Awards

2023 RITA MORENO AWARDS
MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS

AMHS ORCHESTRA, CONCERT CHOIR AND VOCAL ENSEMBLE
SUPERIOR RATING AT CMEA 

All three of these groups were recognized by CMEA with the highest rating possible for an ensemble group.

SANTA CRUZ JAZZ FESTIVAL
Outstanding Soloists
Luca Loftus ‘26, Erika Conley ‘23 & Paige Pataky ‘23

Our award-winning jazz choir, Kind of Blue, received three awards for solo performances from the 2023 festival.

GENEVIEVE MCKENZIE ‘22
WINNER: Rita Moreno Awards 

Genevieve won Best Supporting Performer for her performance as Karen the Computer in The SpongeBob Musical. 

AVA LA FRANCE ‘23
WINNER: Top 15 Seniors at Radix Nationals Dance Convention and Top 10 Senior Females.

Ava was awarded Top 15 Seniors and Top 10 Senior Females out of hundreds of pre-qualified dancers in multiple genres at the Radix Nationals Dance Convention.

AMHS JAZZ CHOIR
WINNER: COMMAND PERFORMANCE

Kind of Blue earned the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival’s highest rating of "Command Performance." Special recognition was given to soloists Aaron Tamayo '22, Shreyas Basu '22, Keira Biala '22, Jenna Lloyd '23, and Paige Pataky '23

MILO MEE ‘21
WINNER: Rita Moreno Awards (2021)

Milo won Best Lead Actor at the Rita Moreno Awards and represented Northern California at the 2021 Virtual National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards).

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (2020)
WINNER: Multiple Awards 

Our production received multiple awards from the National Youth Theater including Best Lead Performance in a Play for both Luca Filiz ‘21 and Madurya Suresh ‘21 and Best Director for Mr. Doug Santana.

MAMMA MIA! (2019)
WINNER: Multiple Awards 

Our production received multiple awards from the National Youth Theater including Best Lead Performance in a Musical for both Isabella Nicoletti ‘21 and Isabella Esler ‘22 and Best Ensemble.

BRIGHT STAR (2018)
WINNER: Outstanding Production

Bright Star is one of our most popular shows and was recognized as Outstanding Production by both the Rita Moreno Awards and National Youth Theater. Performers Ande Burns ‘19 and Conor Sherry ‘19 both received National Youth Theater awards for their work.

SAMANTHA GORJANC ‘15
WINNER: Rita Moreno Awards 

Samantha won Best Lead Actress for her performance as Jo Marsh in Little Women at the Rita Moreno Awards and represented Northern California at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards) in New York City.

MYHA’LA HERROLD ‘13
WINNER: San Jose Top Honors 

Myha’la won Best Lead Actress for her performance as Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the San Jose Top Honors Awards and represented Northern California at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards) in New York City. Myha’la is now the star of the HBO series, Industry and recently appeared in the movie, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies.

TREVOR BATES ‘11
WINNER: Rita Moreno Awards 

Trevor won Best Lead Actor for his performance as Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone at the San Jose Top Honors Awards and represented Northern California at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards) in New York City.

MATT HILL ‘10
WINNER: San Jose Top Honors 

Matt won Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the San Jose Top Honors Awards and represented Northern California at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards) in New York City. Matt advanced all the way to Final Three in the competition and got to perform his solo on the Minskoff Stage. He recently starred as Trent Oliver in the regional premiere of The Prom.