The Arts at St. Margaret’s Students Shines with Multiple Honors at Cappies Awards

St. Margaret’s arts students earned top honors at the 2026 Cappies Gala last week at the Fullerton Auditorium, bringing home three awards for its acclaimed production of Lord of the Flies while also earning a strong slate of nominations across acting, technical theater, dance and criticism categories.

Mac Ullem ‘26 won Supporting Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Piggy in Lord of the Flies. The production also captured the award for Lighting in a Musical, recognizing Gavin Shams ‘26 and Keagan Pichardo ‘28 for their technical achievement, and Choreography in a Play, awarded to Paige Minton ‘26.

The three wins capped a successful evening for St. Margaret’s, which was recognized throughout the ceremony for excellence in both Lord of the Flies and Grease: School Version.

In addition to the winning categories, St. Margaret’s students and productions received numerous Cappies nominations, highlighting the breadth of talent within the arts program.

Among the nominees were Olivia Thimons ‘26 and the St. Margaret’s makeup team for Hair and Make-up in a Play for Lord of the Flies. In addition, Gavin received a nomination for his lighting work on Grease: School Version.

Paige Minton also received a nomination in the Female Dancer category for her role as Cha Cha DiGregorio in Grease: School Version.

The ensemble cast known as “The Hunters” from Lord of the Flies received a nomination for Ensemble in a Play, while Olivia Thimons was recognized individually with a Featured Actress in a Play nomination for portraying Roger.

Additional acting and vocal nominations included Chase Cunningham for Cameo Actor in a Musical, as Johnny Casino in Grease: School Version, Sienna Ganem for Female Vocalist as Teen Angel, and Jake Norton for Male Vocalist as Doody.

Audrey Liao ‘29 was recognized for her writing earning a nomination for Freshman Critic.

The Cappies Gala celebrates excellence in high school theater and student criticism programs across the region, recognizing standout performances, technical achievements and student artistry throughout the academic year.