Nixa Public Schools theater director honored by Tony Awards

A longtime theater teacher at Nixa Public Schools is getting attention from the 2026 Tony Awards.

Allison Fleetwood, director of theater in the district, was nominated for the Tony Awards Excellence in Theatre Education Award. She received an honorable mention and will be listed in the playbill for the Tony Awards, which are set for June 7.

“Every decision I make, every lesson I craft all goes back to the mission statement for the program, which is to inspire a love for humanity through creative growth and artistic experience,” said Fleetwood, a teacher in Nixa for 18 years, in an interview. “Ultimately, I want my kiddos to leave this theater department better people with a broader worldview.”

Fleetwood, who has been head of operations for the Aetos Center for the Performing Arts since early 2023, has taught adjunct courses at the college level.

“It goes above and beyond anything I would ever expect. I have the best job. I love what I do every day, whether it’s working in the classroom with students or working with them for an Aetos show,” she said. “I love coming to work every day, so getting an honor, that is a cherry on top.”

According to a news release, the national award was created to recognize K-12 theater educators who make an impact on students’ lives and embody the highest standards of the profession. The thousands of nominees were evaluated by a panel of judges from the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon University and other theater industry leaders.

Freddie Hendricks, a middle school theater teacher in Georgia, was named the 2026 winner, but 17 educators, including Fleetwood, were given an honorable mention.

In July 2025, Fleetwood spent time in New York City and was contracted as a Broadway teaching artist. She provided training for theater educators, blending classroom instruction with Broadway-inspired practices.

Fleetwood said she works with a wide range of students, some of whom want to be performers professionally.

“I want them to be successful, and if they want to go to Broadway, I want that for them as well. But if they want to be a dentist, I want that for them. If they want to be a teacher, I want that for them,” she said. “I want them to leave a little more empathetic, have a little more of an open mind.”

This is just her latest honor.

She was Missouri Theatre Teacher of the Year in 2025 and was Missouri Teacher of the Year finalist in 2023.

Fleetwood said a 2010 graduate of Nixa High School nominated her for the honor, wrote an essay and gathered with other former students to film a nomination video that is available on YouTube.