Outstanding Direction of a Play
Matthew McCray | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater

Outstanding Projection Design
Matthew McCray | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater

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On Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, during the OC Theatre Guild’s membership meeting, nominees for the fifth annual OCTG Theatre Awards were officially announced.

Winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony on Monday, May 11, 2026, at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. This year’s event continues the tradition of celebrating the vibrant and diverse achievements of the theater community.

Tickets for the 2026 OCTG Theatre Awards will go on sale March 2, 2026, at www.octheatreguild.org. A limited-time early-bird discount will be available for those who purchase tickets during the initial sales period. Nominees will receive information regarding their complimentary tickets and discounted ticket options. If nominees have not been contacted by OCTG after March 2, they are encouraged to reach out for assistance.

Awards Coordinator and Guild Vice President Kristin Campbell Coyne said, “The OCTG Theatre Awards program continues to grow in incredible ways. This year, we’ve seen 128 nominations across 22 categories, with 46 productions submitted for adjudication. The gender-neutral performance categories maintain double the nominees and multiple winners each.” Twenty-one organizations participated, with 75 voters from various theater disciplines determining the results. All votes were audited by one of our media partners, CultureOC, to ensure accuracy.

OCTG Theatre Awards 2026: Full List of Nominees

Outstanding Production of a Play
August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater
Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
What the Constitution Means to Me, Chance Theater

Outstanding Production of a Musical
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
The Slow Drag, Ophelia’s Jump Productions
The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company
Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, The Larking House
Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
These Shining Lives, Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions and Curtis Theatre
Uncle Vanya, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Bye Bye Birdie, No Square Theatre
The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company
She Loves Me, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players
Spring Awakening, Chance Theater

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play
Amberlin Morse (Cynthia) | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Aubrey Saverino (Heidi) | What the Constitution Means to Me, Chance Theater
Bryce Johnson (Chris) | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Coleman Blue Summers (Brutus) | The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, The Larking House
Jason Cook (Mr. Jack Manningham) | Angel Street, Westminster Community Playhouse
Kelly Franett (Pastor Paul) | The Christians, The Wayward Artist
Michelle Krusiec (Afong Moy) | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater
Rose London (Violet Weston) | August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
Stacy Castiglione (Barbara Fordham) | August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
Stacy Castiglione (Tracey) | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical
Brandon Sanchez (Barry Mann) | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Caitlin Lopez (Johnny Christmas) | The Slow Drag, Ophelia’s Jump Productions
Corydon Melgoza (Melchior) | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Danielle Heaton (Cynthia Weil) | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Grace Buzzini (June Wedding) | The Slow Drag, Ophelia’s Jump Productions
Isabella Feeney (Cinderella) | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company
Katie Perry Page (Carole King) | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Kristin Cortines (Cecily Cardew) | The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company
Luc Clopton (Jon) | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Scott Roberts (Algernon Moncrieff) | The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play
Albert Park (Atung) | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater
Bruce Goodrich (Paul) | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Darri Kristin (Jessie) | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Frank Bishop (Brucie) | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Genevieve Kauper (Charlotte) | These Shining Lives, Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions and Curtis Theatre
Jeff Lowe (Long John Silver) | Treasure Island, Alchemy Theatre Company
Juliet Fischer (Marie) | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Micah Munck (Biff Loman) | Death of a Salesman, American Coast Theater Company
Neil Switzer (Stan) | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Robert Foran (Legionnaire) | What the Constitution Means to Me, Chance Theater

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical
Andrew Hong (Arpad) | She Loves Me, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players
Dyan Hobday-Smith (Lady Bracknell) | The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company
Erica Farnsworth (Adult Woman) | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
James Michael McHale (Adult Man) | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Jaylen Baham (Otto) | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Jeff Lowe (Narrator/Mysterious Man) | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company
Lena Ceja (Susan) | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Mario Houle (Michael) | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Reese Chavez (Ilona) | She Loves Me, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players
Sammi Spiegler (Natalie) | Next to Normal, Cabrillo Playhouse

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Amanda DeMaio | August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
Katie Chidester | What the Constitution Means to Me, Chance Theater
Matthew McCray | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Peter Kreder | How I Learned to Drive, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Shinshin Yuder Tsai | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
H. Adam Harris | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Jocelyn A. Brown | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Jonathan Infante and Tara Pitt | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Karen Rymar | Bye Bye Birdie, No Square Theatre
Susan K. Berkompas | The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company

Outstanding Choreography
Anthony Tuason | Rent, Z Playhouse
Kelsie Blackwell | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Mo Goodfellow | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Niko Montelibano | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Sabrina Harper | Bye Bye Birdie, No Square Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction
Gabrielle Maldonado | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Gabrielle Maldonado | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company
Jared Scott | The Importance of Being Earnest, American Coast Theater Company
Lex Leigh | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Robyn Manion | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater

Outstanding Costume Design
Bradley Allen Lock | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Bruce Goodrich | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Haven Hanson | Cinderella, JStage Irvine
Loralee Barlow Boyes | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company
Nicholas Hirata | Boeing Boeing, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design
Azra King-Abadi | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Jacqueline Malenke | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Jacqueline Malenke | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Kara Ramlow | What the Constitution Means to Me, Chance Theater
Masako Tobaru | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater

Outstanding Scenic Design
Christopher Scott Murillo | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater
Fred Kinney and Mio Okada | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Ganymede Projects | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Jon Gaw | August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
Michael Serna | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design
Darryl B. Hovis | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Hunter Moody | Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Chance Theater
Jesse Mandapat | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater
Kris Kataoka | What the Constitution Means to Me, Chance Theater
Lia Weed | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater

Outstanding Projection Design
Francis Gacad | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse
James Tran | Bye Bye Birdie, No Square Theatre
Jonathan Infante | These Shining Lives, Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions and Curtis Theatre
Mark Tillman | How I Learned to Drive, Costa Mesa Playhouse
Matthew McCray | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater

Outstanding Prop Design
Amanda DeMaio | August: Osage County, STAGEStheatre and Curtis Theatre
Amanda Hallman and Colin Lawrence | These Shining Lives, Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions and Curtis Theatre
Bebe Herrera | The Chinese Lady, Chance Theater
Kerri Hellmuth | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Curtis Theatre and Southgate Productions
Michael Cohen | Sweat, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Fight Direction
David Rodriguez | Macbeth, The Larking House and Curtis Theatre
Martin Noyes | Spring Awakening, Chance Theater
Matthew M. Hayashi | Sentences, The Larking House

Outstanding Wig/Hair Design
Cynthia Wilson | Cinderella, JStage Irvine
Haven Hanson | The Sound of Music, JStage Irvine
Jeff Weeks | Little Women: The Musical, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players
Jeff Weeks | She Loves Me, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players
Sean Arnold | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company

Outstanding Makeup Design
Genevieve Kauper | The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, The Larking House
Genevieve Kauper | Sentences, The Larking House
Haven Hanson | The Sound of Music, JStage Irvine
Jiana-Marie Perez | Cinderella, JStage Irvine
Sean Arnold | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company

Notable Outstanding Achievement
Adam Szymkowicz (playwright) | Such Small Hands, Chance Theater
Josh Causley (composer) | The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, The Larking House
Matthew M. Hayashi (playwright) | Sentences, The Larking House
Roxanna Ward (composer) | Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, No Square Theatre
Sean Arnold (puppet designer) | Into the Woods, Alchemy Theatre Company