Students representing Wellesley Theatre Project earned recognition at the 2026 Junior Theater Festival West (JTF West). The monumental weekend dedicated to rewarding and celebrating excellent student-driven musical theater programs happened February 6-8, 2026, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento, CA.
Wellesley Theatre Project received the Excellence in Dance Award. Wellesley Theatre Project’s Paige Robbins and Owen Littlefield were named Junior Theater Festival All-Stars, a select group of outstanding performers. Ana Leigh Jordan earned an Award for Outstanding Individual Performance.
At the festival, each group performed 15 minutes of a Broadway Junior® musical for adjudicators. Wellesley Theatre Project presented A Year With Frog And Toad KIDS to Eve La Puma, drama teacher and theater artist.
"It was a delight to watch their presentation. They brought energy and excitement onstage in a way that revitalized the room. They show that they find joy in the work and joy in working with each other," said Eve La Puma.
Wellesley Theatre Project is an award winning nationally recognized nonprofit youth theatre with diverse community engagement, that empowers youth with life skills learned through exceptional performing arts education, and then challenges them to become citizen artists -- improving the quality of life in their local and global community by emphasizing collaboration, and cultural, and social understanding.
In 2021, young performers from Wellesley Theatre Project took part virtually in the JTF Online Edition (JTF OE) and were awarded a Freddie G Outstanding Production award. They have also been awarded a Freddie G Excellence in Acting (2026 JTF Atlanta), a Freddie G Excellence in Dance award (2025 & 2024 JTF Atlanta) and a Freddie G Excellence in Ensemble Work award (2023 Atlanta). They also won the Tech Olympics in 2025.
Its students have earned recognition as well. Liam Turner (2021 JTF OE) received a Freddie G All-Festival award. Tyler Constantino (2026 JTF Atlanta) and Alex Irwin (2022 JTF Atlanta) won a Freddie G award for Outstanding Performance by an Individual. Rory Kilgore (2024 JTF Atlanta) was named a Tech Theater All-Star. Alex Ho (2026 JTF Atlanta) was awarded for Outstanding Student Direction & Choreography.
About The 2026 JTF West
Called a “rousing celebration of theatre” by The New York Times, the Junior Theater Festival applauds and empowers young people and educators creating student-driven musical theater around the globe.
The 2026 JTF West was an incredible weekend of singing, dancing, acting, and learning. 64 groups representing 21 states, as well as Canada and New Zealand, attended JTF West 2026, making it the largest JTF West ever.
Mainstage appearances included Sarah Jane Arnegger (AKA NYC), Tony Award-winning actor Stephanie J. Block (Wicked, The Cher Show), Frank DiLella (Host of NY1’s “On Stage”), actor Max Antonio Gonzalez (Cinderella), Cori Jaskier (Ratatouille the TikTok Musical), composer Daniel Mertzlufft (Ratatouille the TikTok Musical), Samantha Pauly (Six, The Great Gatsby), Grant Reynolds (Mamma Mia), composer Rob Rokicki (The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical), George Salazar (Be More Chill), Michael James Scott (Aladdin), actor and composer Jacob Ryan Smith (Relapse: A New Musical), and composer Deborah Wicks La Puma (She Persisted).
Groups enjoyed a New Works Showcase of performance selections from upcoming Broadway Junior® musicals presented by JTF groups, and other mainstage performances featuring powerhouse Broadway guests and took part in workshops.
About iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Festivals
iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group produce the Junior Theater Festivals. Based in New York City, for the last decade iTheatrics has established itself as the world’s leading authority on musical theater for young people. iTheatrics works with leading public and private companies around the world—including the Kennedy Center, NBC, and all the leading theatrical licensors—to make sure that young people everywhere have access to quality musical theater programs.
In addition to the Junior Theater Festival West, iTheatrics produces, hosts, and supports Junior Theater Festivals and one-day Junior Theater Celebrations in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
Past festival attendees have included Ahrens & Flaherty, Skylar Astin, Joshua Bassett, Shoshana Bean, Sierra Boggess, Nicholas Christopher, Darren Criss, Zac Efron, Cynthia Erivo, Megan Hilty, Arielle Jacobs, Kenny Leon, Caissie Levy, Kara Lindsay, Ryan McCartan, Lindsay Mendez, Alan Menken, Pasek and Paul, Ben Platt, Olivia Rodrigo, Samsel & Anderson; Steven Schwartz, Ali Stroker, and Jeanine Tesori.
