Wylie High School Earns Prestigious Outstanding Musical Nomination for ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Wylie High School is one of only eight schools nominated for Outstanding Musical in the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards, a highly competitive program featuring 100 participating schools.

This recognition places WHS among the top high school musical theatre programs in Texas and comes with an unforgettable opportunity: performing live on stage at the Music Hall at Fair Park in front of an audience of approximately 3,500 guests.

The nomination celebrates the school’s spring musical, Little Shop of Horrors, a show that required months of dedication, collaboration, and resilience from everyone involved.

Senior Hayden De La Garza, who plays Seymour Krelborn and serves as dance captain, reflected on what the honor means to the cast.

“Truly, this nomination means the world. We spent four months or more just grinding and working on the show,” De La Garza said. “Bringing art that moves people and bringing art to people for the first time is what means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to my castmates as well.”

De La Garza, who has participated in more than 20 productions during his time at Wylie High School, called this his favorite show yet.

“This show itself is so iconic, and we had the opportunity of a lifetime to just hit the ground running and see what we could do. It’s my favorite show I’ve done,” he said.

Behind the scenes, the journey to this moment was anything but easy. Wylie High School Theatre Director Polly Harrison said it best: “What makes this achievement even more inspiring is the journey behind it. Despite significant challenges—including weather-related cancellations, a one-week postponement, the loss of dress rehearsal opportunities, and a reduced performance schedule—our students and staff demonstrated remarkable resilience, commitment, and artistry.”

De La Garza believes those challenges only strengthened the group’s bond.

“We had some hardship at the beginning, but we were able to support each other and build even stronger relationships,” he said. “It’s a lovely, welcoming, warm cast.”

That sense of unity helped carry the group through more than 100 hours of rehearsal and preparation, leading to a performance that earned recognition on one of the biggest stages in high school theatre.

Now, the cast is preparing to take that stage at Fair Park.

“Being one of the eight musicals out of 100 is truly remarkable,” De La Garza said, “Getting to perform for 3,500 people … it’s insane. We’re beyond excited. It truly is the opportunity of a lifetime for many people.”

This achievement is also a testament to the collaboration across Wylie High School’s Fine Arts programs, including theatre, choir, dance, and band, all working together to bring the production to life.

Want to come see the show?

The Wylie community is encouraged to support these talented students by experiencing “Little Shop of Horrors” and celebrating the hard work that led to this prestigious recognition. Don’t miss the chance to see the production that earned one of the highest honors in high school musical theatre!

The event begins at 7:30 p.m. on May 2, 2026, at Music Hall at Fair Park.

Tickets and Show Information