2026 Sara Bareilles Awards Nominees Revealed for SF High School Musical Theatre

ATG San Francisco has revealed the nominees for the 2026 Sara Bareilles Awards, set to take place at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre on Sunday, May 3 at 7 PM. The regional program celebrates excellence in high school musical theatre across San Francisco and Alameda Counties—extending all the way to the northernmost regions of the state—and serves as a participating program of The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA), also known as The Jimmy Awards.

Tickets for the Sara Bareilles Awards are $25 and available beginning Thursday, April 16 at 10 a.m.at https://us.atgtickets.com/atg-inspire/awards/. Proceeds from ticket sales go towards supporting The Sara Bareilles Awards program.

This year, 41 schools across 12 counties submitted 57 productions for consideration. A total of 381 students were evaluated for their individual performances. Award categories at the Sara Bareilles Awards include Outstanding Overall Production, Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lead Actress, and Outstanding Supporting Performer. New this year, the program also introduces a Student Choreographer Award and a Student Reporter distinction.

On Saturday, May 2 from 12–6 PM, all individual award nominees and cast members from nominated productions are invited to take part in a day of optional, complimentary musical theatre workshops hosted by ATG San Francisco in San Francisco. Workshop offerings include a Vocal Workshop with Liz Whitney, Dance Workshop with Nicole Helfer, and an Acting Workshop with Janel Chanté.

The weekend celebration culminates on Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m., where nominees in the Outstanding Overall Production, Outstanding Lead Actor, and Outstanding Lead Actress categories will perform live on stage at the Orpheum Theatre before a panel of judges—including Transcendence Theatre Company Artistic Director Tony Gonzalez; award-winning theater educator, actor, director, choreographer and DEI consultant Lauren Rosi; and director, choreographer, actor, arts educator, and DEI Consultant Gary Stanford—as well as their family and friends.

Two-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Tony Award nominee Sara Bareilles will host a special Q&A with nominees and cast members from all nominated overall productions prior of the ceremony and will also deliver remarks on stage during the event.

Winners in the Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Lead Actress categories will travel to New York City for the 17th Annual Jimmy Awards ceremony, where they will make their debuts on a Broadway stage alongside 114 other students from around the nation. During this unforgettable event at the Minskoff Theatre, a panel of judges will bestow a number of awards and scholarships, including the coveted awards for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress. Participants in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards will be in New York City from Friday, June 12, 2026, through Tuesday, June 23, 2026. 
 

The 2026 Sara Bareilles Awards nominees are:
 

OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION

Casa Grande High School (Petaluma, CA)
Carrie: The Musical

Heritage High School (Brentwood, CA)
The Addams Family: School Edition

Justin-Siena High School (Napa, CA)
Big Fish

Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills, CA)
Chicago: Teen Edition - Verdon Cast

St. Ignatius College Prep (San Francisco, CA)
Mean Girls - Cast A

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR

Logan Jew-Fortner as Trent Oliver
The Prom - Changing Lives Cast
Amador Valley High School / Foothill High School (Pleasanton, CA)

Rowen Weeramantry as Pippin
Pippin - Magic Cast
Head Royce School (Oakland, CA)

Andrew Briseño as Gleb Vaganov
Anastasia
Heritage High School (Brentwood, CA)

Eli Isham as Billy Flynn
Chicago: Teen Edition - Verdon Cast
Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills, CA)

Josh Dodson as Kristoff
Disney's Frozen, The Musical
University Preparatory School (Redding, CA)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS

Brynn Millar as Emma Nolan
The Prom - Changing Lives Cast
Amador Valley High School / Foothill High School (Pleasanton, CA)

Samara Castro as Carrie White
Carrie: The Musical
Casa Grande High School (Petaluma, CA)

Jordin La Russa as Anya
Anastasia
Heritage High School (Brentwood, CA)

Eva Richey as Jane
Ride the Cyclone: Teen Edition - Blue Cast
Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco, CA)

Story Ng as Mimi
Rent - Cast A
San Marin High School (Novato, CA)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMER

Parker Kearns as Luke
The Lightning Thief
Clayton Valley Charter High School (Concord, CA)

Clayton Jolley as Bill Austin
Mamma Mia! - Cast A
Lincoln High School (Stockton, CA)

Caoilinn O'Connor as Shirley
Disaster! The Musical - Cast Earthquake
Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (San Francisco, CA)

Ally Myrah as Miss Andrew
Mary Poppins
Saint Mary's High School (Stockton, CA)

Acacia McDaniel as Bulda
Disney's Frozen
University Preparatory School (Redding, CA)

STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHER

Gianna Alvarez
Mamma Mia!
Dublin High School (Dublin, CA)

Aila Than, Ethan Posadas, Aidan Muzzo, Mia Garcia
Dogfight - Cast Semper
Elk Grove High School (Elk Grove, CA)

Vivaan Rai
Anything Goes
San Ramon Valley High School (Danville, CA)

Julianna Nash
The Addams Family: School Edition
Western Sierra Collegiate Academy (Rocklin, CA)

STUDENT REPORTER