Asheville, NC – January 21, 2025 – After overcoming the challenges posed by Hurricane Helene, the students of Asheville Performing Arts Academy (APAA) returned triumphant from the 2025 Junior Theater Festival (JTF) in Atlanta, Georgia, bringing home an array of prestigious accolades. The festival, held from January 17-19, is recognized as the world’s largest celebration of youth musical theater, drawing over 8,000 attendees from across the globe, including the U.S., Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia.

Accolades at the 2025 Junior Theater Festival:

·         Freddie G Award for Excellence in Acting: APAA students were recognized for their outstanding acting performances.

·         Freddie G Outstanding Individual Performance: Student Niah Hanson was honored with this prestigious award for her exceptional individual performance.

·         Festival All-Stars: Students Natalie Edgens and Sienna Hancock were selected as Festival All-Stars, showcasing their extraordinary talent.

·         Final Call-Back for Broadway Junior Shoots: Students Ava Walicki and Marta Rosal advanced to the final call-back for future Broadway Junior shoots, where they may be selected to perform "how-to" choreography videos for soon-to-be-released Broadway Junior musicals.



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