DPAC Rising Star Awards to Open Applications for High School Musical Theatre

DPAC has announced that the DPAC Rising Star Awards, central North Carolina’s High School Musical Theatre Awards has opened school registration and applications for the 2026 / 2027 school year.

The DPAC Rising Star Awards celebrates outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre, by focusing attention on the meaningful work being done both on and off stage by dedicated teachers and students. The DPAC Rising Star Awards also serves as the regional competition as part of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA), also known as the Jimmy Awards®.

This regional competition is 100% free for participants and is open to high school musical theatre productions located across Central North Carolina. Current approved counties include Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Sampson, Stokes, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne, and Wilson.

The DPAC Rising Stars will culminate at DPAC on May 18, 2027. Often referred to as "the Superbowl for high school musical theatre," the awards show features the best and brightest student talent in our region and distributes awards celebrating school and student achievements all evening long.

This season, 24 students will be selected as "finalists," placing them in the running to be named as "Best Actor" or "Best Actress", receiving $2,000 in scholarships and an all-expense paid trip to New York City to participate in the Jimmy Awards®. These 24 finalists will be adjudicated live during the awards show by three ceremony judges who have Broadway credits and/or professional casting and talent management experience. Based on their performances on DPAC's stage, ceremony judges will determine which two finalists advance to represent the DPAC Rising Star Awards nationally at the Jimmy Awards®.

To participate, a school representative must complete registration no later than Tuesday, December 1, 2026. School musicals must take place within the adjudication window: October 5, 2026 - April 18, 2027. More information about eligibility requirements can be found in this season's handbook, which is available on DPAC's website. The DPAC Rising Star Awards are made possible by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.