Southeast Polk High School’s Vocal Music Department has once again been recognized among the very best musical theatre programs in the state, earning Outstanding Musical Production — the highest honor awarded by the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards — for its acclaimed November production of Seussical.

Presented by EMC Insurance Companies and produced by Des Moines Performing Arts, the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase celebrates excellence in musical theater education across Iowa. Southeast Polk will be honored during the 2026 Awards Showcase on Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Des Moines Civic Center.

The Outstanding Musical Production designation is the premier award presented by the IHSMTA and recognizes exceptional achievement in performance, music, storytelling, technical execution, and overall production quality. With this year’s recognition, Southeast Polk has now earned Outstanding Musical Production honors nine of the last eleven years, continuing a tradition of excellence that has made the program one of the state’s most consistently recognized musical theatre programs.

In addition to receiving the evening’s top production honor, Southeast Polk was also selected for a featured performance invitation. Members of the cast will perform an excerpt from Seussical live on the Des Moines Performing Arts stage as part of the statewide showcase event. The showcase will also be broadcast on Iowa PBS at a later date.

Southeast Polk students Peyton Haacke and Mackenzie Kokke have also been selected to participate in the prestigious Triple Threat Program, which recognizes outstanding student performers from across the state for excellence in acting, singing, and dancing. As part of the program, students will participate in advanced workshops, rehearsals, and special showcase performances during the week of the awards. Two Iowa students will ultimately be selected to receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York City to represent Iowa at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, on Broadway.

Students from Southeast Polk will additionally join performers from across Iowa in a collaborative musical number led by guest Broadway clinicians and creative staff.

Southeast Polk received the following 2026 Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards and recognitions for Seussical:

• Outstanding Musical Production
• Outstanding Achievement for Ensemble
• Special Recognition for Student Orchestra
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role – Peyton Haacke as “Horton the Elephant”
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role – Emma Wiederstein as “Gertrude McFuzz”
• Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role – Mackenzie Kokke as “Mayzie”
• Special Recognition in a Principal Role – Emma Hageman as “The Cat in the Hat”
• Special Recognition in a Principal Role – Natalie Padilla Sanchez as “Sour Kangaroo”

The Southeast Polk Vocal Music Department continues to build a culture of artistic excellence, collaboration, and student leadership through its choral and theatre programming, creating transformative experiences for students both on and off the stage.