The Jimmy Awards® is pleased to announce this year’s 72 nominees from 36 regions around the US. The national student showcase will be streamed on Thursday, July 15th at 7:30 PM. The show will feature dynamic ensemble and solo performances and will culminate with two students presented with a Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor award with a total of 20 awards and scholarships available to participants.

The 2021 Jimmys will also welcome eight student reporters from Regional Awards Programs around the country. During the Jimmy Awards production week, these junior journalists will sit in on many of the online sessions and rehearsals attended by the performer nominees. Each student reporter will submit a series of videos providing “on the ground” reporting on the nominee experience and how the production is being put together. In addition, the student reporters will meet with industry professionals who can provide first-hand experience and advice on the digital and press landscape surrounding the Broadway industry.

In 2021, all coaching, rehearsals, and activities will take place online for the nominees. The program has been the catalyst for more than $4,000,000 in educational scholarships to date, and several previous student participants have been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions.

Student performers qualify to compete in the national program by winning top honors at regional high school musical theatre awards competitions presented by Broadway League member performing arts centers. Each year, more than 100,000 students participate in these annual events. For more information about this and the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com. Follow the Jimmy Awards on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube!

Additionally, the INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO will be given to Katelin Ruzzamenti Knight, Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts, Salt Lake City, Utah and Benjamin Pesenti, Elmont Memorial High School, Elmont, NY. These teachers will be honored for the encouragement and inspiration that led their students to win the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor at the most recent past Jimmy Awards ceremony, in 2019.

Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC, Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), the mission of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, recognize dedicated teachers, and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. The Jimmy Awards are presented by the Broadway League Foundation and Pittsburgh CLO in honor of legendary Broadway producer/theatre owner James M. Nederlander, and are supported by many leading theatre industry organizations.

Apples and Oranges Arts is the streaming and video production partner. The official media partner is WABC-TV.

The Broadway League conducts the program through The Broadway League Foundation, which acts as its philanthropic arm. Part of the Foundation’s mission is to enlighten and increase the public’s knowledge, appreciation and awareness of the theatrical arts, and since its founding in 1993, has supported several projects to help preserve Broadway’s heritage and expose new audiences to Broadway theatre. The Foundation is a corporation organized under the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York, the purposes of which are exclusively charitable as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Donations to support the program can be made at JimmyAwards.com.

The 2021 Jimmy Awards

Participating Theatre Organizations and their Nominees:

2021 Nominees | The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (jimmyawards.com)

Regional Program City & StateTheatre/OrganizationRegional Awards Program NameBest Actor NomineeBest Actress Nominee
Albuquerque, NMPopejoy HallThe Enchantment AwardsJaaziah VallanoRafaella Fiore Mark
Appleton, WIFox Cities Performing Arts CenterCenter Stage High School Musical Theater Awards ProgramMickey WirtzLauren Meyer
Atlanta, GAFox Theatre/ Broadway Across America/ArtsBridge FoundationGeorgia High School Musical Theatre Awards- The Shuler Hensley AwardsAri MikelsIsabella Victoria Chaney
Buffalo, NYShea’s Performing Arts CenterThe Kenny AwardsCaleb GouldTalia Mobley
Charlotte, NCBlumenthal Performing ArtsThe Blumey AwardsBryson BattleKate McCracken
Chicago, ILBroadway In ChicagoBroadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre AwardsMarcus McGeeSydney Olson
Cleveland, OHPlayhouse SquarePlayhouse Square Dazzle AwardsWilson HaLauren Claxton
Columbus, OHColumbus Association for the Performing ArtsCAPA Marquee AwardsNick Sanchez-ZarkosDallys Edwards
Dallas, TXDallas Summer MusicalsDallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre AwardsParker JacksonShantel Williams
Durham, NCDurham Performing Arts CenterTriangle Rising StarsJoshua MessmoreElena Holder
East Lansing, MIWharton Center for Performing ArtsSutton Foster Ovation AwardsJason KochBella Seigo
Kansas City, MOKansas City Starlight TheatreBlue Star AwardsJustin CooleyAva Wolesky
Las Vegas, NVThe Smith Center for the Performing ArtsNevada High School Musical Theater AwardsLuis Gonzalez GalindoMolly Martin
Logan, UTBroadway at the Eccles/Utah Opera Festival & Musical TheatreUtah High School Musical Theatre AwardsTaylor GarlickBrynn Brady
Los Angeles, CAHollywood Pantages Theatre/NederlanderThe Jerry Herman AwardsPhillip ArcaKuper Walker
Madison, WIOverture Center for the ArtsThe Jerry AwardsAlex DaspitLaëtitia Hollard
Memphis, TNThe Orpheum TheatreThe Orpheum High School Musical Theatre AwardsBen GrayJada Bunch
Midland, PAPittsburgh CLO/Lincoln Park Performing Arts CenterHenry Mancini AwardsDJ SpangAbigail McAuley
Minneapolis, MNHennepin Theatre TrustSpotlight EducationZachary SullivanHalle Audette
Nashville, TNTennessee Performing Arts Center/Lipscomb UniversitySpotlight Awards – Nashville High School Musical Theatre AwardsNoah HenryKelly Whitlow
New York, NYDisney Theatrical Productions Group/ Camp BroadwayThe Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student PerformanceMateo LizcanoKatriana Koppe
Oklahoma City, OKOKC BroadwayThe Kelli O’Hara AwardsBrady McComasRyleigh Andrews
Omaha, NEOmaha Performing ArtsNebraska High School Theater AcademyNathan HiykelAudrey Saucier
Orlando, FLDr. Phillips Center for the Performing ArtsApplause AwardsMiguel GilShina Mitchell
Palm Springs, CAHollywood Pantages Theatre/Musical Theatre UniversityThe Lucie Arnaz AwardsNathan BravoArianna Vila
Philadelphia, PAKimmel Center for the Performing ArtsPhiladelphia Independence AwardsBenjamin BrownKatie Smith
Pittsburgh, PAPittsburgh CLOGene Kelly AwardsTyler Guinto-BrodyAudrey Logan
Rochester, NYRochester Broadway Theatre LeagueStars of TomorrowJaston BrooksMegan Fiorella
San Antonio, TXBroadway in San Antonio/ Majestic and Charline McCombs Empire TheatresLas Casas Foundation’s Joci AwardsGrant PaceNaliah Hernandez
San Diego, CABroadway/San Diego – NederlanderThe Broadway San Diego AwardsWilliam MorrisKiara Geolina
San Jose, CABroadway San Jose/ Children’s Musical Theater San JoseThe Rita Moreno AwardsMilo MeeKasey Hernandez
Schenectady, NYProctorsHigh School Musical Theatre Awards at ProctorsScout SantoroNicaya-Isabella Rios
Seattle, WAThe 5th Avenue TheatreThe 5th Avenue Theatre: Celebrating High School MusicalsJosiah AhoVictoria Evans
Tampa, FLStraz Center for the Performing ArtsBroadway Star of the FutureRonald SpotoJillian Cossetta
Tempe, AZASU GammageASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre AwardsTyler BaldwinKristiana Corona
Tucson, AZBroadway in Tucson/ Arts ExpressThe Monte Awards: Southern Arizona’s Musical Theatre FinalsAiden McCoyKendall Hicks

2021 Student Reporters

City/StateTheatre/OrganizationRegional Awards ProgramStudent Reporter
Midland, PAPittsburgh CLO/Lincoln Park Performing ArtsHenry Mancini AwardsNathan Inman
Buffalo, NYShea’s Performing Arts CenterThe Kenny AwardsLily Peck
Madison, WIOverture Center for the ArtsThe Jerry AwardsWill Karls
Charlotte, NCBlumenthal Performing ArtsThe Blumey AwardsJenna Guzman
Appleton, WIFox Cities Performing Arts CenterCenter Stage High School Musical Theater ProgramLindsey Seaquist
Atlanta, GAFox Theatre/Broadway Across America/ArtsBridge FoundationGeorgia High School Musical Theatre Awards – Shuler Hensley AwardsChase Carter
Nashville, TNTennessee Performing Arts Center/Lipscomb UniversitySpotlight Awards – Nashville High School Musical Theatre AwardsBrityn Ramsey
Minneapolis, MNHennepin Theatre TrustSpotlight EducationJillian Elton

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APPLES AND ORANGES ARTS – “Taking the Starving out of Artist” Through the convergence of creativity and technology, Apples and Oranges Arts shatters the forgone myth of “starving artist” by providing education, infrastructure and tools that link the artist and audience. www.nycoc.org

Photo: @JimmyAwards

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