Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase on Iowa PBS
High school students on stage, each one with one arm raised in the air and looking toward the ceiling.

Feel the energy of hundreds of talented student performers as they share highlights from their award-winning school musicals at the 2024 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase.

Iowa PBS is proud to present an exclusive livestream of the full event on iowapbs.org on Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. A 2-hour highlights special will air Tuesday, July 9 at 8 p.m. and be rebroadcast Sunday, July 14 at 4 p.m. The special will also be available for a limited time for on-demand streaming on iowapbs.org and the PBS App. 

The Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase is an unforgettable evening of entertainment celebrating the important contributions of Iowa’s high school drama programs. This is a can’t-miss event for anyone who loves musicals and believes in the power of the arts to impact young people.

Throughout the school year, workshops led by theater professionals help students grow. While some sessions focus on performance skills, others focus on technical areas such as lighting design, scenic design, and stage management. Many opportunities connect students directly with Broadway professionals. 

Select participating musical productions receive a professional review. Panels of performing arts educators and professionals (adjudicators) attend exhibiting schools' musicals and provide feedback on individual actors' performances, orchestra, set, lighting, costumes and more. Teachers and students use these insights to make their next show even stronger. Schools participating year over year have seen dramatic transformations in skill, student enthusiasm, and community support.

The year culminates in a professionally produced Awards Showcase celebrating student achievement at the Des Moines Civic Center.

In addition to its statewide broadcast, Iowa PBS .1 is available to livestream on iowapbs.org/watch, pbs.org/livestream, the PBS App, Local Now, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV. Iowa PBS programs, behind-the-scenes extras and more can be enjoyed on iowapbs.org, Facebook and YouTube. Viewers can also stream their favorite shows on demand using the PBS App, available on iOS, Android and many streaming devices.