High School, Frozen Jr.
    • Longleaf School of the Arts, Daddy Longlegs
  • Best Costume Design
    • WINNER: Weaver Academy, Anastasia
    • Athens Drive Magnet High School, Beehive the 60s Musical
    • Broughton High School, Chicago Teen Edition
    • CE Jordan High School, Bright Star
    • Longleaf School of the Arts, Daddy Longlegs
    • West Johnston High School, Matilda
  • Best Choreography
    • WINNER: Heritage High School, Tarzan
    • Apex Friendship High School, Mary Poppins
    • Broughton High School, Chicago Teen Edition
    • Heritage High School, Frozen Jr.
    • Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, Legally Blonde: The Musical
    • Wake Forest High School, Legally Blonde: The Musical
  • Best Student Orchestra
    • WINNER: CE Jordan High School, Bright Star
    • Apex Friendship High School, Mary Poppins
    • Athens Drive Magnet High School, Beehive the 60s Musical
    • Broughton High School, Chicago Teen Edition
    • Durham School of the Arts, Urinetown: The Musical
    • Wake Forest High School, Legally Blonde: The Musical
    • West Johnston High School, Matilda

 

2021 Finalists

  •  
  • Best Actress:
    • JIMMY AWARD WINNER: Elena Holder (The Witch, Into the Woods, Durham School of the Arts)
    • Ansleigh Reid (Rose, Dogfight, Heritage High School)
    • Hanna Richman (Christine, The Phantom of the Opera, Raleigh Charter High School)
    • Kate Ragan (Kathy, The Last Five Years, Wayne School of Engineering)
    • Madison Barrier (Alyssa, The Prom, Penn Griffin School for the Arts)
    • Symoné Spencer (Shug, The Color Purple, Enloe High School)
    • Trinity Turner (Aida, Aida, Heritage High School)
    • Valentina Fernandez Escalona (Nina, In The Heights, Apex Friendship High School)
    • Vivian Waye (Woman 2, Edges, East Forsyth High School)
    • Whitley Lynn (Wednesday Addams, The Addams Family, Franklinton High School)
  • Best Actor:
    • WINNER: Joshua Messmore (Laurie, Little Women, St. David’s School)
    • Alex Lim (Paul, The Theory of Relativity, Cary Academy)
    • Christian Bartney (Donkey, Shrek, Millbrook High School)
    • I’zaah Gray-Jones (Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus Christ Superstar, RJ Reynolds High School)
    • Jackson Donahoe (Radames, Aida, Heritage High School)
    • Ryan Gregory (Gordon Michael Schwinn, A New Brain, Enloe High School)
    • Sawyer Bowers (Randall, Bring It On, Heritage High School)
    • Tate Mahar (Crutchie, Newsies, Holly Springs High School)
    • Thomas Halik (Usnavi, In The Heights, Heritage High School)
    • Will Wakeford (Pippin, Pippin, Athens Drive Magnet High School)

 

2019 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: Haven Bowers (Katherine Pumber, Newsies, Heritage High School)
    • Allie Jessee (Jo March, Little Women, Cary High School)
    • Anna Vtipil (Natalie/Ed, All Shook Up, Athens Drive Magnet High School)
    • Caroline Segars (Kelli Mangrum, Hands on a Hardbody, Eastern Alamance High School)
    • Delia Vaisey (Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors, Chapel Hill High School)
    • Emma Johnson (Marion Paroo, The Music Man, Apex Friendship High School)
    • Lanie Martin (Roxy, Chicago, Leesville Road High School)
    • Lily Vance (Tracy Turnblad, Hairspray, CE Jordan High School)
    • Liyana Falvey (Erma, Anything Goes, William G. Enloe High School)
    • Soraiah Williams (Miss Hannigan, Annie, Panther Creek High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Ben Eble (Seymour, Little Shop of Horrors, Chapel Hill High School)
    • Adam Greene (Seymour, Little Shop of Horrors, Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School)
    • Elliot Stanford (Harold Hill, The Music Man, Apex Friendship High School)
    • Jaydon Smith (Nicely Nicely Johnson, Guys and Dolls, Clayton High School)
    • Ricky Hall (Billy, Anything Goes, William G. Enloe High School)
    • Riley Gibson (Edna Turnblad, Hairspray, CE Jordan High School)
    • Sammy Rivas (Lumiere, Beauty and the Beast, Ravenscroft School)
    • Tyler Ellis (Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls, Clayton High School)
    • Vishal Kasula (Chad, All Shook Up, Athens Drive Magnet High School)
    • William Wakeford (Dennis, All Shook Up, Athens Drive Magnet High School)
  • Best Musical
    • WINNER: Athens Drive Magnet High School – All Shook Up
    • Cary High School – Little Women
    • Clayton High School – Guys and Dolls
    • Enloe High School – Anything Goes
    • Leesville Road High School - Chicago
  • Best Ensemble
    • WINNER: Heritage High School – Newsies
    • Apex Friendship High School – The Music Man
    • Athens Drive Magnet High School – All Shook Up
    • CE Jordan High School – Hairspray
    • Holly Springs High School – The Addams Family
    • William G. Enloe High School – Anything Goes
  • Triangle Shining Star (spirit award): 
    • WINNER: Vishal Kasula
  • Best Dancer: 
    • WINNER: Jaydon Smith

 

2018 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: Mya Ison (Sarah, Ragtime, Enloe High School)
    • Allie Jessee (Lily, The Secret Garden, Cary High School)
    • Anna Vtipil (Vanessa, In The Heights, Athens Drive High School)
    • Averi Zimmermann (Nina, In The Heights, Athens Drive High School)
    • Caroline Segars (Millie, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Eastern Alamance High School)
    • Delia Vaisey (Princess Winifred, Once Upon a Mattress, Chapel Hill High School)
    • Elena Holder (Olive Ostrovsky, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, Durham School of the Arts)
    • Lexi Yauch (Janet Van de Graff, The Drowsy Chaperone, Clayton High School)
    • Samantha Zarate Rangel (Nina, In The Heights, Jordan Matthews High School)
    • Tara Clinkscales  (Martha, The Secret Garden, Cary High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Sterling Jones (Gaston, Beauty and the Beast, Broughton High School)
    • Adam Green (The Cat in the Hat, Seussical The Musical, Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School)
    • Aidan O'Connell (Detective Carl Hanratty, Catch Me If You Can, CE Jordan High School)
    • Benjamin Richardson-Piche (Frank Jr, Catch Me If You Can, CE Jordan High School)
    • Dylan Gibson (Leaf Coneybear, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee, DSA)
    • Evan Martschenko (Neville Craven, The Secret Garden, Cary High School)
    • Garrett Noga (Robbie, The Wedding Singer, Leesville Road High School)
    • Kenneth Andrews (Oliver Warbucks, Annie, Graham High School)
    • Tyler Ellis (Robert Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone, Clayton High School)
    • Vishal Kasula (Benny, In The Heights, Athens Drive High School)

2017 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: Kaylee Terrell (Elle Woods, Legally Blonde, Panther Creek High School)
    • Livia Marsden (Rosalind, 9 to 5, Apex High School)
    • Allie Jessee (Baker’s Wife, Into the Woods, Cary High School)
    • Lily Tendler (Amalia, She Loves Me, Durham Academy)
    • Ellie Dusek (Ilona Ritter, She Loves Me, Durham Academy)
    • Caroline Segars (Godmother, Cinderella, Eastern Alamance High School)
    • Gabrielle Goodman (Morticia, The Addams Family, Millbrook High School)
    • Gabrielle Phillips (Millie, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Ravenscroft School)
    • Taria Daughtridge (Adelaide, Guys & Dolls, Southeast Raleigh High School)
    • Paulette Perez (Aida, Aida, St. Thomas More Academy)
    • Jasmine Brower (Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof, Jordan-Matthews High School)
    • Cameron Ransome (Nancy, Oliver, Wakefield High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Nicholas Kraft (Frank Jr., Catch Me If You Can, Clayton High School)
    • Chris Inhulsen (Baker, Into the Woods, Cary High School)
    • Brandon Martin (Prof. Callahan, Legally Blonde, C.E. Jordan High School)
    • Niall Schroder (Georg, She Loves Me, Durham Academy)
    • Jacob Phipps (Ren, Footloose, Heritage High School)
    • Jordan Jarmon (Scarecrow, The Wiz, Hillside High School)
    • Ethan Baker (Raoul, The Phantom of the Opera, Holly Springs High School)
    • Carson Weddle (Gomez, The Addams Family, Millbrook High School)
    • Connor Lewis (The Minstrel, Once Upon a Mattress, Northwood High School)
    • Andrew Bonomolo (The Jester, Once Upon a Mattress, Northwood High School)
    • Adam Greene (Nicely-Nicely, Guys & Dolls, Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School)
    • Jared Scott (Fagen, Oliver, Wakefield High School)
  • Best Musical 
    • Into the Woods, Cary High School
    • She Loves Me, Durham Academy
    • Aida, Enloe High School
    • Footloose, Heritage High School
  • Best Ensemble 
    • Oliver, Wakefield High School
    • Catch Me If You Can, Clayton High School
    • Bring It On: The Musical, Leesville Road High School
    • Guys & Dolls, Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School

 

2016 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: Ainsley Seiger (Wednesday Addams, The Addams Family, Apex High School)
    • Lily Tendler (Hotel, Fiddler on The Roof, Durham Academy)
    • Kelsey Willard (Baker’s Wife, Into The Woods, Enloe High School)
    • Camryn Sherer (Carmen, Fame, Hillside High School)
    • Cameryn Bost (Elle, Cinderella, Holly Springs High School)
    • Gabrielle Goodman (Annie, Annie Get Your Gun, Millbrook High School)
    • Kaylee Terrell (Mary Poppins, Marry Poppins, Panther Creek High School)
    • Taria Daughtridge (The Witch, Into The Woods, Southeast Raleigh High School)
    • Gabrielle Phillips (Princess Winifred, Once Upon a Mattress, Ravenscroft School)
    • Vanaya Henderson (Princess Winifred, Once Upon a Mattress, Riverside High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Nicholas Kraft (Daniel, Once On This Island, Clayton High School)
    • Lucas Beckett (Gomez Addams, The Addams Family, Apex High School)
    • Brandon Martin (Benny, In The Heights, C.E. Jordan High School)
    • Daniel Madden (Javert, Les Miserables, Cresset Christian Academy)
    • Ricky Hall (Jack, Into The Woods, Enloe High School)
    • Leon Ray (Donkey, Shrek, Fuquay-Varina High School)
    • Jacob Bush (Amos Hart, Chicago, Green Hope High School)
    • Andrew Peters (Topher, Cinderella, Holly Springs High School)
    • Connor Lewis (Robbie, The Wedding Singer, Northwood High School)
    • Aldani Herrera (Usnavi, In The Heights, St. Thomas More Academy)
  • Best Musical 
    • In The Heights, C.E. Jordan High School
    • Fiddler on The Roof, Durham Academy
    • Into The Woods, Enloe High School
    • Cinderella, Holly Springs High School
  • Best Ensemble
    • The Addams Family, Apex High School
    • Thoroughly Modern Millie, Athens Drive High School
    • Grease, Cary High School
    • Beauty & The Beast, East Chapel Hill High School

 

2015 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: Faith Jones (Dorothy, The Wiz, CE Jordan High School)
    • Bailey Lee (Kim, Miss Saigon, Enloe High School)
    • Melodie Stanton (Gertrude, Seussical the Musical, Clayton High School)
    • Kaylee Terrell (Cinderella, Into the Woods, Panther Creek High School)
    • Brandi Campbell (Maria, The Sound of Music, Holly Springs High School)
    • Shelby Barros (Judy Bernly, 9 to 5, Wakefield High School)
    • Sabrina Palazzo (Paulette, Legally Blonde the Musical, Athens Drive High School)
    • Katie Robbins (Rosemary, How to Succeed In a Business Without Really Trying, Northwood High School)
    • Nicole Wood (Princess Winnifred, Once Upon a Mattress, Cary High School)
    • Mila Bolash (Rosie Alvarez, Bye Bye Birdie, Sanderson High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Alex Fernandez (John Thomas, Miss Saigon, Enloe High School)
    • David Flowers (Marius, Les Miserables, Apex High School)
    • Nicholas Guariglia (Kenickie, Grease, Jordan Matthews High School)
    • Will Stapleton (Jean Valjean, Les Miserables, Apex High School)
    • Kai Kelley (Baker, Into the Woods, Voyager Academy)
    • Wilson Plonk (Frank, Annie Get Your Gun, Durham School of the Arts)
    • Blake West (Captain von Trapp, The Sound of Music, Holly Springs High School)
    • Collin Yates (Jekyll/Hyde, Jekyll & Hyde, Millbrook High School)
    • Joshua Menzies (Javert, Les Miserables, Apex High School)
    • Blake Benson (Baker, Into the Woods, Panther Creek High School)
  • Best Musical
    • WINNER: Les Miserables, Apex High School
    • The Sound of Music, Holly Springs High School
    • Dreamgirls, Hillside High School
    • Miss Saigon, Enloe High School
  • Best Ensemble

    • WINNER: Annie Get Your Gun, Durham School of the Arts

    • Into the Woods, Panther Creek High School

    • Mary Poppins, Cresset Christian Academy

    • Seussical the Musical, Clayton High School

2014 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: English Bernhardt (Esther, Meet Me in St. Louis, Ravenscroft High School)
    • Emily Cotten (Hope, Urinetown, Durham Academy)
    • Morgan Oh (Sandy, Grease, Voyager Academy)
    • Taylor Owens (Nina, In the Heights, Hillside High School)
    • Julianne Vance (Rusty, Footloose, CE Jordan High School)
    • Tyler Crocker (Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz, West Johnston High School)
    • Danielle Katz (Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors, East Chapel Hill High School)
    • Cristina Alba (Gertrude, Seussical the Musical, Panther Creek High School)
    • Sarah Gordon (Dorothy, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Enloe High School)
    • Amanda Jones (Tracy Turnblad, HairsprayWake Forest High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Matthew Washington (Ren McCormack, Footlose, Athens Drive High School)
    • Heath Smith (Oliver Warbucks, Annie, Jordan Matthews  High School)
    • Kai Kelley (Kenickie, Grease, Voyager Academy)
    • Lowell Oakley (Bobby Strong, Urinetown, Durham Academy)
    • Wilson Plonk (Charlie Brown, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Durham School of the Arts)
    • Tré Frederick (Cowardly Lion, The Wizard of Oz, West Johnston High School)
    • Hampton Crumpler (John Truitt, Meet Me in St. Louis, Ravenscroft High School)
    • Alex Fernandez (Jimmy Smith, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Enloe High School)
    • Will Stapleton (Lt. Frank Cioffi, Curtains, Apex High School)
    • Blake West (Tin Man, The Wizard of Oz, Holly Springs High School)
  • Best Musical
    • Seussical, Panther Creek High School
    • Urinetown, Durham Academy
    • The Wizard of Oz, West Johnston School
    • You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Durham School of the Arts
  • Best Ensemble
    • Footloose, Jordan High School
    • In the Heights, Hillside High School
    • The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Sanderson High School
    • Thoroughly Modern Millie, Enloe High School

2013 Finalists

  • Best Actress
    • WINNER: Anna Higginson (Millie, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Sanderson High School)
    • Ashley Griffin (Fiona, Brigadoon, Jordan Matthews High School)
    • Elizabeth Eason (Laurey, Oklahoma!, Durham Academy)
    • Angeline Fuqua (Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz, Durham School of the Arts)
    • Hayley Jo Womack (Belle, Beauty and the Beast, Western Harnett High School)
    • Laura Bevington (Marian Paroo, The Music Man, East Chapel Hill High School)
    • Ainsley Seiger (Kim MacAfee, Bye Bye Birdie, Apex High School)
    • Sarah Koop (Rev. Mother, Nunsense, Cary High School)
    • Sarah Gordon (Winifred, Once Upon a Mattress, Enloe High School)
    • Leia Gearhart (Rizzo, Grease, Garner Magnet High School)
    • Shelby Cox (Laurey, Oklahoma!, Raleigh Charter High School)
    • Ruby Gibbs (Muzzy, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Sanderson High School)
  • Best Actor
    • WINNER: Sam Hamashima (Baker, Into the Woods, Green Hope High School)
    • Alex Flores-Burgess (Ali Hakim, Oklahoma!, Durham Academy)
    • Kai Kelley (King, King and I, Voyager Academy High School)
    • Kevin Thorne (Cat, Honk The Musical, Clayton High School)
    • Zachary Dale (Joseph, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Broughton High School)
    • Aaron Miller (Frank Butler, Annie Get Your Gun, Panther Creek High School)
    • Bailey Griffin (Curly, Oklahoma!, Raleigh Charter High School)
    • Benjamin Goldman (Jesus, Godspell, St. Thomas More Academy)
  • Best Musical
    • WINNER: Once Upon a Mattress, Enloe High School
    • Honk the Musical, Clayton High School
    • Oklahoma!, Raleigh Charter School
    • Annie Get Your Gun, Panther Creek High School
  • Best Ensemble
    • WINNER: Oklahoma!, Durham Academy
    • Music Man, East Chapel Hill High School
    • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Broughton High School
    • Nunsense, Cary High School