Welcome to the 32nd season of the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards! Modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards, this program was created in 1996 to recognize and reward the outstanding achievements of New Jersey high school musical theater. We are thrilled to launch another year of honoring the artistry, dedication, and collaboration that bring student productions to life.
Join Us for the 2027 Awards Season
Registration for the 32nd Rising Star Awards season will open on November 30th, 2026. The online registration form will be accessible via this webpage.
Rising Star Awards Information Sessions
All educators who are interested in participating in this year’s awards season are strongly encouraged to attend an information session on Zoom this Fall. Topics covered will include the registration process, forms and paperwork, the live adjudication process, and more.
Click below to RSVP for an Information Session:
Monday, October 26th at 7:00 PM
Thursday, November 5th at 7:00 PM
Sunday, November 15th at 5:00 PM
All New Jersey high schools that will mount a full musical production between the dates of January 21st, 2027 and April 18th, 2027.
There is a $95.00 participation fee for the season.
The online registration form will close on December 22nd. PLEASE NOTE: Registration is first come, first served. If a popular production weekend becomes full, interested participants will have the option of joining a waitlist. A spot on the waitlist does not guarantee your participation in full adjudication.
Schools participating in full adjudication will have Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star awards adjudicators attend their production during public performances. They will be assessed in sixteen Creative Direction, Design, and Performance categories, and will be award eligible in all listed categories contingent upon the submission of required materials. Participating schools also receive written feedback from their adjudicated performances.
Questions
Further questions regarding the Rising Star Awards can be directed to RisingStarAwards@PaperMill.org.
Thank You to Our Program Supporters
We are deeply grateful to the generous supporters who make the Rising Star Awards possible. The program is presented by the Investors Foundation and the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation, with additional support from Mark Lavigne, LLC.
Rising Star Scholarships are made possible through the generosity of Ruth Bedford in memory of Jane Burgio, Walt Santner in honor of Janet Sovey, James K. Mosser, and the Douglas Michael Krueger Scholarship Fund Trust. The Theater for Everyone Inclusion & Access Award is supported by the Cultural Access Network. We also thank Hearst Foundations, the Education & Outreach Partner of Paper Mill Playhouse, for their steadfast commitment to arts education and to the students and communities we serve.
Our work is also made possible by funds from New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
