72 High School Students Earn Nominations for the 2021 Jimmy Awards

The Jimmy Awards will be streamed on Thursday, July 15th at 7:30 PM.

By: Jun. 17, 2021
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The Jimmy Awards have just announced 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.

72 High School Students Earn Nominations for the 2021 Jimmy Awards

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.

JOSIAH AHO
The 5th Avenue Theatre: Celebrating High School Musicals
Seattle, WA
Ferndale High School

RYLEIGH ANDREWS
The Kelli O'Hara Awards
Oklahoma City, OK
Choctaw High School

PHILLIP ARCA
The Jerry Herman Awards
Los Angeles, CA
West Covina High School

HALLE AUDETTE
Spotlight Education
Minneapolis, MN
Totino-Grace High School

TYLER BALDWIN
ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards
Tempe, AZ
Queen Creek High School

BRYSON BATTLE
The Blumey Awards
Charlotte, NC
Hickory Ridge High School

BRYNN BRADY
Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards
Logan, UT
Davis High School

NATHAN BRAVO
Lucie Arnaz Awards
Palm Springs, CA
John W. North High School

JASTON BROOKS
Stars of Tomorrow
Rochester, NY
Newark High School

BENJAMIN BROWN
Philadelphia Independence Awards
Philadelphia, PA
Upper Dublin High School

JADA BUNCH
The Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards
Memphis, TN
Northpoint Christian School

ISABELLA VICTORIA CHANEY
Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards
Atlanta, GA
Greenbrier High School

LAUREN CLAXTON
Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards
Cleveland, OH
Wadsworth Senior High School

JUSTIN COOLEY
Blue Star Awards
Kansas City, MO
Olathe East High School

KRISTIANA CORONA
ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards
Tempe, AZ
Hamilton High School

JILLIAN COSSETTA
Broadway Star of the Future
Tampa, FL
Gulf Coast High School

ALEX DASPIT
The Jerry Awards
Madison, WI
McFarland High School

DALLYS EDWARDS
CAPA Marquee Awards
Columbus, OH
Pickerington High School North

VICTORIA EVANS
The 5th Avenue Theatre: Celebrating High School Musicals
Seattle, WA
Tahoma Senior High School

MEGAN FIORELLA
Stars of Tomorrow
Rochester, NY
Pittsford Sutherland High School

RAFAELLA FIORE MARK
The Enchantment Awards
Albuquerque, NM
Santa Fe Preparatory School

TAYLOR GARLICK
Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards
Logan, UT
Farmington High School

KIARA GEOLINA
The Broadway San Diego Awards
San Diego, CA
San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts

MIGUEL GIL
Applause Awards
Orlando, FL
Windermere High School

LUIS GONZALEZ GALINDO
Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards
Las Vegas, NV
Rancho High School

CALEB GOULD
The Kenny Awards
Buffalo, NY
Eden Junior Senior High School

BEN GRAY
The Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards
Memphis, TN
Evangelical Christian School

TYLER GUINTO-BRODY
Gene Kelly Awards
Pittsburgh, PA
Elizabeth Forward High School

WILSON HA
Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards
Cleveland, OH
Hawken School

NOAH HENRY
Spotlight Awards - Nashville High School Musical Theatre Awards
Nashville, TN
Hillsboro High School

NALIAH HERNANDEZ
Las Casas Foundation's Joci Awards
San Antonio, TX
North East School of the Arts

KASEY HERNANDEZ
The Rita Moreno Awards
San Jose, CA
Novato High School

KENDALL HICKS
The Monte Awards: Southern Arizona's Musical Theatre Finals
Tucson, AZ
Ironwood Ridge High School

NATHAN HIYKEL
Nebraska High School Theater Academy
Omaha, NE
Blaire High School

ELENA HOLDER
Triangle Rising Stars
Durham, NC
Durham School Of The Arts

LAËTITIA HOLLARD
The Jerry Awards
Madison, WI
McFarland High School

PARKER JACKSON
Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre Awards
Dallas, TX
John H. Guyer High School

JASON KOCH
Sutton Foster Awards
East Lansing, MI
Portage Northern High School

KATRIANA KOPPE
The Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance
New York, NY
Wantagh High School

Mateo Lizcano
The Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance
New York, NY
Frank Sinatra School Of The Arts

AUDREY LOGAN
Gene Kelly Awards
Pittsburgh, PA
South Fayette High School

MOLLY MARTIN
Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards
Las Vegas, NV
Green Valley High School

ABIGAIL MCAULEY
Henry Mancini Awards
Midland, PA
Knoch Senior High School

BRADY MCCOMAS
The Kelli O'Hara Awards
Oklahoma City, OK
Ada High School

AIDEN JAMES MCCOY
The Monte Awards: Southern Arizona's Musical Theatre Finals
Tucson, AZ
Ironwood Ridge High School

KATE MCCRACKEN
The Blumey Awards
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte Latin School

MARCUS MCGEE
Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards
Chicago, IL
Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School

MILO MEE
The Rita Moreno Awards
San Jose, CA
Archbishop Mitty High School

JOSHUA MESSMORE
Triangle Rising Stars
Durham, NC
Saint David's School

Lauren Meyer
Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program
Appleton, WI
St. Mary Catholic High School

ARI MIKELS
Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards
Atlanta, GA
Lakeview Academy

SHINA MITCHELL
Applause Awards
Orlando, FL
Dr. Phillips High School

TALIA MOBLEY
The Kenny Awards
Buffalo, NY
West Seneca West Senior High School

William Morris
The Broadway San Diego Awards
San Diego, CA
Canyon Crest Academy

SYDNEY OLSON
Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards
Chicago, IL
Harry D. Jacobs High School

GRANT PACE
Las Casas Foundation's Joci Awards
San Antonio, TX
ZACH Performing Arts Academy

NICAYA-ISABELLA RIOS
High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors
Schenectady, NY
Guilderland High School

Nick Sanchez-ZARKOS
CAPA Marquee Awards
Columbus, OH
Olentangy Liberty High School

SCOUT SANTORO
High School Musical Theatre Awards at Proctors
Schenectady, NY
Shaker High School

AUDREY SAUCIER
Nebraska High School Theater Academy
Omaha, NE
Harry A. Burke High School

BELLA SEIGO
Sutton Foster Awards
East Lansing, MI
Grand Ledge High School

Katie Smith
Philadelphia Independence Awards
Philadelphia, PA
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School

DJ SPANG
Henry Mancini Awards
Midland, PA
Hopewell Senior High School

RONALD SPOTO
Broadway Star of the Future
Tampa, FL
Harrison School for the Arts

ZACHARY SULLIVAN
Spotlight Education
Minneapolis, MN
Minnetonka High School

JAAZIAH VALLANO
The Enchantment Awards
Albuquerque, NM
Penn Foster High School

ARIANNA VILA
Lucie Arnaz Awards
Palm Springs, CA
John W. North High School

KUPER WALKER
The Jerry Herman Awards
Los Angeles, CA
University High School Charter

KELLY WHITLOW
Spotlight Awards - Nashville High School Musical Theatre Awards
Nashville, TN
Ravenwood High School

SHANTEL WILLIAMS
Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Theatre Awards
Dallas, TX
Plano Senior High School

MICKEY WIRTZ
Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program
Appleton, WI
Pulaski High School

AVA WOLESKY
Blue Star Awards
Kansas City, MO
Liberty North High School


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!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.

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.

Before this year's ceremony, BroadwayWorld is catching up with some of the program's alumni!

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.

72 High School Students Earn Nominations for the 2021 Jimmy Awards
Photo Credit: Mark Abramson

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.


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