MTA Awards: Nominees and Winners

The 15th Annual MTA Awards October 5, 2025 The Carolina Theatre Award recipients in boldface

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 (TIE)

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 (TIE)

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 (TIE)

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 McMinn - She Kills Monsters - CPCC Theatre

SPECIAL AWARDS

Emerging Artist of the Year

Myles Arnold Nathan Brooks Jordan McKenzie Deese Taryn Hoyt Aubrey Kowalski Laura Munson CJ Peters Jarrad Russell Nathan Wheaton Destiney Wolfe

William E Rackley Award

Suzette Byrd Charles Holmes Bo Mills Jackie Obando Carter Jan Porter Jenny Schwartz Laura Spencer Hall Brian Rassler Chuck Riordan Eric Seale Emily Smith Chiletta Wells

Theatre Person of the Year

Hali Christopher Isabel Gonzalez John Harris Mikaela Mock Hilary Powell Jennifer Read

Theatre Company of the Year

BNS Productions Hickory Community Theatre Lee Street Theatre Matthews Playhouse Old Courthouse Theatre Rock Hill Theatre Showtime Theatre Company Lifetime Achievement Corey Mitchell