Miami’s first High School Musical Theater Awards Program celebrates outstanding student talent and sends two students to the Jimmy Awards in New York
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Excitement filled the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County’s (@ArshtCenter) Knight Concert Hall on Saturday, May 16, as more than 130 students from 17 Miami-Dade County high schools took center stage for the inaugural Arshties Showcase.
Formally known as The Arsht High School Musical Theater Awards Program and affectionately referred to as The Arshties, this County-wide initiative was launched by the Arsht in October 2025. Students and teachers who opted in to participate in the program received access to free Broadway‑caliber master classes, direct feedback from industry professionals along with technical theater training, culminating in nominations for Arshties awards and an invitation to participate in the May 16 showcase. The Arshties is an official regional awards program of The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® in New York City, presented by The Broadway League Foundation. The Jimmy Awards are the most prestigious recognition for high school musical theater performers in the nation.
Hosted by Wesley Wray, an Arsht AileyCamp Miami alum currently starring in Broadway’s Buena Vista Social Club, the Tony Awards-style showcase featured high-energy ensemble performances from schools nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theater Production, along with standout medleys performed by Lead Performer nominees eligible to be chosen to represent Miami at The Jimmy Awards.
Top honors were awarded across 12 categories recognizing excellence in musical theater performance, music, dance, design, stage management and student achievement.
2026 Arshties recipients are as follows:
Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theater Production
Miami Arts Studio @ Zelda Glazer, The Drowsy Chaperone
Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance
Ransom Everglades School, Into the Woods
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Coral Reef Senior High School, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Achievement in Orchestral Performance
Coral Reef Senior High School, Oklahoma!
Outstanding Achievement in Design
Miami Coral Park Senior High School, Shrek – Charlie De Jesus, Makeup Design
Outstanding Achievement in Student Reporting
Miami Country Day School, Bianca Maria Bonetti
Outstanding Achievement in Stage Management
Miami Country Day School, In the Heights – Stella Mary Espenkotter and Serenity Ukegbu
Outstanding Achievement in a Supporting Role
New World School of the Arts, As You Like It (Taub) – Sophia Jaramillo, Silvia
Outstanding Lead Performer – Best Actor
Miami Arts Studio @ Zelda Glazer, The Drowsy Chaperone – Alec Avila, Man in the Chair
Outstanding Lead Performer – Best Actress
New World School of the Arts, As You Like It (Taub) – Olivia Serrano-Salow, Rosalind
Inspiring Educator
Miami Arts Charter School, Leo Arteche
The Arshties Spirit Award
Miami Coral Park Senior High School, Valentina Davila
The recipients of the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, Alec Avila (senior at Miami Arts Studio @ Zelda Glazer) and Olivia Serrano-Salow (senior at New World School of the Arts), will represent Miami-Dade County at the Jimmy Awards on June 22 in New York City. All expenses, including travel, accommodations and meals, are sponsored by the Arsht thanks to the generous supporters of the Arshties program.
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These two students will now join peers from across the country for 10 days of professional development in New York, including coaching sessions, training and rehearsals with Broadway professionals leading up to the culminating ceremony. Through the experience, students further develop their skills in acting, dance and vocal performance while representing the strength of theater education in Miami-Dade County schools. The experience concludes with a live showcase on a Broadway stage, performed before an audience that includes some of the most influential decision-makers in the theater world. For more information, go to JimmyAwards.com.
Applications for the next installment – the 2026–2027 Arshties – are now open to all Miami-Dade County schools at ArshtCenter.org.
Development of the Arshties was funded in part by The Children’s Trust, a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. Supporting sponsors included the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Florida Theatrical Association, Patrick & Camille McDowell and Charmaine & J. Randall Waterfield
ABOUT ARSHT IMPACT PROGRAMS
The Arshties is one of the more than a dozen ongoing Arsht Impact programs that create magical experiences and enrich the lives of more than 120,000 people of all ages in Miami, for free. Programs include: Arsht for Miami, a vibrant series of free community events for all ages; Gospel Fest Miami, a six-month season of celebration of gospel music’s rich history and vibrant culture; AileyCamp Miami, a full-scholarship, six-week summer camp which uses dance as a vehicle for the personal development of young people; Heritage Fest, a free, family-friendly celebration that honors the richness of Pan-African culture; CommuniTea Dance, an annual celebration honoring Miami’s LGBTQ+ community; Arsht on the Road, a series of pop-up performances that bring the arts into Miami-Dade County’s diverse neighborhoods; Arsht Plus, interactive pre- and post-show experiences connecting audiences more deeply with each Broadway, classical and dance performance; Accessing the Arts Residencies, performance workshops for children and adults with disabilities; and Brushes with Cancer, a program that matches artists with patients, survivors and caregivers touched by cancer to create art reflective of their journeys.
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, and the state of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.
About the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County
Since opening in 2006 in the heart of downtown, the Arsht proudly serves as the cultural pulse of Miami – the heart of magical live arts experiences that spark the imagination and connect people to one another. Whether on our stages or in your neighborhood, the Arsht is alive year-round with international artists, innovative programming from resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and more than 100 culturally diverse and impactful learning experiences for 80,000 children every year.
The Arsht, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been recognized as a leader in the Miami’s cultural transformation, producing more than 400 annual events that generate 11,500 local jobs and $125 million in economic impact. The Arsht is home to a robust series of touring Broadway musicals, star-studded jazz and classical music concerts curated for South Florida, an award-winning Miami-based theater program and numerous historic and televised events. Free annual Arsht events, such as Gospel Fest Miami, Art + Mind Day, Heritage Fest and our LGBTQ+ Pride celebration bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit ArshtCenter.org.
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