Every spring, the historic State Theatre in downtown Easton transforms into the Lehigh Valley's answer to Broadway. The Freddy Awards celebrate the best in high school musical theater across Lehigh and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey. And this is not some casual end of year assembly. This is a live, three hour televised awards ceremony broadcast on WFMZ Channel 69, complete with red carpet arrivals, show stopping performances, and genuine tears of joy.
A National First
The Freddy Awards launched on May 22, 2003, making the State Theatre the first performing arts center in the country to produce a live televised awards show for high school musical theater. The awards are named after J. Fred Osterstock, the legendary Fred the Ghost who managed the State Theatre from 1936 until his death in 1957. His spirit, perhaps literally, lives on in this annual celebration.
Since that first ceremony, over two million dollars in scholarships, internships, and community awards have been distributed through the program. That is real money going to real kids who might not otherwise have the means to pursue their passion for the performing arts. The program directly affects over 2,900 students annually.
Record Participation
The 2026 Freddy Awards feature a record 31 participating schools. Students audition, rehearse for months, perform their school shows, and then wait to see if their work earns a nomination. Categories mirror professional theater awards: Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, and more. The nominated performers then come together on the State Theatre stage for the live broadcast, performing numbers from their shows for the cameras and the audience.
The State Theatre
The venue itself is a work of art. Built on the site of a former bank, the State Theatre was extensively renovated in 1926 with elaborate decorations inspired by old Spanish architecture and the Davanzati Palace in Florence. Local Italian artisans created the intricate frescoes and gilding that still adorn the 1,500 seat auditorium. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is one of the most beautiful theaters in Pennsylvania. The fact that it has dedicated itself to nurturing young artists through the Freddy Awards says everything about what the Lehigh Valley values.
