Nominations & Finalists Revealed For The Shea’s Wonder Awards

Shea's Performing Arts Center announced the school nominees and student semi-finalists for Shea's Wonder Awards, Shea's high school musical theatre awards program. Shea's Wonder Awards winners will be announced during a ceremony at Shea's Buffalo Theatre on Saturday, May 16.  

The program, led by Shea's Arts Engagement & Education Department, was expanded this year to 1,629 students from 20 to 25 schools spanning 5 Western New York counties, including: Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara and Wyoming. 

Participating Schools

• Alden High School – HELLO, DOLLY!
• Bishop Timon St. Jude High School / Mount Mercy Academy – JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
• Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart – NUNSENSE
• Canisius High School – CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
• Cheektowaga Central High School – THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
• Cleveland Hill High School – DISNEY'S FROZEN
• Fillmore Central High School – HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION
• Gowanda High School – DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
• Jamestown High School – THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
• Letchworth Central High School – THE SOUND OF MUSIC
• Lockport High School – BIG FISH: SCHOOL EDITION
• Maple Grove High School – HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION
• Mount St. Mary Academy – ANYTHING GOES
• Nardin Academy – FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL
• North Collins Jr./Sr. High School – RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S OKLAHOMA!
• North Tonawanda High School – FREAKY FRIDAY
• Pioneer High School – GUYS AND DOLLS
• Randolph Jr./Sr. High School – DISNEY'S NEWSIES
• Southwestern Central High School – ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
• St. Francis High School – THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
• St. Joseph's Collegiate Academy – INTO THE WOODS
• St. Mary's High School – CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION
• Starpoint High School – DISNEY'S FROZEN
• West Seneca West High School – SOMETHING ROTTEN!
• Williamsville East High School – INTO THE WOODS

Throughout the school year 36 adjudicators attended local high school musicals, providing feedback and scoring each high school production in various categories. Shea's Wonder Awards are provided in categories related to outstanding performance, vocals, dance, music, lighting, set, costume, hair and makeup, direction, choreography, and more.

In addition, Shea's announced 16 individual semi-finalists for the “Student Talent And Growth Experience” STAGE Program. The two student winners of Shea's STAGE program will go on to compete in The Jimmy Awards, the national high school theatre awards program, which will be held in New York City on June 22, 2026. 

Winners of Shea's Wonder Awards program including the STAGE finalists will be announced at an event held at Shea's Buffalo Theatre on Saturday, May 16 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door, available through the Shea's Box Office at 650 Main Street or online.

Shea's Wonder Awards Nominations

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Nardin Academy - Footloose
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen
Williamsville East High School - Into the Woods

The STAGE Program Semi-Finalists - Actors

Anthony Aguglia as “Nostradamus” - Something Rotten! at West Seneca West High School
Carter Maier as “Kristoff” - Disney’s Frozen at Starpoint High School
James Hines as “Hans” - Disney’s Frozen at Cleveland Hill High School
Jonah Higgins as “Nick Bottom” - Something Rotten! at West Seneca West High School
Levi Simanowski as “Orpheus” - Hadestown: Teen Edition at Maple Grove High School
Maceo Rodriguez as “Baker” - Into the Woods at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Michael Duffy as “Willard Hewitt” - Footloose at Nardin Academy
Nathaniel Gomez as “Reverend Shaw Moore” - Footloose at Nardin Academy

The STAGE Program Semi-Finalists - Actresses

Ashleigh Farrell as “Bea” - Something Rotten! at West Seneca West High School
Braelyn Szpilewski as “Elsa” - Disney’s Frozen at Starpoint High School
Ella Hinklin as “The Witch” - Into the Woods at Williamsville East High School
Isabella Bindemann as “Witch” - Into the Woods at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Jane Hereth as “Esmeralda” - The Hunchback of Notre Dame at St. Francis High School
Kathryn College as “The Baker’s Wife” - Into the Woods at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Macy Gabel as “Katherine” - Freaky Friday at North Tonawanda High School
Natalie Prosser as “Anna” - Disney’s Frozen at Starpoint High School

Outstanding Leading Performances

Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen - Alexis Barnes as “Elsa”
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen - Kayla Mikolin as “Anna”
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen - James Hines as “Hans”
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen - Connor Carle as “Kristoff”
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen - Elliot Luis Madrigal as “Olaf”
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition - Levi Simanowski as “Orpheus”
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition - Victoria Tetta as “Eurydice”
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition - Evelyn Chapman as “Persephone/Fate”
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition - Mya Keeler as “Hermes/Fate”
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition - Jenna Rowley as “Fate”
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance - Hayden Langford as “The Pirate King”
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance - Samuel Mathis as “Major General Stanley”
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance - Matthew Johnson as “Frederic”
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance - Amaya Thompson as “Mabel”
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance - Rya Giuffre as “Ruth”
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition - Brady Mazurek as “Edward Bloom”
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition - Leah Siskey as “Sandra Bloom”
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition - Phillip Obot as “Will Bloom”
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition - Henry Sosebee as “Amos Calloway”
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition - Amelia Mussachio as “Jenny Hill”
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday - Macy Gabel as “Katherine”
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday - Marissa Fiorentino as “Ellie”
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday - Grace Gabel as “Fletcher”
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen - Braelyn Szpilewski as “Elsa”
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen - Natalie Prosser as “Anna”
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen - Quinn Schmidt as “Hans”
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen - Carter Maier as “Kristoff”
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen - Charlie Remillard as “Olaf”
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Gabriel Moran as “Quasimodo”
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Jane Hereth as “Esmeralda”
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Thomas Pivarunas as “Frollo”
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Mason Fox as “Phoebus”
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Jack Subkowiak as “Clopin”
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten! - Jonah Higgins as “Nick Bottom”
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten! - Michael Duffy as “Shakespeare”
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten! - Ashleigh Farrell as “Bea Bottom”
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten! - Anna Starr as “Portia”
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten! - Noah Bielecki as “Nigel Bottom”

Outstanding Collective Ensemble Performance

Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Nardin Academy - Footloose
Pioneer High School - Guys and Dolls
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten!

Outstanding Student-Led Orchestra

Alden High School - Hello, Dolly!
Bishop Timon / Mount Mercy - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday
Southwestern Central High School - Once Upon a Mattress
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten!
Williamsville East High School - Into the Woods

Outstanding Collective Vocal Performance

Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute - Into the Woods
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten!

Outstanding Dance Execution

Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart - Nunsense
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Mount St. Mary Academy - Anything Goes
Nardin Academy - Footloose
St. Mary’s High School - Chicago: Teen Edition
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten!

Outstanding Costume Design & Execution

Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart - Nunsense
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Pioneer High School - Guys and Dolls
Southwestern Central High School - Once Upon a Mattress
St. Joseph’s Collegiate Academy - Into the Woods

Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design & Execution

Alden High School - Hello, Dolly!
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday
St. Joseph’s Collegiate Academy - Into the Woods
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen

Outstanding Lighting Design & Execution

Cheektowaga Central High School - The SpongeBob Musical
Cleveland Hill High School - Disney’s Frozen
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Gowanda High School - Disney’s High School Musical
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen

Outstanding Scenic Design & Execution

Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Gowanda High School - Disney’s High School Musical
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday
Southwestern Central High School - Once Upon a Mattress
St. Francis High School - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Outstanding Music Direction

Cheektowaga Central High School - The SpongeBob Musical
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday
Pioneer High School - Guys and Dolls

Outstanding Choreography

Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Lockport High School - Big Fish: School Edition
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Mount St. Mary Academy - Anything Goes
Pioneer High School - Guys and Dolls
St. Mary’s High School - Chicago: Teen Edition
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten!

Outstanding Direction

Cheektowaga Central High School - The SpongeBob Musical
Fillmore Central High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
Jamestown High School - The Pirates of Penzance
Maple Grove High School - Hadestown: Teen Edition
North Tonawanda High School - Freaky Friday
Starpoint High School - Disney’s Frozen
West Seneca West High School - Something Rotten!

Magic of Theatre (Spirit of Wonder)

Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart - Nunsense
Canisius High School - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Letchworth Central High School - The Sound of Music
North Collins Jr./Sr. High School - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma
Pioneer High School - Guys and Dolls
Randolph Jr./Sr. High School - Disney’s Newsies
Southwestern Central High School - Once Upon a Mattress

Power of Storytelling (Spirit of Wonder)

Alden High School - Hello, Dolly!
Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart - Nunsense
Canisius High School - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Cheektowaga Central High School - The SpongeBob Musical
Gowanda High School - Disney’s High School Musical
Mount St. Mary Academy - Anything Goes
Randolph Jr./Sr. High School - Disney’s Newsies

Celebration of Community (Spirit of Wonder)

Bishop Timon/Mount Mercy - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart - Nunsense
Gowanda High School - Disney’s High School Musical
Letchworth Central High School - The Sound of Music
North Collins Jr./Sr. High School - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma
Pioneer High School - Guys and Dolls
Southwestern Central High School - Once Upon a Mattress

Michael Shea Award for Educator of the Year