2026 Annual Meeting & Lofty Awards

The Lofty Award winners will be honored at the Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, August 16, 2026. The event begins at 6 pm at the Vint Hill Theater on the Green, 4225 Aiken Drive, Warrenton, Virginia.

Members from 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 receive tickets to attend, with the option to bring guests, as part of their membership benefits. Not a member? Adult memberships begin at just $25. Come join in the excitement!

The evening will include Board of Directors elections, board reports, the Lofty Awards, and entertainment.

FCT Lofty Award Nominees: 2025–2026 Season

Here are the top-scoring performances from our five season productions, as tallied from the official season ballots submitted by the 10 Lofty Award judges. Nominees are listed alphabetically within each category.

Most Outstanding Ensemble Member in White Christmas

• Camden Gillespie as Sheldrake’s Secretary
• Jacqueline Cooksey as featured dancer
• Nick Villacorte as dance captain
• Veronica Frank as featured dancer

Most Outstanding Ensemble Member in Tales of the Artisan

• Alyssa Luehring as Rosie
• Connor Dearinger as Fusilier Adams

Best Cameo Performer in a Musical

• Anthony Fuller as Dr. Norquist in Bright Star
• Tammy West as County Clerk in Bright Star

Best Featured Actor in a Play

• Greg Smith as Lawrence in Calendar Girls
• Lloyd Rittiner as John in Calendar Girls

Best Featured Actress in a Play

• Kayla Beardsley as Fleurette / Little Nell puppet in Dirty Work at the Crossroads
• Krista Poole as Elaine in Calendar Girls

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

• Garrett Tucker as Mike Nulty in White Christmas
• Hunter Elliott as Finn in Tales of the Artisan
• Scott Pierce as Ezekial Foster in White Christmas
• Weston Weber as Darryl Ames in Bright Star

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

• Kayce Schaffer as Rhoda in White Christmas
• Mason Campbell as Lucy Grant in Bright Star
• Melissa Pieja as Rita in White Christmas
• Pam Gordet as Mama Murphy in Bright Star

Best Supporting Actress in a Play

• Ellen Tolson as Widow Lovelace / Mrs. Upson Asterbilt in Dirty Work at the Crossroads
• Leslie Anne Ross as Ruth in Calendar Girls
• Tammy Barboza as Celia in Calendar Girls
• Tina Mullins as Jessie in Calendar Girls

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

• Chris Winkler as General Hank Waverly in White Christmas
• Ryan L. Schaffer as Ralph Sheldrake in White Christmas
• W. Gregory Smith as Captain Fallow in Tales of the Artisan
• W. Gregory Smith as Mayor Josiah Dobbs in Bright Star

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

• Avery Heisey as Siobhan in Tales of the Artisan
• Camden Gillespie as Margo Crawford in Bright Star
• Dawn D Gaynor as Martha Watson in White Christmas
• Lennox Chen as Susan Waverly in White Christmas

Best Lead Actor in a Play

Winner to be announced.

Best Lead Actress in a Play

• Cheryl Bolt as Chris in Calendar Girls
• Eileen Marshall as Annie in Calendar Girls
• Elizabeth Steimel as Ida Rhinegold in Dirty Work at the Crossroads
• Rachel Scott as Nellie Lovelace in Dirty Work at the Crossroads

Best Lead Actor in a Musical

• Michael Pryor as Bob Wallace in White Christmas
• Michael Pryor as Jack Spadean in Tales of the Artisan
• Noah Sarinana as Jimmy Ray Dobbs in Bright Star
• Noah Sarinana as Phil Davis in White Christmas

Best Lead Actress in a Musical

• Becca Harney as Alice Murphy in Bright Star
• Jennifer Ayers as Charlotte Ballentine in Tales of the Artisan
• Kassidy Miner as Queenie in Tales of the Artisan
• Stephanie Blakely as Betty Haynes in White Christmas

At the awards ceremony, we will also unveil Best Overall Cast and present awards in 10 technical and eight overall production categories.

Technical Awards

• Most Outstanding Set Design
• Most Outstanding Set Construction
• Most Outstanding Set Decoration
• Most Outstanding Properties Design
• Most Outstanding Lighting Design
• Most Outstanding Sound Design
• Most Outstanding Special Effects
• Most Outstanding Costumes
• Most Outstanding Makeup Design
• Most Outstanding Hair Design

Creative Awards

• Most Outstanding Combat Choreography
• Most Outstanding Choreography for a Musical
• Most Outstanding Music Direction of a Musical
• Most Outstanding Direction of a Play
• Most Outstanding Direction of a Musical
• Most Outstanding Stage Management of a Play
• Most Outstanding Stage Management of a Musical
• Most Outstanding Producer of a Musical or Play