LOUISVILLE, KY — The Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) Bradley Awards is officially announcing this year’s nominees and the ceremony will take place on May 31, 2026 at the historic Brown Theatre in Louisville. This program is an official regional awards program of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®), known also as The Jimmy Awards®. The KPA Bradley Awards will introduce talented youth in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to the national stage while celebrating the importance of theatre arts education. The KPA Bradley Awards are named in honor of Bradley Broecker, whose central role in bringing touring Broadway shows to Kentuckiana has made an immeasurable impact on the region’s vibrancy. The KPA Bradley Awards are presented by KPA in partnership with the Louisville Theatrical Association.
The winning students awarded Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role will represent the region at the 2026 Jimmy Awards® in New York City, which includes 10 days of individual coaching, master classes and rehearsals with theater professionals, all-expenses paid. The week will culminate in a national awards ceremony at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway Monday, June 22, 2026.
The KPA Bradley Awards seek to build community amongst the region’s high school musical theatre programs and amplify the significant accomplishments of our region’s educators and students.
The nominees for the 2026 KPA Bradley Awards are:
Behind the Scenes Excellence, sponsored by Bradley Broecker
Sophie Stokley / Stage Manager
Sydney Jeffries / Costume, Graphic & Scenic Design
Sofia Martinez / Asst. Student Directing
Daniel Amaral / Asst. Student Directing
Taylor Glass / Makeup & Hair
Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SWEENEY TODD: SCHOOL EDITION
Ayla Starks / Costume Run Crew Lead
Ralyne Moss / Costume Run Crew
Aja Dawson / Costume Run Crew
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - CINDERELLA
Anna Waddell / Stage Manager & Props Lead
Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - THE WIZARD OF OZ
Bailey Gilbert / Stage Manager
Marita Smith / Stage Manager
Cheyenne Poynter / Stage Manager
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Ruby Laffin / Asst. Director and Student Conductor in the Pit
New Albany, New Albany, IN - PETER PAN
Outstanding Student Designer, sponsored by Think Tank Marketing
Marita Smith, Scenic Design
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Ryan Chapman, Scenic Design
Assumption High School, Louisville, KY – ANASTASIA
Eva Donis, Lighting Design
Assumption High School, Louisville, KY - ANASTASIA
Lily Jester, Hair & Makeup Design
Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, KY - HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION
Gillian McClellan, Scenic Design
George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester, KY – URINETOWN
Outstanding Technical Execution
Rowan County Senior High School, Morehead, KY - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester, KY - URINETOWN
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - CINDERELLA
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Blake Martin as Mayor Shinn
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - THE MUSIC MAN
Finn Eddleman as Amos Calloway
Larry A. Ryle High School, Union, KY - BIG FISH
Tobin Love as Barnaby Tucker
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Malaki Johnson as Wesleton/Oaken
Western Hills High School, Frankfort, KY – FROZEN
Emmett Rathgeber as Ali Hakim
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Addison Taylor as Little Becky
George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester, KY - URINETOWN
Ellie Rue as Hilda Klinemann
Daviess County High School, Owensboro, KY - ROCK OF AGES: SCHOOL EDITION
Hadley Bauer as Minnie Fae
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Clara Pierce as Aunt Eller
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Hadley Roach as Widow Paroo
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - THE MUSIC MAN
Outstanding Dance Execution, sponsored by Caesars Foundation of Floyd County
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - THE MUSIC MAN
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - CINDERELLA
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Rowan County Senior High School, Morehead, KY - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Outstanding Arts Mentor, sponsored by Bruce Merrick and Karen McCoy
Jay Schwandt
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY – CINDERELLA
Kate Osterloh
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION
Phyllis Westerfall
John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY - MEAN GIRLS: HIGH SCHOOL VERSION
Angela Hampton
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Savannah Fallis
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Outstanding Community Engagement
Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - THE WIZARD OF OZ
Our Lady of Providence High School, Clarksville, IN - GODSPELL
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - CINDERELLA
Bryan Station High School, Lexington, KY - SWEENEY TODD: SCHOOL EDITION
John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY - MEAN GIRLS: HIGH SCHOOL VERSION
Outstanding Ensemble Performance, sponsored by Frank and Paula Harshaw
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Floyd Central High School, Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - THE MUSIC MAN
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - CINDERELLA
West Jessamine High School, Nicholasville, KY - HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Joey Paulin as Nick Bottom
Trinity High School, Louisville, KY - SOMETHING ROTTEN!
Jack Nelson as Curly
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Liam Curry as Prince Topher
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY – CINDERELLA
Sterling Coleman as Jean Valjean
Rowan County Senior High School, Morehead, KY - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
Logan Yates as Tin Man
Mercer County Senior High School, Harrodsburg, KY - THE WIZARD OF OZ
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Haylee Miko as Cosette
Rowan County Senior High School, Morehead, KY - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
Halle Hunter as Elsa
Western Hills High School, Frankfort, KY - FROZEN
McKinley Harper as Penelope Pennywise
George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester, KY - URINETOWN
Lyvia McCutchen as Hermes
Franklin County High School, Frankfort, KY - HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION
Sarah “Clay” House as Winthrop Paroo
Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY - THE MUSIC MAN
Overall Musical Production, sponsored by Michael E. Berry
Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, KY - CINDERELLA
Floyd Central High School, in Floyds Knobs, IN - HELLO, DOLLY!
Rowan County Senior High School, Morehead, KY - LES MISÉRABLES: SCHOOL EDITION
McCracken County High School, Paducah, KY - OKLAHOMA!
Trinity High School, Louisville, KY - SOMETHING ROTTEN!
The KPA Bradley Awards selected two student reporters to provide coverage of this year’s program and host the red carpet experience livestream, sponsored by Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), before the awards ceremony. Both students were submitted for consideration to serve as The Jimmy Awards® Student Reporters as well.
The 2026 KPA Bradley Awards Student Reporters
Audrey Harris from Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, KY
Colby Pennington from Floyd Central High School in Floyds Knobs, IN
The 2026 KPA Bradley Awards will take place at the Brown Theatre (315 West Broadway in Louisville) on Sunday, May 31. The red carpet experience begins at 3:30PM and the ceremony begins at 5:00PM. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 15 at 12:00PM at KentuckyPerformingArts.org.
