The Cappies of the National Capitol Area held its twenty-third Gala recognizing excellence in High School theatre. The Tony’s like sold-out event was held in the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center. Hundreds of student nominees were celebrated. Eleven schools who were nominated for best play and musical performed. Community dignitaries and Cappies alums presented awards to the finalists in forty-two technical and performance categories.
Cappies is a unique collaborative program for journalism and theatre students. Trained student critics review Cappies designated high school shows throughout the year. The best written reviews are published in the local press. At the end of the season, the student critics vote for who of their peers should be recognized for awards. The Cappies critics are ambassadors for high school theatre and spread the word about the value and fun of participating in theatre.
The following are this year’s Cappies award winners.
| Category | Winner | Show Name | School Name |
| Andy Mays Rising Critic | Ellen Lawton | Herndon High School | |
| Maryland Theatre Guide Returning Critic | McKenzie Phelan | Quince Orchard High School | |
| Bill Strauss Graduating Critic | Hannah Frieden | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology | |
| Marketing and Publicity | Victoria Collins-Jost, Sydney Grossbard, Caroline Vigna, Kaylee Williams | Sister Act | Fairfax High School |
| Special Effects and or Technology | Soeun Lee | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School |
| Hair and Makeup | Emily Brennan | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School |
| Sound | Dillon Prestidge, Emma Springer, Megan Wright | Claudio Quest | McLean High School |
| Props | Eva Greek, Jaden Harris, & Crew | She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition | Mount Vernon High School |
| Lighting | Charles Bucher, Ella Clarke, Cullan Kelley | Pippin | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology |
| Costumes | Michelle Dorman, Claire Gibbons, and the Bishop Ireton Costume Team | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School |
| Sets | The Bright Star Set Team | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Orchestra | The Bright Star Orchestra & Featured Musicians | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Choreography | Anna Leo & August Rivers | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Creativity | Emmett Justice, Abdullah Muhammad, Autumn Whetstone, Music Composers | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts |
| Stage Management | Olivia Baumgartner, Tomas Bocock, Sebastian Harman, & Eliora Janow | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Stage Crew | Tomas Bocock, Grayson Quigley, and the Bright Star Run Crew and Ensemble | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Ensemble in a Play | The Transylvanians | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School |
| Ensemble in a Musical | Farm Animals | Animal Farm | Duke Ellington School of the Arts |
| Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Play | Charlotte Willmore | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School |
| Featured Actor in a Male Role in a Play | Silas Blocker | One Man, Two Guvnors | W.T. Woodson High School |
| Featured Actor in a Female Role in a Musical | Alexa Norris | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Featured Role in a Male Role in a Musical | Brandon Miller | Once on This Island | Clarksburg High School |
| Dancer in a Female Role | Angie Sukhee | Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical | Wakefield High School |
| Dancer in a Male Role | August Rivers | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Vocalist in a Female Role | Elina Viana | The Music Man | Bishop Ireton High School |
| Vocalist in a Male Role | Seger Ott-Rudolph | My Favorite Year | Albert Einstein High School |
| Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Play | Joana Lima Alves Montenegro | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School |
| Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Play | Jonah Uffelman | Much Ado About Nothing | James Madison High School |
| Comic Actor in a Female Role in a Musical | Khailah Schroeter | Mean Girls High School Version | Osbourn Park High School |
| Comic Actor in a Male Role in a Musical | Idil Erdoğan | Claudio Quest | McLean High School |
| Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play | Amelia Campbell-Reidhead | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School |
| Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play | Audrey Evans | Peter and the Starcatcher | Woodbridge Senior High School |
| Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical | Maren Lewis | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School |
| Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical | Hayden Polsky | Anastasia: The Musical | Quince Orchard High School |
| Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Play | Sarah Hilton | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Langley High School |
| Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Play | Jack Wolff | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Chantilly High School |
| Lead Actor in a Female Role in a Musical | Abigail Jamison | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Lead Actor in a Male Role in a Musical | Henry Carter | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
| Song | Platypus Heart | Claudio Quest | McLean High School |
| Critic Team | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology | ||
| Play | Dracula | Lake Braddock Secondary School | |
| Musical | Bright Star | South Lakes High School |
