MTA Awards: Nominees and Winners
2025 - The Fifteenth Annual MTA Award Nominees
The 15th Annual MTA Awards
October 5, 2025
The Carolina Theatre
Musical Category
Outstanding Musical
The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players
Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Legally Blonde - Showtime Theatre Company
Lizzie, the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor - Male
Aaron Andrews (Dom Claude Frollo) - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Gavin Fields (Davey) - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Tommy Foster (Emcee) - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Johnny Hohenstein (Blackstache) - Peter and the Starcatcher - Matthews Playhouse
Peter Liuzzo (Quasimodo) - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Adam Peal (Frank Farmer) - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players
Nathan Wheaton (Jack) - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actor - Female
Emma Brand (Molly Aster) - Peter and the Starcatcher - Matthews Playhouse
Carol Anne Hartman (Jenna) - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Lindsey Litka-Montes (Sally Bowles) - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Lindsey Litka-Montes (Lizzie Borden) - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Reem Nour (Rachel Marron) - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Maci Weeks (Princess Winnifred) - Once Upon A Mattress - The Uwharrie Players
Kel Wright (Musidorus) - Head Over Heels - Davidson Community Players
Outstanding Supporting Actor - Male
Robert Bevilacqua (Crutchie) - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Coleman David Campbell (Gabe, British Rocker) - First Date - Fort Mill Community Playhouse
Darius Cox (Jim) - Big River - Union County Playmakers
Paul Reeves Leopard (Waiter, Casey's Father, Blaze, Therapist) - First Date - Fort Mill Community Playhouse
Zak Parton (Ogie) - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Alex Pena (Clopin Trouilllefou) - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Tommy Wooten (Pap) - Big River - Union County Playmakers
Outstanding Supporting Actor - Female
Paula Baldwin (Fraulein Schneider) - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
CC Cooper (Becky) - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Suzanne Holshouser (Queen Aggravain) - Once Upon A Mattress - The Uwharrie Players
Leslie Roberts (Nicki Marron) - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Dior Scott (Emma Borden) - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Ally Teeples (Dawn) - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Ashley West-Davis (Paulette) - Legally Blonde - The Green Room Community Theatre
Outstanding Direction
Jill Bloede - Peter and the Starcatcher - Matthews Playhouse
Rod Oden - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Tod Kubo - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Jennifer Read - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Eric Seale - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Rufus Qristofer Teixeira - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Heather Wilson-Bowlby - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Outstanding Set Design
Chip Decker - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Roger Watson - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Hali Christopher/Emily Smith - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Rod Oden & Kelly Sandoval - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Robert Read and Jan Porter - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Paul Swanson - Peter and the Starcatcher - Matthews Playhouse
Eric Seale - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
Emily McCurdy - The Addams Family - CPCC Theatre
Beth Killian - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Sara Gross and Freda Linker - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Suzette Byrd - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Jacquelyn Loy - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Jennifer Read, Linda Schalberg, Amy Wurthmann - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Emma Lee Kurts - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design
Carri Hilson - Big River - Union County Playmakers
Jennifer O'Kelly - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Lee Franklin - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Lucas DeVore - Head Over Heels - Davidson Community Players
Jackson Rains - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Rod Oden & Kelly Sandoval - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
DJ Cook - Peter and the Starcatcher - Matthews Playhouse
Outstanding Sound Design
Carri Hilson - Big River - Union County Playmakers
Gene Starnes - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Rick Diak - First Date - Fort Mill Community Playhouse
John Nipe - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Rod Oden - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
Ryan Certo - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Gene Starnes & Brandy Almond - Once Upon A Mattress - The Uwharrie Players
Outstanding Music/Vocal Direction
Lindsey Schroeder - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Ellen Robison - Bright Star - Matthews Playhouse
Vicki Harvell - First Date - Fort Mill Community Playhouse
John Nipe - The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Rock Hill Theatre
Luis "Matty" Montes - Lizzie the Hard Rock Musical - Lee Street Theatre
TJ Williams - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Jeff Hartman - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Outstanding Choreography
Isabel Gonzales - The Addams Family - CPCC Theatre
Tod Kubo - The Bodyguard - Piedmont Players Theatre
Rachel Peterson - Cabaret - Old Courthouse Theatre
Gina Clarke - Grease - Ansonia Theatre
Jennifer Read, Emily Morrison, Cameron Mills - Legally Blonde - Showtime Theatre Company
Jennifer Read and Jennifer Tucker - Newsies - Showtime Theatre Company
Gina Duckworth - Waitress - Hickory Community Theatre
Non Musical Category
Outstanding Production
Arsenic and Old Lace - Old Courthouse Theatre
Communicating Doors - Waxhaw Community Theatre Company
The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Murder on the Orient Express - Piedmont Players Theatre
The 39 Steps - Rock Hill Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor - Male
Jonavan Adams (Harold Loomis) - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Devin Clark (Huey Shareef) - Boys to Baghdad - BNS Productions
Nathan Morris (Richard Hannay) - The 39 Steps - Rock Hill Theatre
William Reilly (John Proctor) - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Tom Schrachta (Hugh) - Sex Lies and A Sycamore Tree - Hot Mess Players
Gary Thornburg (Hercule Poirot) - Murder on the Orient Express - Piedmont Players Theatre
Christian Underwood (Dracula) - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor - Female
Jennifer Adams (Arthur de Bourgh) - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
Mandy Butler (Joanne) - Vanities - WIP Productions
Amy Hope (Romaine Vole) - Witness for the Prosecution - Lee Street Theatre
Julia Howard (Abigail Williams) - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Laura Munson (Kathy) - Vanities - WIP Productions
Ericka Ross (Bertha) - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Sarah Trinite (Annie Sullivan) - The Miracle Worker - Theatre Statesville
Outstanding Supporting Actor - Male
John Bowlby (Giles Corey) - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Truman Grant (Orcus) - She Kills Monsters - CPCC Theatre
Matthew Monte (Jonathan Brewster) - Arsenic and Old Lace - Old Courthouse Theatre
Jeff Powell (Clown 1) - The 39 Steps - Rock Hill Theatre
Rae Styles (Drill Sergeant Wilson) - Boys to Baghdad - BNS Productions
Dominic Weaver (Bynum) - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Reed Williams (Scuirdae/Scientist) - The Squirrels - Hickory Community Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor - Female
Melissa Bowden (Mina, Van Helsing) - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Maggie Garrido (Mary Warren) - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Aubrey Kowalski (Helen Keller) - The Miracle Worker - Theatre Statesville
Brooke McCarthy (Mr Darcy) - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
Shar Marlin (Lynn Shareef) - Boys to Baghdad - BNS Productions
Joy Sabet (Clown 2) - The 39 Steps - Rock Hill Theatre
Nasha Shandri (Mattie) - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Outstanding Direction
John David Brown, III - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Dr Corlis Hayes - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Taryn Hoyt - The 39 Steps - Rock Hill Theatre
Steve Kaliski - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
Raquel Oden - Witness for the Prosecution - Lee Street Theatre
Matt Webster - Murder on the Orient Express - Piedmont Players Theatre
Heather Wilson-Bowlby - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Outstanding Set Design
Roger Watson - Arsenic and Old Lace - Old Courthouse Theatre
Mitch Micosky - Communicating Doors - Waxhaw Community Theatre Company
Rachael and Matt Morris - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Tim Parati - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Kaylin Gess - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
James Duke - She Kills Monsters - CPCC Theatre
Eric Seale - The Squirrels - Hickory Community Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
Kim Baysinger - Arsenic and Old Lace - Old Courthouse Theatre
Jordan McKenzie Deese - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Jackie Obando Carter - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - Post Mortem Players
Emily McCurdy - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Karsen Green - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
Beth Killian - Murder on the Orient Express - Piedmont Players Theatre
Freddie Harward - She Kills Monsters - CPCC Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design
Emily Stanton - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Kaylin Gess - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
Jennifer O'Kelly - Murder on the Orient Express - Piedmont Players Theatre
Lena Dodd - Puffs - Waxhaw Community Theatre Company
Jeff Childs - She Kills Monsters - CPCC Theatre
Eric Seale - The Squirrels - Hickory Community Theatre
Alex Pena - The 39 Steps - Rock Hill Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design
Rory Sheriff - Boys to Baghdad - BNS Productions
Chris Stonnell - The Crucible - Post Mortem Players
Christian Underwood - Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - The Green Room Community Theatre
Rob Bowser - Joe Turner's Come and Gone - BNS Productions
Dalton Isaac - The Miracle Worker - Theatre Statesville
Steve Kaliski - Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley - Davidson Community Players
Montavious Blocker & Carly McMill - She Kills Monsters - CPCC Theatre
SPECIAL AWARDS
Emerging Artist of the Year
1) Myles Arnold
2) Nathan Brooks
3) Jordan McKenzie Deese
4) Taryn Hoyt
5) Aubrey Kowalski
5) Laura Munson
6) CJ Peters
7) Jarrad Russell
8) Nathan Wheaton
9) Destiney Wolfe
William E Rackley Award
1) Suzette Byrd
2) Charles Holmes
3) Bo Mills
4) Jackie Obando Carter
5) Jan Porter
6) Jenny Schwartz
7) Laura Spencer Hall
8) Brian Rassler
9) Chuck Riordan
10) Eric Seale
11) Emily Smith
12) Chiletta Wells
Theatre Person of the Year
1) Hali Christopher
2) Isabel Gonzalez
3) John Harris
4) Mikaela Mock
5) Hilary Powell
6) Jennifer Read
Theatre Company of the Year
1) BNS Productions
2) Hickory Community Theatre
3) Lee Street Theatre
4) Matthews Playhouse
5) Old Courthouse Theatre
6) Rock Hill Theatre
7) Showtime Theatre Company