2026 Carteret PAC Central Jersey Marquee Awards Nominees Revealed

The URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center has announced the nominees and honorable mentions for the 2026 Carteret PAC Central Jersey Marquee Awards, celebrating outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre across Middlesex, Somerset, and Mercer Counties.

Now in its third year, the Marquee Awards will take place on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center. This year’s program marks a major milestone, with 27 participating high schools—the largest cohort in the program’s history—highlighting the continued growth and impact of arts education across Central Jersey.

The Marquee Awards recognize excellence across 20 competitive categories, including performance, direction, choreography, and technical theatre. Nominees were selected by a panel of professional adjudicators who attended and evaluated productions throughout the spring season.

The program is led by James Mosser, Program Coordinator, and Jennifer Motta, Assistant Program Coordinator, who oversee all aspects of adjudication and event production. The continued success and expansion of the Marquee Awards is made possible in part through the generous support of Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman, whose commitment to arts and culture has helped position Carteret as a vibrant hub for the performing arts in the region.

The season culminates in a Tony Awards®-style celebration, featuring a red carpet, live performances from nominated productions, and the recognition of students, educators, and creative teams who have demonstrated exceptional artistry and dedication throughout the 2026 season.

The 2026 ceremony will be hosted by Constantine Maroulis, best known for his Tony Award–nominated performance in Broadway’s Rock of Ages. He first rose to national fame as a standout finalist on American Idol, becoming a household name during one of the show’s most-watched seasons. Maroulis has continued to build a dynamic career on stage and in music, most recently returning to the New York stage in Rock & Roll Man, where he portrays legendary DJ Alan Freed. In addition to his theatrical work, he is an accomplished recording artist with original music featured on SiriusXM and beyond.

2026 Central Jersey Marquee Awards Nominations and Honorable Mentions

BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors
Franklin High School - In the Heights
Hightstown High School - Bring It On: The Musical
The Pingry School - Cabaret
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde

Ewing High School - In the Heights (Honorable Mention)
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone (Honorable Mention)
Woodbridge High School - Pippin (Honorable Mention)

BEST LEAD ACTOR

Hamilton High West - The Prom - Ricardo Ramos as “Barry Glickman”
Old Bridge High School - Me & My Girl - Camryn Burniston as “Billy Snibson”
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Alex Ege as “Emcee”
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Jarius Gillespie Jr. as “Bobby Strong”
Steinert High School - Disney’s The Little Mermaid - Roman Engel as “Prince Eric”
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Aaron Crowell as “Pippin”

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Ronuel Ricafort as “Seymour Krelborn” (Honorable Mention)
Ewing High School - In the Heights - Isaac Fernandez as “Usnavi De La Vega” (Honorable Mention)
Franklin High School - In the Heights - Anthony Holley as “Benny” (Honorable Mention)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

Ewing High School - In the Heights - Haley Petrushun as “Abuela Claudia”
Hightstown High School - Bring It On: The Musical - Lily Rivenburgh as “Campbell”
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Nicole Smutek as “Janet Van De Graff”
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde - Tess Boyle as “Elle Woods”
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Gianna Roman as “Regina George”
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Sofia Monfredo as “The Leading Player”

Edison High School - Chicago: Teen Edition - Angelina “Ace” Parker as “Roxie Hart” (Honorable Mention)
Franklin High School - In the Heights - Abigail Balda as “Nina Rosario” (Honorable Mention)
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Cadence Concar as “Cady Heron” (Honorable Mention)
Steinert High School - Disney’s The Little Mermaid - Ella Rogers as “Ariel” (Honorable Mention)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Bernards High School - The Wizard of Oz - Nathaniel DeNicola as “Scarecrow”
Edison High School - Chicago: Teen Edition - Wyatt Botsko-Bridge as “Amos Hart”
Ewing High School - In the Heights - Israel Lopez as “Sonny”
The Hun School - Shrek: The Musical - Enzo Piastre as “Lord Farquaad”
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Mikey Minnella as “Damian”
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Randy Peralta as “Charlemagne”

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Ethan Feldman as “Orin Scrivello D.D.D.” (Honorable Mention)
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Paul Antonelli as “Robert Martin” (Honorable Mention)
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Xavier LeBlanc as “Herr Schultz” (Honorable Mention)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Ewing High School - In the Heights - Jayna Melo-Torres as “Daniella”
Hillsborough High School - Seussical: The Musical - Cori Kramer as “Sour Kangaroo”
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Summer Luna as “The Drowsy Chaperone”
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Liliana Fay as “Penelope Pennywise”
Steinert High School - Disney’s The Little Mermaid - Caitlyn Scoles as “Ursula”
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Veronica Diaz as “Fastrada”

Franklin High School - In the Heights - Gabriella Granados-Enamorado as “Daniella” (Honorable Mention)
Old Bridge High School - Me & My Girl - Emma Pepe as “Jaqueline Carstone” (Honorable Mention)
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Paige Cleary as “Janis” (Honorable Mention)

BEST ENSEMBLE MEMBER

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - The Urchins (Crystal, Chiffon, Ronnette)
Edison High School - Chicago: Teen Edition - Olivia Pellizzon as “Matron ‘Mama’ Morton”
Ewing High School - In the Heights - Rose Yalartai as “Piragüero”
Hightstown High School - Bring It On! The Musical - Alexis Brown as “Nautica”
JP Stevens High School - Guys & Dolls - Kaithlyn Luris Mendros as “Nicely, Nicely John”
Steinert High School - Disney’s The Little Mermaid - Liam McCormick as “Chef Louis”

Dunellen High School - Annie - Cambryn Hopper as “Molly” (Honorable Mention)
Hamilton High West - The Prom - Kamryn Mooney as “Shelby” (Honorable Mention)
Steinert High School - Disney’s The Little Mermaid - Joey Wilson as “Scuttle” (Honorable Mention)

BEST PRODUCTION NUMBER

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - “Finale Ultimo (Don’t Feed the Plants)”
Franklin High School - In the Heights - “96,000”
Hightstown High School - Bring It On: The Musical - “Bring It On”
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - “I Do, I Do in the Sky”
The Pingry School - Cabaret - “Willkommen”
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - “Run, Freedom, Run”

Ewing High School - In the Heights - “96,000” (Honorable Mention)
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde - “So Much Better” (Honorable Mention)
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - “Where Do You Belong” (Honorable Mention)

BEST CHORUS

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors
Ewing High School - In the Heights
Franklin High School - In the Heights
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls

Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone (Honorable Mention)
The Pingry School - Cabaret (Honorable Mention)
Woodbridge High School - Pippin (Honorable Mention)

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Grace Gardner
Franklin High School - In the Heights - Keira Radvanski Hurley
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Michael Tatoris
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Andrew Moore
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Greg Paradis
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Jason Kohn

Ewing High School - In the Heights - Alexander Minter (Honorable Mention)
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Jessica Peirce (Honorable Mention)
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde - Vincent Metallo (Honorable Mention)

BEST STUDENT ORCHESTRA

Bernards High School - The Wizard of Oz - Stephen Taesler
Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Arlene Garcia
Franklin High School - In the Heights - Patrick Callahan
Hamilton High West - The Prom - Davon Wheeler
JP Stevens High School - Guys & Dolls - John Zazzali
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Haley Schilla
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde - Robert Loughran

Steinert High School - Disney’s The Little Mermaid - John Ketterer (Honorable Mention)
Watchung Hills Regional HS - The Lightning Thief - Allan Daleus (Honorable Mention)
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Jason Kohn (Honorable Mention)

BEST LIGHTING

Franklin High School - In the Heights - Taylor Droege
Hillsborough High School - Seussical: The Musical - Christian Confalone
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Alan Van Antwerp
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Ankreesha Bajpayi & Angelica Fernandez
Spotswood High School - Frozen - Erin O’Brien, YooJoon Jeon, Sasha Hernandez, Kaitlyn Krefski, Victoria Wydle
Watchung Hills Regional - The Lightning Thief - Darren Xu & Brianna Jimenez

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Eileen Kelly (Honorable Mention)
Edison High School - Chicago: Teen Edition - Ben Takach (Honorable Mention)
Ewing High School - In the Heights - Chloe Dittloff (Honorable Mention)

BEST SCENERY

Franklin High School - In the Heights - Michael Mahler
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Ken Herskovitz & Angelise Esposito
Perth Amboy - Anything Goes - Jamie Vacca
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Joseph Napolitano
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde - Jeffrey Van Velsor
Watchung Hills Regional - The Lightning Thief - Vincent Gunn

Ewing High School - In the Heights - Kyle Binkley & McAfee Madding (Honorable Mention)
Hillsborough High School - Seussical: The Musical - Suki Gamse & Anthony Francese (Honorable Mention)
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Matt Nickles (Honorable Mention)

BEST COSTUMES

Colonia High School - The SpongeBob Musical - Morgan Smith
Immaculata High School - Once Upon a Mattress - Theresa Gunning
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Kayla Eckert
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Joseph Napolitano
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Janet Van Allen & Christie Hall
Spotswood High School - Frozen - Elana Kircher

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Jaelynn Tello-Watson (Honorable Mention)
Hillsborough High School - Seussical: The Musical - Amy McLaughlin (Honorable Mention)
Steinert High School - The Little Mermaid - Jennifer Smith (Honorable Mention)

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

Bernards High School - The Wizard of Oz - Madeline Halliez
Colonia High School - The SpongeBob Musical - Morgan Smith
Hillsborough High School - Seussical The Musical - Amy McLaughlin
Perth Amboy High School - Anything Goes - Allison Graham
Spotswood High School - Frozen - Alexandra Anselmo, Jiani Li, Jaylee Peralta
Steinert High School - The Little Mermaid - Carolyn Anzuini Seidel

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Jaelynn Tello-Watson (Honorable Mention)
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Jenn Massa (Honorable Mention)
Woodbridge High School - Pippin - Samantha Santangelo (Honorable Mention)

STUDENT DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE AWARD

Hightstown High School - Bring It On - Francisco Salto, Costume Designer
Hillsborough High School - Seussical The Musical - Abbigale Merry, Projection Designer
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Jace Brown, Costume Designer
Old Bridge High School - Me and My Girl - Lila Feldman, Costume Assistant
Perth Amboy High School - Anything Goes - Perth Amboy HS Costume Crew
Perth Amboy High School - Anything Goes - Perth Amboy HS Hair and Makeup Crew
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Sophie Schachter, Director
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Phoebe Hall, Choreographer
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Scenic Artist Crew
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde: The Musical - Jacob Zacks, Publicity Manager
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde: The Musical - Princeton Props Team
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde: The Musical - Princeton Electrics Team
Rutgers Preparatory School - The Music Man - Zachary Evans, Stage Manager
Rutgers Preparatory School - The Music Man - Victoria Gu, Stage Manager
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Marissa Klein, Props Manager/ASM
Spotswood High School - Frozen - Leah Harrell, Puppet Designer/Operator
Spotswood High School - Frozen - Allie Anselmo & Maria Anselmo, Choreographers & Dance Captains
Spotswood High School - Frozen - Sarah Sullivan, Parthinea Abdalla, Caitlin Young, Stage Management Team
Steinert High School - Disney's The Little Mermaid - Abigail Kurland, Director
Watchung Hills Regional HS - The Lightning Thief - Abby O’Mullan, Social Media Manager

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Colonia High School - The SpongeBob Musical - Melissa Calicchio
Ewing High School - In the Heights - Noelle Martone
Franklin High School - In the Heights - Cherilyn Strand
Hightstown High School - Bring It On: The Musical - Anthony Fania
Old Bridge High School - Me & My Girl - Jessica Tosonotti
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Megan Ferentinos

Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Liz Jacques (Honorable Mention)
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Angela Ricci (Honorable Mention)
Sayreville War Memorial HS - Mean Girls - Ivette Sosa, Sara Wiggins, Kelsey Rivera-Wu (Honorable Mention)

BEST DIRECTION

Carteret High School - Little Shop of Horrors - Shannon Kowal & Hillary Lawton
Franklin High School - In the Heights - Kiera Radvanski Hurley
Manville High School - The Drowsy Chaperone - Alexa Luchesse
The Pingry School - Cabaret - Alan Van Antwerp
Piscataway High School - Urinetown: The Musical - Mike Yoson
Princeton High School - Legally Blonde - Julianna Krawiecki