(File Photo of the Henry Mancini Awards Logo)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Midland, PA) The 2026 Henry Mancini award winners were announced on Sunday during its annual ceremony at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. The ceremony recognizes outstanding student achievement in high school musical theater across Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, and Mercer counties.
Here are the winners for this year’s awards:
Award School, Show, Role, First Name, Last Name
Best Actor Beaver Falls High School James and the Giant Peach James Henry Trotter Kash Stevenson
Best Actress Freeport Area High School Tuck Everlasting Mae Tuck Jersey Diehl
Best Supporting Actor Beaver Falls High School James and the Giant Peach Earthworm Jordan Jesseman
Best Supporting Actress Ambridge Area High School Chicago: Teen Edition Matron “Mama” Morton Ariana Avolio-Mason
Best Choreography Execution Budget 1 Mohawk High School Water for Elephants
Best Choreography Execution Budget 2 Slippery Rock High School Anastasia
Best Choreography Execution Budget 3 Moniteau High School Mary Poppins
Best Choreography Execution Budget 4 Mars Area High School The Wizard of Oz
Best Costume Design Budget 1 Mohawk High School Water for Elephants
Best Costume Design Budget 2 Laurel High School The Addams Family
Best Costume Design Budget 3 Moniteau High School Mary Poppins
Best Costume Design Budget 4 New Castle High School Disney’s Frozen
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 1 Mohawk High School Water for Elephants
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 2 Slippery Rock High School Anastasia
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 3 Beaver Area High School Matilda
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 4 Neshannock High School SpongeBob the Musical
Best Ensemble Budget 1 Mohawk High School Water for Elephants
Best Ensemble Budget 2 Slippery Rock High School Anastasia
Best Ensemble Budget 3 Moniteau High School Mary Poppins
Best Ensemble Budget 4 Knoch High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Lighting Design Budget 1 Freeport Area High School Tuck Everlasting
Best Lighting Design Budget 2 North Catholic High School Footloose
Best Lighting Design Budget 3 Western Beaver Jr./ Sr. High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Lighting Design Budget 4 New Castle High School Disney’s Frozen
Best Scenic Design Budget 1 Mohawk High School Water for Elephants
Best Scenic Design Budget 2 North Catholic High School Footloose
Best Scenic Design Budget 3 Western Beaver Jr./ Sr. High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Scenic Design Budget 4 Knoch High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Student Orchestra Freeport Area High School Tuck Everlasting
Best Musical Budget 1 Mohawk High School Water for Elephants
Best Musical Budget 2 Slippery Rock High School Anastasia
Best Musical Budget 3 Western Beaver Jr./ Sr. High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Musical Budget 4 Knoch High School Hadestown: Teen Edition
Special Judge Award Freedom Area High School Brandon Yeager
Outstanding Student Artist Beaver Falls High School Sa’Miyah Thompkins