Hillcrest High continued its winning streak at the Utah High School Activities and Activities Association’s state theater festival by securing its fourth consecutive state title. The achievement occurred shortly after the Huskies received nine nominations, including Best Musical, at the Utah High School Musical Theater Awards.
The Huskies recorded a total team score of 1,490 at the 2026 state competition, setting a new record for the program and marking one of the highest scores ever achieved at the state level. All 29 performances from Hillcrest received Superior state medals.
Individual honors for Hillcrest included first-place wins for Caleb Timmerman in dramatic monologue and Cooper Runnells in humorous monologue. Runnells also earned top honors for his performance in the one-act play Amadeus.
Hillcrest theater teacher Josh Long stated that he was proud of how the students avoided complacency and focused on growth throughout the season. He noted that the students were motivated to improve their previous scores.
Other Canyons School District programs also saw success at the state championships. Corner Canyon's 6A team saw all 46 of its participants receive Superior medals, including a first-place win in the one-act play category for Fortress and a Best Actress award for Elsie Osbourne.
In the 5A competition, Alta finished in fifth place with 28 students earning Superior medals, while Brighton took seventh place overall and won first place in the classical scenes category. Jordan High finished fourth among 4A schools, with Katelyn Holley winning the state championship in costume design, and Sydney Pratley and Madison Austin taking first place in 4A classical scenes.
The theater students in the district prepare for region and state competitions throughout the year while managing full-cast productions.
Corner Canyon teacher Phaidra Atkinson noted the professional benefits of participating in theater, stating that students learn to meet deadlines, collaborate, and be creative, which prepares them for college and future careers.
