Playhouse Square’s Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman continues to grow as a record-high 48 Northeast Ohio high schools are participating in the 2026-27 program. The Dazzle Awards have recognized and fostered excellence within high school musical theater programs across the region. The annual awards ceremony honors the efforts and achievements of students both onstage and behind the curtain and features performances from nominated schools and students.
Beyond the ceremony itself, the Dazzle Awards provide a variety of educational resources for young artists throughout the school year. These include workshops, classes and apprenticeship programs that help students hone their craft by learning from professionals in the industry.
The 48 schools participating in this year's Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards presented by Pat and John Chapman are:
Akron School for the Arts
Andrews Osborne Academy
Aurora High School
Avon High School
Avon Lake High School
Bay High School
Beaumont School
Bedford High School
Benedictine High School
Brunswick High School
Buckeye High School
Chagrin Falls High School
CMSD All-City Musical
Columbia High School
Copley High School
Eastlake North High School
Elyria Catholic High School
Euclid High School
Gilmour Academy
Hathaway Brown School
Hawken School
Highland High School
Hudson High School
Independence High School
Lake Catholic High School
Lakewood High School
Laurel School
Lutheran West
Magnificat High School
Marion L. Steele High School
Mayfield High School
Medina High School
Nordonia High School
North Ridgeville High School
Oberlin High School
Padua Franciscan High School
Rocky River High School
Saint Ignatius High School
Saint Joseph Academy
Shaker Heights High School
Solon High School
Strongsville High School
Thomas W. Harvey High School
Trinity High School
Walsh Jesuit High School
West Geauga High School
Western Reserve Academy
Willoughby South High School
The Dazzle Awards ceremony is taking place on May 22, 2027. Awards are presented to outstanding musical theater productions and students in 15 categories, including Best Student Scenic Design, Best Ensemble/Chorus and Best Musical. Nominations and awards are based on the evaluations of an independent panel of adjudicators.
The Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards Program presented by Pat and John Chapman is affiliated with the National High School Musical Theatre Awards ("The Jimmy Awards") presented by The Broadway League Foundation. The winners of the Dazzle Awards Best Actor and Best Actress will represent Northeast Ohio at The Jimmy Awards in summer 2027.
For more information on the Dazzle Awards, please visit playhousesquare.org/dazzleawards.