Heller Awards for Young Artists
The 2024 HAYA Season Has Begun
Our year-long program kicks off this fall! Stay tuned for a full list of participating schools, how to attend their productions, and our countdown to the 11th Annual Awards Ceremony, taking place Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
ABOUT THE HELLER AWARDS
Imagine Austin’s version of the Tony Awards — only more impactful! The Heller Awards for Young Artists boosts visibility for high school musical theatre programs and produces a community-building event while celebrating the talent and discipline of thousands of students and educators in the Greater Austin area.
Participating schools come together to pay tribute to the value of arts education, collaboration, and creativity. Through award recognition, master classes, hands-on training with industry professionals, critical evaluations with constructive feedback, scholarships, program grants, and community-wide awareness, the HAYAs celebrate, elevate, and expand musical theatre and the arts in our schools, families, and communities.
Starting in 2014 with 19 participating schools, the program has exapanded exponentially, supporting the continued growth of young adults into the leaders of tomorrow. Whether their futures lie in the performing arts, private sector, public service, or fields that don’t exist yet, the HAYAs are their gateway to a bright, colorful future.
WHY MUSICAL THEATRE?
Musical theatre is more than fan kicks and jazz hands — although it’s definitely those things! When children and young adults participate in arts education, they learn how to develop new skills, how to work with a team to achieve a goal, and how to turn an idea into reality.
Much like sports, musical theatre creates an environment for students to develop universal skills such as discipline and leadership. While programs like the Heller Awards can catapult driven and talented young people into performing arts careers, arts education is not only beneficial for future performing artists. It also fosters the development of well-rounded, resilient, and grounded adults ready to give back.
2023 Impact
33 schools
16 Districts
14 Title 1 Schools
3,000 Student Participants
15,000 Students Impacted
60,000 Combined student population
75 Teachers
Our 2023 Impact
Last year’s Heller Awards celebrated…
33 Participating Schools
16 Districts
14 Title 1 Schools
75 Teachers
3,000 Student Participants
15,000 Students Impacted
60,000 Combined Student Population
Revisit the Nominees
Relive the fantastic original opening number and all of our 2023 nominees in last year’s Nominations video.
Interested in Sponsorship?
Get more details below on sponsorship packages or contact Julia Campbell, Director of Development at jcampbell@thelongcenter.org
Thanks to our 2023 Sponsors
Participating Schools
Our 2023-24 schools are coming soon!
BASTROP
Chicago SEP 24 – OCT 1
BRENTWOOD
The Addams Family OCT 13-15
CEDAR CREEK
The Wizard of Oz JAN 6-8
CEDAR PARK
Big Fish JAN 26-28
CEDAR RIDGE
Chicago JAN 12-14
CONNALLY
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown OCT 24-28
DAVID CROCKETT
The Lightning Thief JAN 20-22
DEL VALLE
The Wizard of Oz JAN 6-14
DRIPPING SPRINGS
The Phantom of the Opera NOV 9-12
EAST VIEW
Little Shop of Horrors DEC 2-4
ELGIN
The Wizard of Oz NOV 18-20
GEORGETOWN
Kiss Me, Kate JAN 27-29
HENDRICKSON
Urinetown JAN 26-28
HUTTO
Little Shop of Horrors DEC 2-4
JACK C. HAYS
The Addams Family DEC 2-11
JARRELL
The Little Mermaid DEC 2-4
LAGO VISTA
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas DEC 1-4
LASA
Into the Woods FEB 10-11
LEANDER
Mamma Mia! JAN 26-29
LEHMAN
Curtains DEC 2-10
MANOR
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee NOV 8-9
MARBLE FALLS
The Wizard of Oz JAN 14-15
MCCALLUM
Pippin JAN 26 – FEB 5
NORTHEAST
All Shook Up JAN 26-28
NYOS
Into the Woods DEC 9-10
PFLUGERVILLE
SpongeBob SquarePants JAN 27-29
ROUND ROCK
Anastasia JAN 25-28
ROUSE
Anastasia JAN 26-28
SAN MARCOS
The Little Mermaid JAN 19-22
TOM GLENN
Chicago JAN 12-16
VISTA RIDGE
The Drowsy Chaperone JAN 19-22
WEISS
Mamma Mia! JAN 26-28
WESTWOOD
SpongeBob SquarePants JAN 26-28
Follow Along
Find us in your favorite corner of the internet.
Want to support?
All HAYA donations and sponsorships go directly to subsidize program costs so that we can continue to keep this program FREE for all participating schools.
Award Categories
Save the Date! 2024 Awards Ceremony takes place Wednesday, April 17
With 18 categories, these Awards aim to honor the entire high school musical experience from start to finish, including all the hard work in between, from the front of the house to the back.
Lead Performer – Male Category
Lead Performer – Female Category
Supporting Performer – Male Category
Supporting Performer – Female Category
Featured Performer – Role
Featured Performer – Ensemble
Ensemble
Scenic Design
Costume Design
Lighting Design
Choreography
Musical Direction
Orchestra
Technical Crew
Direction
Production
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Design
Stage Management
Marketing & Publicity
Want to support this program and be a part of the action?
Wanna be a participating school?
Get more info on being a participating school and what makes this program so great.
Looking for your school portal?
If you’re a current participant, find your school’s link for log-in below.
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