For Houston theater students, the Tommy Tune Awards are basically the Super Bowl of high school musical theater. The awards are hosted each year, which celebrate the best performances, productions, and technical achievements from high schools across the Greater Houston area. This year, students from Emery earned nominations alongside those from some of the most competitive theater programs in the city.

Named after Houston-born Broadway legend Tommy Tune, the awards recognize excellence in categories ranging from acting and choreography to orchestra, direction, and overall musical production. In 2025, more than 6,000 students from 72 Houston-area schools participated in the program.

This year’s Tommy Tune Awards ceremony took place at the Hobby Center, where students from across Houston gathered to celebrate months of rehearsals, performances, and hard work. The event included live performances, musical numbers from nominated schools, and awards presented by Houston theater professionals.

Emery/Weiner’s theater department was recognized for its production of Band Stand, earning nominations in categories such as outstanding performer. Student performers represented the school among some of Houston’s strongest high school theater programs.

One standout nominee was Teagan Fingeret, who was nominated for Outstanding Lead Performer. Another major recognition went to Ethan Stulberg, who earned honorable mentions as an outstanding supporting lead performer. These nominations highlight the growing strength of Emery/Weiner’s performing arts program and the dedication students bring both onstage and behind the scenes.

For many students, the Tommy Tunes are about more than just awards. The event gives young performers the chance to connect with students from other schools, gain recognition from professionals, and experience the excitement of Houston’s theater community firsthand.

As a junior, watching classmates perform and compete at such a high level, it was inspiring to see how much talent exists within our own school community. Theater productions require months of rehearsals, late nights, technical preparation, and teamwork, and the nominations reflected all the work students put in throughout the year.