On May 22, 2003, the State Theatre Center for the Arts made history by becoming the first performing arts center in the country to produce, along with broadcast partner 69 WFMZ-TV, a three-hour, live television show to recognize and reward outstanding achievement in local high school musical theater. It was an extraordinary triumph for creator and executive producer Shelley Brown and her dedicated staff. Regional high schools from the Lehigh, Northampton and Warren County, NJ region now had their own TONY®'s -- The FREDDY© Awards.

In a society where performing arts are given far less attention then sports and academics, the State Theatre is committed to bringing attention to these talented students and preserving the future of theater. It is estimated that this program directly affects over 2,900 students in our area each year. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people experience the students' hard work and dedication to theater arts by enjoying the FREDDY© Awards Ceremony (similar to a local version of the "Glee" TV series), which is broadcast live on 69 WFMZ-TV.

The broadcast has been honored two regional EMMY Awards, in 2005 & 2011, and has also received 2 additional EMMY Nominations, 6 Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Awards, including the 2008 Award for Outstanding Television Program Designed for Children, and 2 Associated Press Award for Public Affairs. The 2008 FREDDY© program was the subject of a feature-length film documentary, Most Valuable Players, by Canyon Back Films, Los Angeles. Released in 2010, the documentary is part of Oprah Winfrey Network's (OWN) documentary film club which premiered in 2011.

The FREDDY© Awards are named after J. "Fred" Osterstock, the legendary "Fred the Ghost" of the State Theatre, who managed the company that owned the theatre from 1936 until his death in 1957.