# Jimmy Awards

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, more commonly known as the Jimmy Awards, are awards given annually to recognize musical theatre performances by high school students in the United States. Two main awards are given each year, Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor.
Performers qualify as nominees by winning a regional competition in one of 51 participating regional awards programs across the country. Nominees travel to New York City to perform at a talent showcase held on Broadway. Winners and finalists receive a scholarship (in 2019, winners received $25,000 scholarships). Winners and nominees have often gone on to significant careers in musical theatre, such as Eva Noblezada, Reneé Rapp, Ryan McCartan and Andrew Barth Feldman, who went on to starring roles in Broadway productions. The Jimmys have been described by the New York Times as "The Tonys, for teenagers."

## History

The Jimmy Awards were inspired by the Gene Kelly Awards, an award given by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera since 1991, honoring musical theatre productions put on by high schools in the Pittsburgh area. Van Kaplan, the executive producer of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, pitched the idea of creating a nationwide version of the awards to the Nederlander Organization. The two organizations founded the new award, naming it after the Broadway producer and theatre owner James ("Jimmy") M. Nederlander. The first Jimmy Awards were held in 2009 at NYU's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, with 32 contestants from 16 regions. The 2010 awards were held at the Marquis Theatre, with all subsequent shows held at the Minskoff Theatre.
The awards became a success, in part due to growing popularity online of videos of performances from the award show (particularly the show's signature medleys). In 2012, PBS released a three-part documentary series, Broadway Or Bust, following the nominees of the Jimmy Awards that year. In 2014, The Broadway League Foundation (the charitable arm of The Broadway League, which produces the Tony Awards) took over the management of the Jimmy awards. The number of participating regional theatres has increased over time, reaching a high of 43 regional competitions (and 86 nominees) in 2019.
The 2020 awards were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 awards were presented virtually.
In 2024, the Jimmy Awards celebrated its 15th Anniversary, with many alumni returning to the event to present and sing with the nominees.

## Qualification

Students qualify for the Jimmys based on a role played in a high school musical production that year. The role must be significant (for example, the character must perform at least one solo).
Approximately 40 theatres belonging to the Broadway League hold "Regional Awards Programs" (RAPs), each of which selects two winners for the region (a Best Actor, and Best Actress) who then become Jimmy Award nominees. The RAP selects candidates by reviewing high school musical productions. Selected candidates perform at an RAP award ceremony (which must be a "full-scale public event" with at least 100 attendees), performing in the same role they played in their high school production.

## Award show

The Jimmy Award nominees travel to New York City for a week in June, culminating in a live show in which the winners are determined. During the week, the nominees rehearse their performances for the award show and receive coaching from industry professionals. The show is directed by Van Kaplan, choreographed by Kiesha Lalama, and music supervised and conducted by Geoffrey Ko.
The award show is held at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway, and is typically hosted by a celebrated Broadway actor (for example Laura Benanti in 2018).
The show begins with an opening number (typically a "mega-mix of contemporary Broadway hits") involving all nominees, followed by a series of "showcase medleys", in which several nominees appear in costume in the role they performed in their high school's musical, each in turn singing a short solo, while the remaining performers act as backup singers and dancers. These medleys have gained a cult following, with fans appreciating the crossover between disparate popular musicals. Since 2016, due to an increasing number of nominees and time limitations, only a portion of nominees have participated in showcase medleys, with the remainder instead performing in a group number. The medley format was conceived by original musical director Michael Moricz.
During an intermission, a panel of experts selects about eight finalists. During the show's second half, the finalists each perform a solo, and the winners are announced. In addition to the main awards of Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor, other awards are given out with smaller prizes. In 2023, awards were given for Best Dancer, Rising Star, Best Performance in an Ensemble, and Spirit of the Jimmys, each associated with a $2,000 scholarship. All finalists also receive a $3,000 scholarship toward their future education.

## Winners and finalists
### 2000s

| Year | Actor | Hometown | Musical | Character | Notes |
| 2009 1st Jimmy Awards |
| 2009 1st Jimmy Awards | Stephen Mark | Ridgefield, Connecticut | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Jimmy Smith | Cast as John in national touring company of Anything Goes |
| 2009 1st Jimmy Awards | Kian McCollum | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | The Wedding Singer | Robbie Hart | |
| 2009 1st Jimmy Awards | Joseph Pudetti | Rochester, New York | Godspell | Jesus | |
| 2009 1st Jimmy Awards | Jenny Wine | Wichita, Kansas | The Wedding Singer | Julia Sullivan | |
| 2009 1st Jimmy Awards | Grace Hardin | Waterbury, Connecticut | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Millie Dillmount | |

### 2010s

| Year | Actor | Hometown | Musical | Character | Notes |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | Kyle Selig | Long Beach, California | Singin' in the Rain | Don Lockwood | Made Broadway debut in The Book of Mormon in 2013 Cast as Baby John in the 2016 Hollywood Bowl production of West Side Story with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Cast as Homer Hickam in the 2016 musical, October Sky, inspired by the film of the same name at the Old Globe Theatre Cast as Aaron Samuels in 2018 Broadway musical, Mean Girls Replaced Grant Gustin as Jacob Jankowski in Water for Elephants in September 2024 Cast in Los Angeles and Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | Alex Field | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | The Wiz | Tinman | |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | Matthew Hill | San Jose, California | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | Freddy Benson | |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | John Jorge | Woodbridge, Connecticut | Les Misérables | Jean Valjean | |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | Alexandria Payne | Atlanta, Georgia | Once on This Island | Ti Moune | Cast in the national tour of The Lion King at age 10 |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | Katie Sapper | San Diego, California | Little Shop of Horrors | Audrey | |
| 2010 2nd Jimmy Awards | Stephanie Styles | Houston, Texas | The Drowsy Chaperone | Janet Van De Graaff | Cast as Louisa von Trapp in national tour of The Sound of Music at age 12 Cast as Katherine Plumber in 1st national tour of Newsies Made Broadway debut as Lois Lane/Bianca in the 2019 revival of Kiss Me, Kate |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards | Ryan McCartan | Minneapolis, Minnesota | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | J. Pierrepont Finch | Cast as Diggie on the Disney Channel comedy Liv and Maddie Cast as Jason "J.D." Dean in 2013 Off-Broadway run of Heathers: The Musical Cast as Brad Majors in 2016 television musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again Made Broadway debut as Fiyero in Wicked in 2018 and played Hans in Frozen on Broadway in 2020 and on tour in 2022. Replaced Jeremy Jordan as Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby on Broadway |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards | Seth Jones | Kansas City, Missouri | Crazy for You | Bobby Child | |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards | Mackenzie Orr | Irving, Texas | Into the Woods | Baker | |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards | Shauni Ruetz | Rochester, New York | Into the Woods | Witch | |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards | Kirsten Hoover | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | No, No, Nanette | Nanette | |
| 2011 3rd Jimmy Awards | Breyannah Tillman | Memphis, Tennessee | Aida | Aida | |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards | Joshua Grosso | Tampa, Florida | The Phantom of the Opera | Raoul de Chagny | Cast as Marius in the U.S. touring company of Les Misérables Cast as replacement Telephone Guy in U.S. tour of The Band's Visit Cast in ensemble of Gatsby: An American Myth at American Repertory Theater Cast as swing in New York City Center Encores! production of Urinetown |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards | Evan Greenberg | Atlanta, Georgia | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | William Barfee | |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards | Drew Shafranek | Irving, Texas | The Music Man | Harold Hill | |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards | Elizabeth Romero | Fullerton, California | Damn Yankees | Lola | |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards | Nicolette Burton | San Diego, California | Kiss Me, Kate | Lilli Vanessi / Katharine | |
| 2012 4th Jimmy Awards | Erica Durham | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Aida | Aida | Cast as Squeak in the U.S. national tour of The Color Purple |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Taylor Varga | Newtown, Connecticut | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | J. Pierrepont Finch | |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Michael Burrell | La Mirada, California | Into the Woods | Baker | |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Austin Crute | Atlanta, Georgia | The Wiz | Scarecrow | |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Sarah Lynn Marion | Fullerton, California | Hello, Dolly! | Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi | |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Jillian Caillouette | Waterbury, Connecticut | Little Women | Jo March | |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Martha Hellerman | Madison, Wisconsin | Spring Awakening | Wendla Bergmann | |
| 2013 5th Jimmy Awards | Eva Noblezada | Charlotte, North Carolina | Footloose | Ariel Moore | Made professional debut as Kim at age 17 in the West End revival of Miss Saigon in 2014 Cast as Éponine in West End production of Les Misérables in 2016 Made Broadway debut headlining Miss Saigon in 2017 Cast as Eurydice in both West End and Broadway productions of Hadestown in 2018 and 2019, respectively Nominated for Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, for Miss Saigon in 2017, and again for Hadestown in 2019 Cast as Daisy in Paper Mill Playhouse and Broadway musical production of The Great Gatsby Replaced Auli'i Cravalho as Sally Bowles in Broadway production of Cabaret |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards | Jonah Rawitz | Chicago, Illinois | In the Heights | Usnavi | |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards | Mekhai Lee | Charlotte, North Carolina | Shrek The Musical | Shrek | Cast as Grady in 2017–18 U.S. national tour of The Color Purple |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards | Matthew Richards | Logan, Utah | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Percy Blakeney | |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards | Jai'Len Christine Li Josey | Atlanta, Georgia | Dreamgirls | Effie Melody White | Appeared in Tyler Perry's Love Thy Neighbor Made Broadway debut as Pearl Krabs in SpongeBob SquarePants, The Broadway Musical in 2017 |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards | Brooke Solan | Las Vegas, Nevada | The Drowsy Chaperone | Janet Van De Graaff | |
| 2014 6th Jimmy Awards | Sophia Tzougros | Dousman, Wisconsin | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Millie Dillmount | |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards | Anthony Skillman | Mission Viejo, California | Tarzan | Tarzan | |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards | Drayton Maclean Mayers | Memphis, Tennessee | Big Fish | Edward Bloom | |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards | Alec Michael Ryan | Houston, Texas | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | Lawrence Jameson | |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards | Marla Louissaint | New York, New York | Caroline, or Change | Caroline Thibodeaux | Cast as ensemble member of the U.S. touring company of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards | Morgan Higgins | La Mirada, California | Les Misérables | Éponine Thénardier | |
| 2015 7th Jimmy Awards | Marnie Quick | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Shout! The Mod Musical | Orange Girl | |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Josh Strobl | Los Angeles, California | Hairspray | Link Larkin | Cast as universal cover for Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen in 2019 Cast as understudy for Ponyboy and Johnny in original Broadway cast of The Outsiders. |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Cameron Chang | San Diego, California | The Drowsy Chaperone | Aldolpho | |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | John Fredrickson | Dallas, Texas | Mary Poppins | Bert | |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Devin Moore | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Les Misérables | Jean Valjean | |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Amina Faye | Charlotte, North Carolina | Ragtime | Sarah | Cast as Jane Seymour in the US Boleyn Tour of Six (musical) |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Kailey Boyle | Madison, Wisconsin | Once Upon a Mattress | Princess Winnifred | Cast in ensemble of Gatsby: An American Myth at American Repertory Theater |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Lauren Johnson | Omaha, Nebraska | Seussical | Gertrude McFuzz | Cast as Lorraine in the 2022-23 US tour of Hairspray |
| 2016 8th Jimmy Awards | Marnie Quick (2) | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 9 to 5 | Doralee Rhodes | |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Tony Moreno | Orlando, Florida | Man of La Mancha | Don Quixote (Cervantes) | Cast as a Swing in the Broadway production of The Book of Mormon in December 2022 |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Antonio Cipriano | East Lansing, Michigan | Hello! My Baby | Mickey McKee | Cast in the premiere production of Jagged Little Pill. Made Broadway debut in Broadway production of Jagged Little Pill in December 2019 Made television debut in a guest role on the 2019 series God Friended Me Cast as series main Oren Bradley in Disney+ show National Treasure: Edge of History Cast in the series regular role of Will in the upcoming series Safehaven |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Nathan Keffer | Nashville, Tennessee | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour | |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Sam Primack | Tempe, Arizona | Catch Me If You Can | Frank Abagnale, Jr. | Cast as an understudy in the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen in 2019 Debuts as Evan Hansen in the touring cast of Dear Evan Hansen |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Sofia Deler | Orlando, Florida | Songs for a New World | Woman 1 | Cast as Shelby in 2020 film production of The Prom Cast as understudy for Holly in original Broadway cast of Stereophonic |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Maggie Gidden | La Mirada, California | Footloose | Rusty | |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Hatty King | Nashville, Tennessee | Little Women | Jo March | |
| 2017 9th Jimmy Awards | Jasmine Rogers | Houston, Texas | Into the Woods | Witch | Cast as Gretchen Weiners in the national tour of Mean Girls Cast as Betty Boop in 2023 Chicago premiere and 2025 Broadway production of Boop! The Musical |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Andrew Barth Feldman | Long Island, New York | Catch Me If You Can | Frank Abagnale, Jr. | Made his Broadway debut as Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen in January 2019 Cast as Linguini in the 2021 virtual benefit concert Ratatouille the Musical, based on the 2007 Disney/Pixar film Made his television debut in the recurring guest role of Antoine in Season 2 of the Disney+ show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Made his feature film debut Starring opposite Jennifer Lawrence in No Hard Feelings |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Darian Goulding | Chicago, Illinois | Beauty and the Beast | Beast | |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | J.R. Heckman | Cleveland, Ohio | The Secret Garden | Archibald Craven | Also a 2016 and 2019 Jimmy Awards nominee |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Riley Thad Young | Memphis, Tennessee | James and the Giant Peach | Grasshopper | |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Reneé Rapp | Charlotte, North Carolina | Big Fish | Sandra Bloom | Made her Broadway debut as Regina George in Mean Girls in June 2019 Cast as Leighton in the HBO Max comedy series The Sex Lives of College Girls Cast as Regina George in musical teen comedy film Mean Girls (2024 film) Went on to a pop music career |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Sabrina Astle | La Mirada, California | Legally Blonde | Elle Woods | |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Emily Escobar | Tampa, Florida | Zombie Prom | Toffee | |
| 2018 10th Jimmy Awards | Marisa Ines Moenho | Palm Springs, California | Urinetown | Hope Cladwell | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Ethan Kelso | Logan, Utah | Big Fish | Will Bloom | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Casey Likes | Tempe, Arizona | Les Misérables | Jean Valjean | Made his Broadway debut as William Miller in Almost Famous in October 2022. Cast in a leading role in MGM horror film Dark Harvest Cast as Gene Simmons in Neil Bogart biopic Spinning Gold Cast as Marty McFly in the Broadway production of Back to the Future: The Musical |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Colin Miller | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Christian Spaay | Madison, Wisconsin | Les Misérables | Marius | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Ekele Ukegbu | New York, New York | Aida | Aida | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Jessi Kirtley | Atlanta, Georgia | Mary Poppins | Mary Poppins | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Lexie Love | Seattle, Washington | Les Misérables | Éponine Thénardier | |
| 2019 11th Jimmy Awards | Marisa Ines Moenho (2) | Palm Springs, California | Sister Act | Deloris Van Cartier | |

### 2020s

| Year | Actor | Hometown | Musical | Character | Notes |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Bryson Battle | Charlotte, North Carolina | Guys and Dolls | Nicely Nicely Johnson | |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Benjamin Brown | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | No applicable production | No applicable production |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Justin Cooley | Kansas City, Missouri | No applicable production | No applicable production | Made Broadway debut as Seth Weetis in Kimberly Akimbo and later reprised role on the first national tour Nominated for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Kimberly Akimbo in 2023 |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Mateo Lizcano | New York, New York | Big Fish | Edward Bloom | |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Elena Holder | Durham, North Carolina | Cry-Baby | Lenora | |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Victoria Evans | Seattle, Washington | No applicable production | No applicable production | |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Kuper Walker | Los Angeles, California | No applicable production | No applicable production | |
| 2021 12th Jimmy Awards | Ava Wolesky | Kansas City, Missouri | Carrie | Carrie White | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Nicholas Barrón | San Antonio, Texas | The Baker's Wife | Dominique | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Thomas Beeker | Denver, Colorado | The Music Man | Harold Hill | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Dakota Renteria | Las Vegas, Nevada | Big Fish | Edward Bloom | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Joshua Thompson | Durham, North Carolina | Anastasia | Dmitry | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Kendall Becerra | San Diego, California | In the Heights | Nina | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Sophie Pollono | Los Angeles, California | Into the Woods | Cinderella | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Symoné Spencer | Durham, North Carolina | Funny Girl | Fanny Brice | |
| 2022 13th Jimmy Awards | Anna Zavelson | San Antonio, Texas | Anastasia | Anya | Cast as Clara in the New York City Center's Encores! production of The Light in the Piazza Replaced Jordan Tyson as Younger Allie in Broadway production of The Notebook |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Langston Lee | Austin, Texas | Anastasia | Dmitry | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Corbin Drew Ross | Dallas, Texas | Anastasia | Dmitry | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Christian Strong | Columbus, Ohio | Kinky Boots | Lola | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Omar Andre Real | Palm Springs, California | Bat Boy | Bat Boy | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Lauren A. Marchand | New York, New York | Frozen | Elsa | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Maya Sharma | West Palm Beach, Florida | Freaky Friday | Ellie | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Samia Posadas | Tucson, Arizona | Legally Blonde | Elle Woods | |
| 2023 14th Jimmy Awards | Anna Wright | St. Louis, Missouri | Bright Star | Alice Murphy | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Damson Chola, Jr. | Cleburne, Texas | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Peter Dessert | Kansas City, Missouri | All Shook Up | Chad | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Luke Martin | Las Vegas, Nevada | Les Misérables | Jean Valjean | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | James Thibault | New Haven, Connecticut | Les Misérables | Javert | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Gretchen Shope | Midland, Michigan | Alice by Heart | Alice | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Fabiola Caraballo Quijada | Dallas, Texas | Something Rotten! | Nostradamus | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Catherine Dosier | La Mirada, California | The Secret Garden | Lily Craven | |
| 2024 15th Jimmy Awards | Samia Posadas (2) | Tucson, Arizona | Into the Woods | Cinderella | |