Broadway In Chicago Announces 7th Annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that the seventh annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards will be held at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) on Monday, June 4, 2018, hosted by NBC 5's entertainment reporter LeeAnn Trotter, and will feature a workshop led by HAMILTON cast member Gabriella Sorrentino. Sponsored by NBC 5 and Guardian Music Travel, the Illinois chapter of The Jimmy Awards (National High School Musical Theatre Awards) serves as an annual national celebration of outstanding achievement in musical theater performance by high school students.

HAMILTON's Gabriella Sorrentino (Dance Captain/Swing) will lead a workshop with the students. Sorrentino's previous theatrical credits include ON YOUR FEET! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan on Broadway as well as regional productions of A CHORUS LINE, IN THE HEIGHTS and WEST SIDE STORY. HAMILTON currently plays at Broadway In Chicago's CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe).

In addition to the workshop, nominees will receive tickets to a Broadway In Chicago show. Twenty-four nominees will perform for a panel of casting agents and theater professionals and the top two performers (Best Actor and Best Actress award recipients) will receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to participate in a performance enrichment program and represent the state of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards, on Broadway.

An award for Best Production presented by Guardian Music Travel, Best Direction, and Best Scenic Design will be presented to participating schools.

The host of the seventh annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards, LeeAnn Trotter, is NBC 5's entertainment reporter, covering everything from restaurants to celebrities to what's happening around town. She also contributes regular "Making a Difference" segments. This Chicago native joined NBC 5 in December 2005, after working at CLTV for eight years. There, she anchored the weekend news and hosted the award-winning entertainment show, "Metromix: The TV Show," which earned her a local Emmy and several nominations for Best On Camera Performance. Prior to working at CLTV, she was the News and Public Affairs Director at WUSN-FM, where she reported news on the morning show and hosted, "Chicago Up Close," a weekly public affairs show.

The 2017 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Award recipients were Justin Smusz of Benet Academy in Bolingbrook, IL (Best Actor), Carly Meyer of Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, IL (Best Actress), York Community High School for their production of WEST SIDE STORY (Best Production), Cary-Grove High School for their production of EVITA (Best Scenic Design) and Lauren Condon and Brian Wand of Benet Academy for their production of ALL SHOOK UP (Best Direction).

The Jimmy Awards/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) impacts more than 100,000 students who participate in high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of Touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. A Best Actress and Best Actor winner from each of these competitions is sent to New York for a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on Broadway, where a panel of judges crowns the nation's top performers. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $2,000,000 in educational scholarships.

In 2012, the program inspired preeminent broadcaster WGBH Boston to produce a 3-part documentary series called "Broadway or Bust," which follows students on a journey from their hometown competitions to their debut on Broadway. The series remains popular viewing at www.pbs.org. For more information, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com.

NBC 5 (WMAQ-TV) is the owned NBC station in Chicago. Originally WNBQ, the station's current call letters, WMAQ-TV, were established in 1964. During NBC 5 Chicago's rich history, the station pioneered a number of television "firsts." On April 15, 1956, NBC 5 became the world's first all-color TV station. In September of 1986, NBC 5 became the first Chicago commercial station to broadcast in stereo. In 1989, NBC 5 was the first Chicago station to present closed captioning of all local newscasts. Currently, NBC 5 airs over 37 hours of local news per week in HD on its core channel and the latest news, weather and streamed original content on NBCCHICAGO.COM and the NBC Chicago Mobile App.

Guardian Music Travel is a company that specializes in student group travel across the United States and abroad. This educator founded and operated company provides the finest service in the industry at the best price. The company has thrived using its model of teachers working with the Guardian staff of educators to create custom itineraries and wonderful educational experiences. Guardian's theatre groups have loved the New York City packages including Broadway shows and workshops with professional and teachers. For more information, visit www.gmgtravel.com.

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 18 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.