The Joci Awards To Be Presented By The Majestic Empire Foundation
The event at the Majestic Theatre will award students up to $16,000 in performing arts scholarships.
Robyn Hurder, Tony and Drama League Award-nominated actress Joci Awards will take center stage as host of the 2026 Joci Awards. The showcase will feature high school broadway hopefuls in grades 9-12 from San Antonio and Rio Grande Valley Area High Schools.
The Joci Awards Showcase Event is the largest scholarship program for the performing arts in the United States. Since 2025, participation in the Joci Awards program has tripled, growing from 1,000 to 3,000 students from across San Antonio and South Texas-reflecting the expanding impact and influence of the Joci Awards within the arts community.
The showcase will feature students from 21 different high schools who have been selected to compete in categories: Best Vocal Performance, Best Dance Performance, Best Acting Performance, Best Lead Actress in a Musical, Best Lead Actor in a Musical, and to be awarded between $3,000 to $16,000 each to pursue higher education -- no matter the field of study. In 2025, a new category was introduced - Outstanding High School Musical.
Broadway Star Robyn Hurder is a Tony and Drama League Award-nominated actress, widely celebrated as one of Broadway's most accomplished triple threats. She most recently starred as Velma Kelly in the Broadway company of Chicago, following her acclaimed run as Ivy Lynn and Marilyn Monroe in Smash.
The event will take place on Sunday, May 17 at 6 pm at the The Majestic Theatre located at 224 East Houston St, San Antonio. Tickets can be purchased at the Majestic Empire's website.
ABOUT THE JOCI AWARDS
Now in its 18th year, the Joci Awards, presented by The Majestic Empire Foundation, is the region's premier performing arts education and scholarship program.
This transformative initiative provides free workshops, master classes, and audition opportunities to thousands of students from San Antonio to the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Named in honor of arts advocate Joci Straus, the program has awarded more than $2.3 million in scholarships since its founding, positioning it among the nation's leading performing arts scholarship programs for high school students.
As an official Regional Awards Program for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards), the Joci Awards continues to elevate young artists, empower futures, and celebrate the life-changing impact of arts education.
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