2026 GENE KELLY AWARD NOMINEES
Pittsburgh CLO is proud to announce the nominees for the 35th Annual Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, taking place on Saturday, May 23 at 7:30pm at the Benedum Center.
"The Gene Kelly Awards are a life-changing educational experience for students," said Jim Scriven, Director of Education at Pittsburgh CLO. "They offer the opportunity to perform on a world-class stage, celebrate the excellence of peers, and connect to a national network of emerging artists. It’s so much more than awards—it’s about access, inspiration, and pure musical theater joy."
Nominees have been recognized in categories including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Actor & Actress, Design, and Technical Execution, Vocal and Dance Ensembles, and Student Orchestra. The full list of nominees appears below. The winners for Outstanding Actor and Outstanding Actress will go on to represent Pittsburgh CLO at the Jimmy Awards®, held June 22, 2026 at Broadway’s Minskoff Theater.
In addition to the more than 34 awards, several cash and university scholarships will be presented, made possible through generous donations from the CLO Ambassadors, Point Park University, Seton Hill University, and Slippery Rock University.
Over the past three months, a panel of adjudicators – including educators, administrators, and industry professionals – attended performances at 37 high schools across Allegheny County. Final scoring was tabulated by Deloitte LLP, official auditor of the Gene Kelly Awards.
2026 Gene Kelly Award Nominees:
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Saint Joseph High School – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Springdale Jr./Sr. High School – The Addams Family Musical
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
McKeesport Area High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Budget Level III
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
Penn Hills High School – Once on this Island
West Allegheny High School – 9 to 5
Budget Level IV
Hampton High School – Once Upon a Mattress
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Riverview Jr./Sr. High School – The Addams Family Musical
OUTSTANDING CREW/TECHNICAL EXECUTION
OUTSTANDING CREW/TECHNICAL EXECUTION
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School - Curtains
Saint Joseph High School – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
McKeesport Area High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Budget Level III
Keystone Oaks High School – Mamma Mia!
North Hills High School – Mamma Mia!
Shady Side Academy Senior School – Anything Goes (2022 Revision)
Budget Level IV
Gateway High School – Catch Me If You Can
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Thomas Jefferson High School – 9 to 5
OUTSTANDING DANCE ENSEMBLE
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – Curtains
Saint Joseph High School – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Quaker Valley High School – Alice by Heart
Budget Level III
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
North Hills High School – Mamma Mia!
West Allegheny High School – 9 to 5
Budget Level IV
Gateway High School – Catch Me If You Can
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Woodland Hills High School – Young Frankenstein
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – Curtains
Saint Joseph High School – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
McKeesport Area High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Budget Level III
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
North Hills High School – Mamma Mia!
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – Guys and Dolls
Budget Level IV
Gateway High School – Catch Me If You Can
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Woodland Hills High School – Young Frankenstein
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Budget Level I
Bishop Canevin High School – Into the Woods
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – Curtains
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
McKeesport Area High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Budget Level III
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
North Hills High School – Mamma Mia!
Shady Side Academy Senior School – Anything Goes (2022 Revision)
Budget Level IV
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Thomas Jefferson High School – 9 to 5
Woodland Hills High School – Young Frankenstein
OUTSTANDING VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – Curtains
Saint Joseph High School – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
McKeesport Area High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Budget Level III
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – Guys and Dolls
West Allegheny High School – 9 to 5
Budget Level IV
Gateway High School – Catch Me If You Can
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Westinghouse Arts Academy – Into the Woods
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ORCHESTRA
Avonworth High School – The Phantom of the Opera
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School – Curtains
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 – Guys and Dolls
Shady Side Academy Senior School – Anything Goes (2022 Revision)
Thomas Jefferson High School – 9 to 5
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ARTIST
Ava Anderson
Stage Manager
Gateway High School – Catch Me If You Can
Anastasia Bakaturski
Dramaturg
McKeesport Area High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Spencer Callaghan
Student Director
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
Andrew Horvath
Student Sound Technician; Lead Student Carpenter
Thomas Jefferson High School – 9 to 5
Juliet Moore
Choreographer
Deer Lakes High School – Damn Yankees
Mary-Kate Stock
Student PR Leader
Baldwin High School – 9 to 5
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Nathan Connelly
Sir Harry – Once Upon a Mattress
Hampton High School
Sonny Davis
Igor – Young Frankenstein
Woodland Hills High School
Vincent Jackson
Uncle Fester – The Addams Family Musical
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools
Robert Reed-Williams, Jr.
Rapunzel's Prince – Into the Woods
Westinghouse Arts Academy
Lucas Sotereanos
Motel – Fiddler on the Roof
McKeesport Area High School
Adam Steiner
The Monster – Young Frankenstein
Woodland Hills High School
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lola Armfield
Holly - The Wedding Singer
Chartiers Valley High School
Emerson Henry
Miriam - The Prince of Egypt
Elizabeth Forward High School
Caisey Kreg
Roz Keith - 9 to 5
West Allegheny High School
Sophia Priore
Matron "Mama" Morton - Chicago: Teen Edition
Pine-Richland High School
Livia Rocco
Elizabeth Benning - Young Frankenstein
Woodland Hills High School
Olivia Safran
Frau Blücher - Young Frankenstein
Woodland Hills High School
OUTSTANDING ACTOR
Leo Alfieri
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein - Young Frankenstein
Woodland Hills High School
Will Benedum
Baker - Into the Woods
Westinghouse Arts Academy
Paxon Masters
The Phantom - The Phantom of the Opera
Avonworth High School
Eamonn McElfresh
Sky Masterson - Guys and Dolls
Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12
Theodor Mertz
Gomez Addams - The Addams Family Musical
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools
Michael Pfeffercorn
Tevye - Fiddler on the Roof
McKeesport Area High School
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS
Elise Duckworth
Roxie Hart - Chicago: Teen Edition
Pine-Richland High School
Mariana Mangual
Sarah Brown - Guys and Dolls
Seton LaSalle Catholic High School
Lucy Myers
Christine Daaé - The Phantom of the Opera
Avonworth High School
Parker Pile
Donna Sheridan - Mamma Mia!
North Hills High School
Loren Prisuta
Velma Kelly - Chicago: Teen Edition
Pine-Richland High School
Annabelle Watson
Miss Adelaide - Guys and Dolls
Seton LaSalle Catholic High School
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL
Budget Level I
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School – Hadestown: Teen Edition
Saint Joseph High School – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Budget Level II
Central & Oakland Catholic High Schools – The Addams Family Musical
Plum Senior High School – Seussical
Budget Level III
Elizabeth Forward High School – The Prince of Egypt
North Hills High School – Mamma Mia!
Budget Level IV
Pine-Richland High School – Chicago: Teen Edition
Woodland Hills High School – Young Frankenstein