Popejoy Hall has announced the following 20 individual nominees for the innaugural Popejoy Awards. The inaugural Popejoy Awards ceremony and performance will be held on Sunday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Popejoy Hall. The Awards will showcase the best of New Mexico’s high school musical theater talent performing selections from the American musical theater canon. The Tony Awards-style show features acting, production, and direction awards for high school productions and performers.

The nominees for Best Musical Performance by an Actress are: 

  • Rachel Blount, Albuquerque High School
  • Emily Chackerian, Albuquerque High School
  • Joliana Davidson, Cibola High School
  • Ariacella DelGrande, Albuquerque Academy
  • Dani Haines, Rio Rancho High School
  • Emma McKeen, Albuquerque High School
  • Nataly Moreno-Martinez, Albuquerque Academy
  • Micaela Pacheco, Sandia Preparatory School
  • Lillian Ridout, Rio Rancho High School
  • Camille Rousculp, Los Alamos High School

The nominees for Best Musical Performance by an Actor are:

  • Daniel Blake Rio Rancho High School
  • Matt Burress Sandia Preparatory School
  • Trey Caperton Albuquerque Academy
  • Adam Foster Albuquerque Academy
  • Tanner Gill Sandia Preparatory School
  • Max Hermann Los Alamos High School
  • Devon McClesky Los Alamos High School
  • Joseph McKee Albuquerque High School
  • Daniel Romero Sandia Preparatory School
  • Craig Short Albuquerque Academy

The nominees for Best Production, Best Direction, and Best Ensemble are: 

  • Albuquerque Academy’s production of Bye Bye Birdie
  • Albuquerque High School’s production of Chicago
  • Cibola High School’s production of Les Miserables
  • Los Alamos High School’s production of Spamalot
  • Sandia Preparatory School’s production of Guys and Dolls

The Tony Awards-style show, hosted by 2  KASA Style’s Chad Brummett, features the best of New Mexico’s high school musical theater talent performing selections from popular Broadway musicals in addition to a live awards presentation. Acting award nominees will perform solos from their respective performances as well as opening and closing numbers as an ensemble. Ensembles nominated for group awards will also perform selections from their productions. 

Winners of the Popejoy Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress will be sent to New York in June to participate in the National High School Musical Theater Awards, known as the Jimmy Awards, a program run by the not-for-profit Broadway League. Students train with Broadway coaches and performers before competing on the national awards show stage at the Minskoff Theater, current home of Disney’s The Lion King. The two New Mexico winners will compete for the Jimmy Awards with other winners from 31 similar local competitions from across the country.

Tickets for the Popejoy Awards show are currently available at the UNM Ticketing Offices at the UNM Bookstore and The WisePies Arena (formerly The Pit), at select area Albertsons, and online at UNM Tickets. To charge tickets by phone, call UNM Ticketing at (505) 925-5858 or (877) 664-8661 Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for the general public. Support seats, which include a $10 donation to the Popejoy Awards, are available for $25.