BroadwaySF to Launch High School Musical Theatre Awards Program

BroadwaySF High School Musical Theatre Awards, a regional awards program that recognizes outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre, is set to launch. As part of The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) program—otherwise known as The Jimmy Awards—the BroadwaySF High School Musical Theatre Awards joins Broadway San Jose’s Rita Moreno Awards in celebrating high schools throughout Northern California.
 
Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, the BroadwaySF High School Musical Theatre Awards will be accessible to students from San Francisco and Alameda Counties, extending all the way to the northernmost regions of the state. The Rita Moreno Awards, hosted by Broadway San Jose, will be open to students from San Mateo County down to Kern County in Southern California. Both regional awards programs will sponsor two student representatives to participate in the Jimmy Awards® taking place each June in New York City. For more information, visit broadwaysf.com/awards/.

"BroadwaySF is thrilled to launch the BroadwaySF High School Musical Theatre Awards, igniting a new era of celebration and recognition for young performers in Northern California,” said BroadwaySF Managing Director Rainier Koeners. “This program promises to elevate arts education and foster a vibrant arts community, inspiring the next generation of Broadway stars right here in our region."
 
"We are ecstatic that BroadwaySF will join Broadway San Jose in celebrating young performers from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond with the launch of a new Northern California regional awards program for The National High School Musical Theatre Awards®," adds Broadway San Jose General Manager Gretchen Feyer. "This program not only celebrates the incredible talent within our high schools, but also creates more opportunities for Northern California students to shine on a national stage at the Jimmy Awards in New York."
 
The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program was established in 2009 to elevate the importance of theatre arts education in schools and create a pathway connecting promising young performers to the professional theatre industry. Following its continued success, NHSMTA has grown to impact approximately 130,000 students from 2,100 high schools participating in 51 high school musical theatre regional awards programs sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Each year, nominees selected by these regional programs travel to New York City to participate in the national competition. While in New York City, participants experience a week of private coaching, master classes, and rehearsals with theatre professionals. Their week’s journey concludes with a panel of industry experts selecting exceptional students for The Jimmy® for Best Performance by an Actress and Actor. Students receive opportunities for merit scholarships, professional advancement, and other prizes.

Since its inception, NHSMTA has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships awarded to deserving young performers. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, this year-round program is administered by The Broadway League Foundation Inc., The Broadway League’s charitable division. The Foundation’s mission is to enlighten and increase the public's knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the theatrical arts and to provide a forum for the discussion of issues relating to the preservation and promotion of live theatre as a vital and culturally significant artistic medium.

The depth, scope, and education-centric mission of the Jimmy Awards coupled with its extensive television and media coverage has made participating in the program an aspiration for a growing number of high schools. Based on feedback from participating theatres, school administrators are now directing both staff and financial resources to improve the quality of theatre arts education in their districts. This renewed enthusiasm for the performing arts in schools is already helping to invigorate local theatres and the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com.