Southeast Polk senior Peyton Haacke spent the better part of June in New York City, and not as a tourist.

Haacke earned the Triple Threat Award at the Iowa High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA), one of just two students selected from 100 participating schools across the state. The award recognizes exceptional ability in acting, singing, and dancing, and earned him a spot representing Iowa at the National School Musical Theatre Awards, known as the Jimmy Awards, in New York City.

SEP audiences may know Haacke best as Horton the Elephant in last fall’s musical production of Seussical the Musical. Peyton has previous roles that also include SpongeBob in The SpongeBob Musical, Angel in Rent, and Uncle Fester in The Addams Family, among others.

From June 12-23, Haacke trained alongside top high school performers from across the country, working with Broadway professionals through master classes, private coaching, and rehearsals. The experience culminated in a live performance on June 22 at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway.

This fall, Haacke heads to The Institute for American Musical Theatre in New York City. The Jimmy Awards were just the beginning.

Southeast Polk is proud of everything Peyton has accomplished and excited to see where the stage takes him.