MTA Awards: Nominees and Winners

October 18, 2026 Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Arts Center

Musical Category

Outstanding Musical Production

Evita - Davidson Community Players Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Heathers the Musical - Just Two Guys Productions Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company Oliver! - Rock Hill Theatre Rent - Lee Street Theatre The Prince of Egypt, the Musical - Matthews Playhouse

Outstanding Lead Actor-Male

Robert Allen as Frank-N-Furter - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Matt Carlson as Roger Davis - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Kris Deviney as JD - Heathers - Just Two Guys Productions John DiMicco as Fagin - Oliver - Rock Hill Theatre Neifert Enrique as Che - Evita - Davidson Community Players Neifert Enrique as Moses - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse Nate Wheaton as Joseph - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company

Outstanding Lead Actor-Female

Lark Bodnar as Veronica - Heathers - Just Two Guys Productions Logan Cosper as Tracy Turnblad - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Carly Hart as Cady - Mean Girls - Showtime Theatre Company Kenara Hartwell as Fiona - Shrek the Musical - CPCC Theatre Melissa Lozada as Eva - Evita - Davidson Community Players Leslie Roberts as Miriam - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse Jordan Smith as Nancy - Oliver - Rock Hill Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor-Male

Noah Bolton as Brit - We Will Rock You - Cherryville Little Theatre Tristan Nogueira as Magaldi - Evita - Davidson Community Players Jack Richardson as Ali Hakim - Oklahoma - Piedmont Players Theatre Kaeleb Stillwell as Riff-Raff - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Ron Turner Diaz as Perón - Evita - Davidson Community Players AJ White as Angel Dumott-Schunard - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Rahman Williams as Tom Collins - Rent - Lee Street Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor - Female

Kristina Blake as Widow Corney - Oliver - Rock Hill Theatre Lily Bodnar as Heather Chandler - Heathers - Just Two Guys Productions Corinn Bordelon as Penny Pingleton - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Nikki Dunn as Joanne Jefferson - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Lindsay Litka-Montes as Maureen Johnson - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Lindsay Litka-Montes as Usherette/Magenta - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Lindsey Litka-Montes as Mistress - Evita - Davidson Community Players Reem Nour as Ado Annie - Oklahoma - Piedmont Players Theatre

Outstanding Direction

Sidney Horton - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Taryn Hoyt - Oliver - Rock Hill Theatre Steve Kaliski - Evita - Davidson Community Players Tod A. Kubo - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse Rod Oden - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Hilary Powell - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Jennifer Read - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company

Outstanding Set Design

Annie Agresta - Junk - The Green Room Community Theatre Chip Decker - Evita - Davidson Community Players Chris Morgan - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Hilary Powell - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Robert Read & Jan Porter - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company Eric Seale - Into the Woods - Hickory Community Theatre Paul Swanson - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse

Outstanding Costume Design

Robert T. Croghan - Shrek the Musical - CPCC Theatre Sarah Deutsch - Evita - Davidson Community Players Sarah Deutsch - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Sarah Deutsch - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Ethan Fite - Side Show - Out There Theatre Co. Beth Killion - Oklahoma - Piedmont Players Theatre Jennifer Read, Amy Wurthman, Linda Schalberg, Jan Porter - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company Chelsea Retalic and Beth Killion - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design

DJ Cook - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Pete DeGregory - We Will Rock You - Cherryville Little Theatre Kaylin Gess - Evita - Davidson Community Players Juan Leon - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Robert Read, Calista Dillinger, Lauren Gozur - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company Rod Oden - Rent - Lee Street Theatre JP Woodey - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design

Ryan Certo - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company Neifert Enrique - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Neifert Enrique and John Nipe - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse Jon Kadela and Lohmar Wolf - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Evan Kinsley - Evita - Davidson Community Players Matty Montes - Rent - Lee Street Theatre John Nipe - Oliver - Rock Hill Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction/Conducting

Nick Culp - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Dr. Corey Gaston - Rent - Lee Street Theatre Jeremy Mims - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company John Nipe - Oliver - Rock Hill Theatre John Nipe - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse Matthew Primm - Evita - Davidson Community Players Ellen Robison - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse

Outstanding Choreography

Sharlie Duncan - The Rocky Horror Show - Post Mortem Players Tod A. Kubo - Evita - Davidson Community Players Tod A. Kubo - Oklahoma - Piedmont Players Theatre Tod A. Kubo - Prince of Egypt - Matthews Playhouse Rachel Peterson - Hairspray - Matthews Playhouse Jennifer Read & Jennifer Tucker - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Showtime Theatre Company Jennifer Read, Jennifer Tucker and Jordyn Read - Mean Girls - Showtime Theatre Company

Play Category

Outstanding Production

Boeing Boeing - Union County Playmakers The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co. Deathtrap - Rock Hill Theatre King Hedley II - BNS Productions A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre A Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre The Winter's Tale - Davidson Community Players and Shepherd Shakespeare Company

Outstanding Lead Actor-Male

Jonathan Caldwell as King - King Hedley II - BNS Productions Tyler Campbell as Barnard - Boeing Boeing - Union County Playmakers Brandon Dawson as Leontes - The Winter's Tale - Davidson Community Players and Shepherd Shakespeare Company Chris Honsaker as Harry - Hangmen - Hickory Community Theatre Mason Livers as Walter Lee Younger - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre Dalton Riddle as Sidney Bruhl - Deathtrap - Rock Hill Theatre William Williamson as Michael - The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co.

Outstanding Lead Actor-Female

Tameka Brown as Ruth Younger - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre Patty Hepler as Wanda Yates - Mississippi Queens - Theatre Statesville Julia Howard as Blanche DuBois - A Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre Myneesha King as Ruby - King Hedley II - BNS Productions Janine Klein as Omaha Nebraska Madison - Second Samuel - Ansonia Theatre Raven Monroe as Esther - Intimate Apparel - Piedmont Players Theatre Shawna Pledger as Sofie - Wink - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor-Male

Tim Bradley as Elmore - King Hedley II - BNS Productions Bradshaw Call as Harold - The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co. Mike Hahalyak as Pato Dooley - The Beauty Queen of Leenane - Waxhaw Community Theatre Company Nathan Morris as Clarke - The Cottage - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Tone X as Stool Pigeon - King Hedley II - BNS Productions Rahman Williams as Constantine Bouc - Murder on the Orient Express - Union County Playmakers Aaron Zimmerman as Mr Marks - Intimate Apparel - Piedmont Players Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor-Female

Nikki Dunn as Beneatha Younger - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre Amy Hope as Mrs. Van Buren - Intimate Apparel - Piedmont Players Theatre Jamie Hutteman as Mrs. Hubbard - Murder on the Orient Express - Union County Playmakers Iesha Nyree as Emilia/Old Shepherd - The Winter's Tale - Davidson Community Players and Shepherd Shakespeare Company Alyssa Linnane as Dierdre - The Cottage - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Lauren Newell as Mag Folan - The Beauty Queen of Leenane - Waxhaw Community Theatre Company Lillie Oden as Lena "Mama" Younger - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre

Outstanding Direction

Marla Brown - Wink - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Desiree Dabney - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre James Duke - Puffs - CPCC Theatre Ethan Fite - The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co. Johnny Hohenstein - Deathtrap - Rock Hill Theatre Stuart Jonap - A Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre Erica Owens - The Cottage - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Mikaela Perry - Boeing Boeing - Union County Playmakers Chester Shepherd - The Winter's Tale - Davidson Community Players and Shepherd Shakespeare Company Rory D Sheriff - King Hedley II - BNS Productions Tommy Wooten - Second Samuel - Ansonia Theatre

Outstanding Set Design

Ruth Ann Harris - Second Samuel - Ansonia Theatre Rachael and Matt Morris - The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co. Jennifer O'Kelly - Intimate Apparel - Piedmont Players Theatre Jennifer O'Kelly - X - Post Mortem Players Rod Oden - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre Alex Peña - Deathtrap - Rock Hill Theatre Eric Seale - Hangmen - Hickory Community Theatre Roger Watson - Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

Kim Baysinger - A Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre Robert T. Croghan - Puffs - CPCC Theatre Ethan Fite - The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co. Beth Killion - Intimate Apparel - Piedmont Players Theatre Katy Shepherd - The Winter's Tale - Davidson Community Players and Shepherd Shakespeare Company Tina Taylor - Boeing Boeing - Union County Playmakers Tina Taylor - Murder on the Orient Express - Union County Playmakers

Outstanding Lighting Design

Jeff Childs - Puffs - CPCC Theatre Rick Diak - The Cottage - Fort Mill Community Playhouse David Filmore - Wink - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Madison King - King Hedley II - BNS Productions Juan Leon - A Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre Juan Leon - X - Post Mortem Players Jackson Rains - Deathtrap - Rock Hill Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

Logan Carter - X - Post Mortem Players Alyssa Cook - Deathtrap - Rock Hill Theatre Desiree Dabney and Rod Oden - A Raisin in the Sun - Lee Street Theatre Rick Diak - The Cottage - Fort Mill Community Playhouse James Duke & Montavious Blocker - Puffs - CPCC Theatre Ethan Fite and Emma Seibert - The Boys in the Band - Out There Theatre Co. Carri Hilson - Boeing Boeing - Union County Playmakers Jeff Montgomerie - Wink - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Andy Rassler - A Streetcar Named Desire - Old Courthouse Theatre Eric Seale - Hangmen - Hickory Community Theatre

SPECIAL AWARDS

Theatre Company of the Year

BNS Productions Davidson Community Players Matthews Playhouse Old Courthouse Theatre Post Mortem Players Rock Hill Theatre Showtime Theatre Company Theatre Statesville Three Bone Theatre

Emerging Artist of the Year

Robert Bevilacqua Tyler Campbell Marianna Corrales Matt Crowder Sarah Deutsch Cindy Heafner Julia Howard Kaleigh Laibson Jake McGraw Elijah Miller Andrew Monroe Emily Stanton Aaron Zimmerman

William Rackley Award for Technical Excellence

Kaylene Bryan Sarah Deutsch Jennifer Hamilton Kathryn Harding Megan Hirschy Dalton Isaac Jon Kadela Juan Leon Bella Parrish Mary Beth Schwallie Sarah Tysinger Amy Wurthmann

Theatre Person of the Year

Kaylene Bryan Gay Clyburn Steve Kaliski Anna Montgomerie John Nipe Jackie Obando Carter Cheryl Opel Robert Read Kelly Sandoval Rory D. Sheriff Rebecca White Elyse Williams