Three high school students were nominated for the 2026 Columbus Association for the Performing Arts Marquee Awards, an annual Central Ohio high school musical theater competition.
Sophomore Zeke Moses was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role and is a finalist in that category.
Junior Ani Olsheski is a nominee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and junior Payton Theile is a nominee for National Student Reporter.
Modeled after the Tony Awards, the Marquees acknowledge students and directors from 31 Central Ohio high schools for their work in acting, production, direction, music, design and technical execution.
The 2026 CAPA Marquee Awards winners will be announced Wednesday, May 13 at the Ohio Theatre with a red carpet ceremony and finalist performances.
The Best Actor and Actress winners will attend the Jimmy Awards in New York City this summer.
Moses is one of five finalists for his performance as Bobby Strong in “Urinetown.”
Moses explained he has looked up to actors performing at the Marquee Awards throughout high school.
“For the past two years, I’ve been in the audience of the Marquee Awards, cheering for my friends,” he said. “So now this year, having the chance to be on the other side of the stage is special and meaningful.”
Theile said she will act as the Marquee Awards social correspondent, and she will interview nominees and create digital content to promote the awards ceremony.
She is also the Ohio representative for the National Student Reporter role and is in the running to be the student reporter at the Jimmy Awards in New York City this summer, she said.
Olsheski received her nomination for her role as Little Becky Two-Shoes in the high school’s production of “Urinetown.”
She said she was initially shocked when she heard, but after refreshing the Instagram page and texting her friend, that shock turned to happiness.
Olsheski said being a part of the Marquee Awards has been a dream of hers for a long time.
“I feel really grateful, and I am really excited,” Olsheski said. “I have been doing theater for a while, and being nominated has been a goal of mine.”
Published and digitized May 2026.
