Federal cuts threaten upcoming Enchantment Awards
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It's the latest student program in jeopardy because of federal funding cuts. But the New Mexico High School Musical Theatre Awards is now calling for help from the community to ensure the show go on.
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In just two weeks, top high school performers from across the state are set to take the stage at Popejoy Hall for the 2025 Enchantment Awards. After having their performances adjudicated throughout the year, student performers rehearse all week leading up to the big night, which is also full of awards. At the Enchantment Awards, two lucky students are also picked to train with professionals on Broadway in New York.
But now, it's all at risk. 'There's certainly some anxiety,' said Terry Davis, Co-Executive Director of New Mexico High School Musical Theatre Awards.
He said recent cuts to federal funding has left the volunteer-led program without $35,000, or about a third of its budget. 'It's no one's fault here that this money went away. It's certainly something we need replaced to put on a good show for these kids,' he said.
They're now calling on the community for help. They're asking for monetary donations, meals during rehearsal week, or simply buying tickets to the show. 'Imagine telling all the basketball teams in this state that the state championships that are normally held in The Pit it every year are cancelled. How many of those kids would be heart broken,' said Davis. 'There are an awful lot of students in this state who just can't wait for the opportunity to perform with the Enchantment Awards in Popejoy Hall. It's their state championship in a way. To have that go away, it tears that kind of opportunity right out from under them in a way that is just heart wrenching.'
He hopes people will help keep the stage lights on for the upcoming event, sharing the impact of this program.
'Whether they're going to go on acting professionally or not doesn't make any difference. The fact that they're in school now and they want to do drama, and they show up to school because they're in drama, that's another reason for this program to exist,' said Davis. Fittingly, he's turning to the arts during this time.
'If you remember the movie Shakespeare In Love, there's a character who always said, 'I don't know how it happens, but it always does.' And there's that sort of feeling for us now,' he said. 'We feel still pretty positive that things will work out, we'll make this happen, somehow we'll find money to do this.'
KRQE News 13 reached out to the New Mexico Public Education Department for comment on how it is handling loss of federal funding and details on the programs impacted, but we didn't hear back.
To donate or by tickets to the 2025 Enchantment Awards, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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