VTA 2025 Awards
Thank you so much for participation in the 2025 VTA Conference: Bringing Our Stories To Life. It was exciting to theatre lovers from across Virginia engaging with each other over the course of the event.
We have provided a list of our 2025 conference awards below. We have highlighted some additional awards announcements as well, including the results of finals, some honorable mentions, and some nominations we think are worth publicizing. The nominations highlighted in Green are nominations for judges special awards. The judges made nominations and then discussed their nominations to ultimately make decisions(we want you to know you were nominated so you can celebrate).
Please contact J. Harvey Stone(harvey.stone@vtasite.org) if you are missing a trophy, certificate, or medal(we know we need to get all of the Honorable Mention best performance medals to you).
Performer’s Spotlight Awards
Monologue Competitions
High School- Medallions
Rebecca Spitzer – E.C. Glass
Jaxxon Frierson – Princess Anne
Clark Gasbarre – Lafayette
Caroline Beals- Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (original announcement missed school)
Added winners
Camilla Lopez- Chancellor
Trulie Myers- Ramirez- EC Glass
Middle School- Medallions
1st: Payton Hussey
Broadway Slam
Outstanding Production: & Juliet
Outstanding Performers: Enzo Walker, Shourya Narayan, Calum Roberts, Clare Lindbloom, Baron Kelly
Outstanding Student Directors: Sophie Ward (New Kent High) & Rei Quarantotto (J.R. Tucker)
Outstanding Student Choreographer: Lauren Ridgeway (J.R. Tucker)
Outstanding Student Music Director: Lia Maltese (New Kent High)
Improvathon Winners
3rd: Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
2nd: Liberty Christian Academy
1st: Jefferson Forest
Musical Theatre Solo Competition
High School-Medallions
1st: Carter Morgan – Glen Allen
2nd (9-way tie): Aaron Carlson – Hampton Roads Academy; Alicia Aldea – Freedom; Canton Murphy – Jamestown; Drake Dendtler – Amherst; Holden Reynolds; Kayla Antancio; Kiki Lopez – Chancellor; Korsche Derr – Warhill; Yeamlak Tekebe – Woodson
Added Honorable Mention: Laila Rasnake- Charlottesville
Jackson Kirvan-Warhill
Middle School- Medallions
1st: Charlotte Grassmeyer(Berkeley)
2nd (tie): Kara Evans & Adison Ayers(Hornsby)
Honorable Mention: Kara Connor (Hornsby)
Lip Sync Battle
2nd: Woodson High School
1st: Jefferson Forest High School
Playwriting Awards
One Act Play (11th–12th Grade)-Medallions
1st: Anna Endress – Indian River High School
2nd: Viveka Palmer – Atlee High School
10-Minute Play (11th–12th Grade)-Medallions
1st: Cayden Bivens – Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
1st: Paxton Elder – Liberty Christian Academy(mis-labeled in previous announcement)
2nd: SashaRyan Paulk – Jamestown High School
One Act Play (9th–10th Grade)- Medallions
1st: Jack Wallis – Jefferson Forest High School
2nd: Alyxa J. Wilson- New Kent High
10-Minute Play (9th–10th Grade)- Medallions
As part of our commitment to new plays and new works, VTA will partner with the following playwrights to produce staged readings of their plays at next year’s conference!
1st: Lila Rose – Lafayette High School
2nd: Zoey Smith – Harrisonburg High School
Design and Merit Awards
We think a lot of students did not come up to receive their medal, but don’t have an accurate list. Please let Harvey know.
Costume Design- Medallions
HM: Molly Simmons – Liberty Christian Academy
HM: Kiyomi-Masai Rose – Henrico
1st: Esme Ogden-Amt – Charlottesville
Scenic Design-Medallions
HM: Joshua Barton – Henrico
HM: Vee McAndrew – E.C. Glass
1st: Henry Green-Medallions – Woodson
Crafts
HM: Weston England – E.C. Glass
1st: Kiyomi-Masai Rose – Henrico
Barbizon Stagecraft Showdown
Should be contacted by Barbizon for prize
Friday:
3rd: Charlottesville
2nd: Woodson
1st: Freedom
Saturday:
3rd: Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
2nd: Jamestown
1st: Jefferson Forest
Judges’ Special Merit Awards
Certificates
Technical Merit for Best Use of Helicopter – Atlee
Technical Merit for Sound Effects – Fredericksburg Academy
Best Musicians – Charlottesville
Technical Merit for Set Design – Hornsby
Technical Merit for Sound Design – Hornsby
“Resourceful Creators” – Salem
Best Choreography – New Kent Middle School
“The Chorus is the Star” – New Kent Middle School
“We All Wear Masks” – Marsteller
Special Shoutout:
Milania from Liberty High School for lending her phone during workshops!
Additional Nominations:
Heritage- Scenic
Jamestown- Set and Costumes
Louisa County: Props, Scenic, and Costume Development
Stuarts Draft: Spotlight
EC Glass: Theatrical Devices and Ensemble Development
Chancellor: Backdrops and lighting
Liberty Christian Academy- Tech and Design
Best of Middle and High School
High School
Best Costumes
Louisa County – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
E.C. Glass – Failure: A Love Story
Additional Nominations: Heritage, Massoponax, Fredericksburg, Liberty Christian Academy. Lafayette, Woodson
Best Use of Music
Charlottesville – The Secret in the Wings
Amherst – Wretch Like Me
Additional Nominations: Atlee, Hampton Roads Academy, Lousia County, Princess Anne, Heritage, Lafayette
Best Adaptation
Louisa County – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Additional Nominations: Atlee, Heritage, Charlottesville
Best Student Direction
Atlee – The Kaiju Sings
Jamestown – Mother of Exiles
Additional Nominations: Harrisonburg, JR Tucker, Lafayette, Charlottesville
Best Design
Heritage – Judge Tenderly of Me
Woodson – A Piece of My Heart
Additional Nominations: Jamestown, Fredericksburg, Chancellor, Charlottesville, Lafayette
Best Ensemble
Heritage – Judge Tenderly of Me
Woodson – A Piece of My Heart
Charlottesville – The Secret in the Wings
E.C. Glass – Failure: A Love Story
Additional Nominations: Jamestown, Jefferson Forest, Massaponax, Stuarts Draft, New Kent High, Fredericksburg, Chancellor, Henrico, Lafayette, Liberty High
Best Musical Performance
Atlee – The Kaiju Sings
Hampton Roads Academy – The Anxiety Project
Additional Nominations: Charlottesville
Best Original Play
Heritage – Judge Tenderly of Me
Jamestown – Mother of Exiles
Additional Nominations: Atlee and Amherst
All-Star Cast
Aaron Carlson (HRA) · Olivia Jenkins (Hanover) · Coleman Bradner (Heritage) · Olivia Gallian (Heritage) · SashaRyan Paulk (Jamestown) · Canton Murphy (Jamestown) · Chris Kolb (Jefferson Forest) · Jaxxon Frierson (Princess Anne) · Aster Peeden (Stuarts Draft) · Damiana Pesante-Eubanks (Warhill) · Cali Beachum (Warhill) · Brynne Hill (Fredericksburg Academy) · Mia Wielgoszinski (Fredericksburg Academy) · Brooke Burnett (Fredericksburg Academy) · Hazel Thompson (Harrisonburg) · Ella Nichols (J.R. Tucker) · Gavin Makely (Glen Allen) · Amatullah Ambakhutwala (Glen Allen) · Paxton Elder (Liberty Christian) · Abigail Williams (Princess Anne) · Lily Mail (Hanover) · Maya Holman (Massaponax) · Clark Gasbarre(Lafayette), Taylor Anne Mason(Lafayette)
Additional Nominations:
Honorable Mention, Best Performance
**We have a medal for each student we are going to create a plan to get as many of them to you through a local delivery or through the VHSL network of Athletic Directors. If those don’t work we will put in the mail
Percy Bevilacqua HRA
Olivia Ramirez-Weaver Charlottesville
Aniya Jackson Charlottesville
Laila Rasnake Charlottesville
Sil Leva Charlottesville
Olivia Colvin Charlottesville
Sammy Gaughen Charlottesville
Chris Early Charlottesville
Langston Foskett Charlottesville
Jake Luck Hanover
Lily Mail Hanover
Meredith Garner Hanover
Macy Neal Heritage
Jack Wallis Jefferson Forest
Lane Tankersley Jefferson Forest
Noah Gardner Jefferson Forest
Jack Henry Harris Louisa County
Olivia Rodgers Louisa County
Cassidy Carter Louisa County
Morgan Wolski Massaponax
Emma Hailer Menchville
Lily Roman Menchville
Jason Collier Princess Anne
Juliana Sayre Princess Anne
Katie Head Princess Anne
Ryder Talley Stuarts Draft
Winter Rogers Stuarts Draft
Kennedy Deary Warhill
Sophie Ward New Kent High
Lia Maltese New Kent High
Sophia Haupt EC Glass
Ian Guelzo EC Glass
Bryson Clark Harrisonburg
Shea Gibson Harrisonburg
Alex Lowry Harrisonburg
Claire Keller Harrisonburg
Jacson Prins Harrisonburg
Connor Maddux J.R. Tucker
Lauren Ridgeway J.R. Tucker
Nikki Seymour J.R. Tucker
Zachary Smorto Chancellor
Sam Russell Glen Allen
Kat Ferrel Glen Allen
Sophie Wallace Norview
Tim Toms LCA
Laken Thompson LCA
Ryan Stawicki LCA
Destiny Hymon Nun Mecklenberg
Holly Hymon Mecklenberg
Declan Kelly Mecklenberg
Patrick O'Connor Mecklenberg
Kayla Antacio Atlee
Sinobinna Nwobodo Atlee
Evie Sodan Henrico
Ashton Patterson Henrico
Yeamlak Tekabe Woodson
Caleb Brown-McWhite Henrico
Jay Adams Atlee
Alice Honenberger Lafayette
Delvin Sherrod Lafayette
Addison Lynne Lafayette
Middle School
Best Costumes
Hornsby · Berkeley · New Kent
Best Use of Music
Berkeley · Salem
Best Adaptation
Marsteller
Best Ensemble
Hornsby · Berkeley · New Kent · Marsteller
All-Star Cast
Katherine Schroder (Hornsby) · Amaya Williams (Hornsby) · Charlotte Grassmere (Berkeley) · Tyree (Salem) · Mady Taggart (New Kent) · Gavin O’Neal (New Kent) · Kara Conner (Hornsby) · Kara Evans (Hornsby) · Emma Cattell (Berkeley) · Grayson Gasbarre (Berkeley) · Kamryn (Salem) · Allison (Salem) · Nicole (Salem) · Kayleigh Friedl (New Kent) · Lilly Batchelder (New Kent) · Myer Frevert (Marsteller) · Landon Didier (Marsteller) · David Paine (Marsteller)
Top Honors
Middle School Top Actors
Hatcher Smith – Berkeley
Liam Courtney – New Kent
Kieran Phillips – New Kent
Sharon Asiama – Marsteller
Ratings-Based Awards
Platinum: New Kent Middle
Silver: Berkeley
Bronze: Marsteller, Hornsby, Salem
High School Top Actors
Paige Neylon – Heritage
Gen Jaeger – Jefferson Forest
Ben Stallard – Louisa County
Connor Michael – Louisa County
David Pristas – Fredericksburg Academy
Ell Norment – Harrisonburg
Evelyn Peters – Liberty Christian Academy
Tabitha Anderson- Lafayette
High School Theatre Festival Honorable Mention Performances
Will receive an honorable mention plaque
Jefferson Forest, Louisa County, Princess Anne, Woodson, Stuarts Draft, and Norview
Top 6 Schools (in no particular order)
Jamestown · Henrico · E.C. Glass · Heritage · Charlottesville · Lafayette
Finalist Sunday Morning Results
SETC HSTF PERFORMANCE TRACK
E.C. GlassHigh School
Lafayette High
SETC HSTF- STUDIO THEATRE TRACK
Charlottesville High
Jamestown High