Paper Mill Playhouse Announces 2026 Rising Star Award Winners

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This year, 114 New Jersey high schools across 19 counties had their productions adjudicated by a team of 55 adjudicators.

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Paper Mill Playhouse hosted the 31st Annual Rising Star Awards Ceremony on the stage of its Tony Award-recognized theater in Millburn, New Jersey. Celebrating excellence in New Jersey high school musical theater, the ceremony honored students and schools from across the state with more than 30 awards.

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Seven scholarships were awarded to students pursuing post-secondary education in musical theater and the performing arts. In addition, every nominee in the leading and supporting performance categories received merit scholarships for training in Paper Mill Playhouse summer programs.

This year, 114 New Jersey high schools across 19 counties had their productions adjudicated by a team of 55 skilled and dedicated adjudicators. Each production received in-depth feedback and insights to support the continued development of all theatrical disciplines within the school community. Following the adjudication of nearly 300 performances, 30 adjudicators participated in additional in-person review to identify this year’s nominees. Paper Mill Playhouse Education and Artistic staff abstain from participation in adjudication and voting. Often referred to as New Jersey’s version of the Tony Awards for high school musical theater, the Rising Star Awards recognize outstanding achievement in performance, direction, design, choreography, music direction, and overall production.

Paul Canada, Gill St. Bernards — Dracula

Lee Amorrosso, Gill St. Bernards — Dracula

Cameron Filepas & Daania Fakhar, Madison High School — Alice by Heart

Anthony Freitas, Madison High School — Alice by Heart

Heather Fleischman, Delaware Valley Regional High School — The SpongeBob Musical

Brent Geyer & Trey Shore, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School — Guys and Dolls

Blake Spence, Madison High School — Alice by Heart

Summit High School — Big Fish

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School — Guys and Dolls

“The Orphans” in Annie , Ridgewood High School

Melina Gonzalez as “Auntie” in Side Show , Jose Marti STEM Academy

Shaine Wilson-Gibson as “Benny” in In the Heights , Ewing High School

Mya Glasofer as “Vi Moore” in Footloose , Eastern Regional High School

Luciano Guidetti as “Joe Gillis” in Sunset Boulevard , Paramus High School

Chloe Geuther as “Princess Fiona” in Shrek the Musical , Wallkill Valley Regional High School

Madison High School — Alice by Heart

Jacob Zacks in Legally Blonde , Princeton High School

Mary Ann Wright , Ridgewood High School

Michael Berry , Princeton Day School Eddie Fox, Weehawken High School Athena Halewicz, Madison High School Leah Harrell, Spotswood High School Ben Jacobson , Ocean Township High School Marayah Marinho, Ocean Township High School Maddison McZorn, Cicely L. Tyson Community School for Fine and Performing Arts Props Team, Princeton High School Ainsley Valerio, Summit High School Jacob Zacks, Princeton High School

New Jersey United Christian Academy, Little Women

Moorestown High School, All Shook Up

Annie Raczko, Spotswood High School

Haley Petrushun, Ewing High School, attending Northern Michigan University for Musical Theater

Lucas Branquinho, Ocean Township High School, attending Brookdale Community College for Theater

Derek Bedell, St. Joseph Regional High School, attending University of Michigan for Musical Theatre, Voice

Matthew Macinelli, Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, attending Boston University for Lighting Design

Sydney Hain, Piscataway High School, attending the Rowan University Honors College for Musical Theater

Abigail Drake, Delaware Valley Regional High School, attending DeSales University for Acting

Emily Cugini, Monroe Township High School, attending Montclair State University for Music Education and Theater

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/new-jersey/article/Paper-Mill-Playhouse-Reveals-2026-Rising-Star-Award-Winners-20260610)._