Austin’s Tony Awards® for High School Musical Theatre are moving to TPA in 2026!
The Heller Awards for Young Artists (HAYAs) are moving to TPA, the home of Broadway in Austin, and will become a permanent program beginning in the 2025/2026 season. TPA will hold the Heller Awards ceremony at Bass Concert Hall in the spring of 2026, after 12 successful years at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
The HAYAs are a highly anticipated annual event that recognizes the outstanding achievements of high school musical theatre students and educators in the Greater Austin area. Founded by the Long Center, TPA, and ZACH Theatre, the program has been produced and presented by the Long Center since 2014. Starting with 19 schools participating in the first annual ceremony, then known affectionately as the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards (GAHSMTA), the program has expanded to now feature 37 schools and counting.
The Heller Awards are named for Andrew and Mary Ann Heller, whose initial gift established an endowment fund to support a portion of the program costs. That endowment has been transferred to TPA and increased with new funds.
“We’re excited about the HAYAs finding a new home at TPA,” said the Hellers. “The program has flourished during its time at the Long Center, and this new partnership with TPA will help us continue to shine a light on the remarkable talent in our high schools while also giving these young performers a vital platform for growth and development.”
Stewardship of the HAYAs is part of TPA’s multi-year expansion to maximize its educational impact. To help ensure the long-term viability of its educational programs, TPA has raised $1.35 million in new funding which will support the transition and ongoing operations of the HAYAs.
“As the home of Broadway in Austin, the Heller Awards align perfectly with TPA’s passions for musical theater and education,” said Bob Bursey, Executive and Artistic Director of TPA. “We are happy to ensure that the Heller Awards continue to celebrate our community’s high school theater artists and to expand their opportunities in the years ahead.”
Modeled after the Tony Awards®, the HAYAs honor the entire high school musical experience, on and off the stage. Awards are presented in 19 categories such as best production, lead and supporting performers, and technical design. Ginger Morris, Executive Artistic Director of Impact Arts, has served as the Producing Director of the program since its inception.
Since 2022, TPA has hosted Impact Arts’ Summer Stock Austin, creating more avenues for young theater artists to hone their craft through performances at McCullough Theater each summer. This partnership expanded in 2023 when the Heller Awards became a Regional Awards Program for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (popularly known as The Jimmy Awards®) through TPA’s membership in the Broadway League. As part of this collaboration, Impact Arts has worked closely with TPA to provide training and administrative support for Jimmy Awards preparation.
The 2025 Heller Awards ceremony just took place on Wednesday, April 16 at the Long Center. Walker Wallace from Round Rock High School and Raegan Gonzales from Weiss High School were named best lead performers and will now go on to compete with students from around the country in the Jimmys in New York City this summer. (Walker and Raegan pictured below with Jamias Hughes, 2024 Jimmy Award nominee, and Bob Bursey, TPA's Executive & Artistic Director)
Presented by the Broadway League Foundation, the Jimmys represent the highest level of achievement in high school musical theatre, recognizing individual artistry in vocal performance, dance and acting while underscoring the importance of theatre arts education in schools. Over the past two years, four students — Langston Lee, Kyra Carr, Ava Moak and Jamias Hughes — have advanced from the Heller Awards to the Jimmys in New York City. In 2023, Lee, a student from Rouse High School in Leander, won the prestigious award for Best Performance by an Actor, further solidifying the Heller Awards for Young Artists as a nationally significant platform for nurturing young talent.
Support for the Heller Awards for Young Artists at Texas Performing Arts is provided by the Heller Awards for Young Artists Endowment and HAYA Executive Producers Andrew & Mary Ann Heller, Bettye Nowlin, and Marc & Carolyn Seriff.
Support for Austin’s participation in the Jimmy Awards is provided by Andrew & Mary Ann Heller, Mila McCutchen, Marcia & Gary Nelson, Bettye Nowlin, and Marc & Carolyn Seriff.
