Review: 2026 DIAMOND AWARDS at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville

Excitement filled the theatre from the area schools Saturday night, May 23, as they cheered on their finalists at Walton Arts Center’s second annual Diamond Awards. From deafening applause to waving signs and proud tears from directors, families, and classmates, the evening felt less like a competition and more like one giant celebration of Arkansas high school theatre. Hosted by Walton Arts Center Program Manager Sara Jones, the evening honored some of the brightest young performers in the region, with Elijah Taylor of Bentonville West High School taking home Best Actor and Cali Ferguson of Alma High School earning Best Actress. Both winners will now move on to represent Arkansas this June in New York City at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, better known as The Jimmy Awards. 

From the moment audiences entered Baum Walker Hall, the atmosphere buzzed with the kind of joyful nervousness only theatre kids can create. This year, 12 high school theatre programs that produced full-length musicals participated in the Diamond Awards program, with industry professionals adjudicating performances throughout the season to determine the nominees. The level of talent represented on that stage was staggering, proving once again that Arkansas is overflowing with gifted young artists.

The Diamond Awards does not simply hand out trophies. Nominees spent three intensive days at Walton Arts Center working with industry professionals, rehearsing together, building friendships, and preparing for the showcase performance that audiences experienced Saturday night. That camaraderie was visible all evening long. Students screamed for one another’s successes, leapt to their feet during ensemble numbers, and celebrated competitors like castmates. 

Halfway through the evening, Walton Arts Center President and CEO Peter Lane addressed the audience and spoke passionately about the importance of arts education and opportunities like the Diamond Awards. He reflected on how many young performers across the country often have to travel far from home to receive Broadway-level mentorship and training, making programs like this especially meaningful for Arkansas students. Lane praised the Northwest Arkansas community for investing in young artists and acknowledged the many people whose hard work makes the Diamond Awards possible.

Lane gave special recognition to Music Director Jason Burrow, applauding his extensive professional experience touring productions like HAMILTON while continuing to pour his talents into Northwest Arkansas students. He also highlighted choreographers Emily Viator and Virginia Mock of Elite Dance for helping shape the showcase into the polished production audiences witnessed that night. Lane additionally acknowledged the adjudicators who traveled throughout the region to evaluate productions during the school year, along with Walton Arts Center’s production and technical teams whose work transformed the stage into a Broadway-worthy setting. The audience erupted into applause once again when Lane recognized Sara Jones for her leadership and dedication to the Diamond Awards program before enthusiastically encouraging the audience to continue celebrating the students.

Additional honors celebrated the incredible depth of talent throughout the state. Sansa Meadows of Clarksville High School and Jenna Scott of Bentonville High School earned Best Supporting Performance honors, while Isaac Sides of Bentonville High School received Outstanding Vocal Performance. The Outstanding Dance Performance award went to Andrew Bush of Alma High School and Karen Leite of Fort Smith Southside High School, both of whom clearly know how to command a stage with confidence and charisma. Sansa Meadows also received Outstanding Acting Performance, further cementing her as one of the breakout talents of the evening.

Fort Smith Southside High School captured Best Ensemble Performance for BIG FISH, and they absolutely lit up the Walton Arts Center stage with a showstopping production number that had the audience cheering from start to finish. The energy pouring off the stage was electric, and the tapping was pure theatrical joy. The sharp rhythms and larger-than-life smiles created one of those magical moments that spotlighted their personalities  and star power. Extra points are awarded (by me) for those stunning costumes! Fort Smith Southside delivered a performance that felt and looked Broadway-ready from beginning to end.

The moment that made me shed a tear of pride (and I don't even know her) was when Samanthe Burrow received the Sparkle Award for Outstanding Arts Educator, an honor nominated by students themselves. Honestly, that may have been one of the most touching moments of the night because it highlighted the teachers and mentors pouring countless hours into shaping these young artists both onstage and off.

The Spirit of the Diamonds Award, voted on by the nominees, was awarded to Elizabeth Marine, recognizing not just talent, but leadership and kindness within the theatre community. Walton Arts Center also continued its wonderful Student Reporter initiative, honoring Riley Crow of Harrison High School and Reagan Hall of Bentonville West High School for their work in arts journalism and media storytelling. Theatre needs passionate storytellers behind the scenes too, and it was exciting to see those students celebrated alongside the performers, even though they were squeezed in there at the end. 

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