Wharton Center Will Host 2026 SUTTON FOSTER AWARDS Showcase Honoring 170 Michigan Students
The 13th annual showcase takes the stage at Cobb Great Hall in East Lansing
Wharton Center for Performing Arts will host the 13th annual Sutton Foster Awards, where the spotlight will shine on the brightest stars of high school musical theatre from across the state of Michigan. Tickets are available now at the Wharton Center Ticket Office, online, or by calling 517.432.2000 or 1.800.WHARTON.
The Sutton Foster Awards are a celebration of high school musical theatre across the State of Michigan. A program of Wharton Center for Performing Arts, the Sutton Foster Awards is open to all high schools in the state, regardless of location, budget, or school size. This year, 170 students from 85 high schools across Michigan have been nominated to participate in the year-end Awards Showcase.
“The Sutton Foster Awards Showcase is one of my favorite performances of the season,” said Wharton Center's Executive Director Eric Olmscheid. “It is the culmination of a year of work and dedication. Watching students from across the state step into the spotlight and be recognized for their outstanding work is a reminder of how transformative the arts can be, and why creating these opportunities matters so deeply.”
Leading up to the showcase, three theatre professionals serving as adjudicators attended each school's full musical production. They provided feedback directly to the schools and nominated students in order to promote the program and performers' growth.
Two students will be selected and announced at the showcase to represent Michigan at The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA), otherwise known as The Jimmy Awards. For a complete list of participating high schools and their productions, visit whartoncenter.com/sutton-foster-awards.
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