Interview: Catching Up with 2022 Jimmy Awards Winner Kendall Becerra

Just last summer, Kendall Becerra's world was turned upside down when she was named a winner of the 13th Annual Jimmy Awards. As a participant from The Broadway San Diego Awards, Kendall was awarded Best Performance by an Actress and received a check for $25,000 to further her education.

As the 96 new Jimmy Awards nominees continue their preparations for the 2023 ceremony, BroadwayWorld is checking in with Kendall to catch up on what she's been up to since her big win, as well as advice for this year's participants. Plus, catch up with her fellow 2022 winner,  Nicholas Barrón!

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What have you been up to since winning last year?

Since last year’s Jimmy Awards I’ve had crazy movie moments that amaze me still! I moved to New York City and started my first year of college! Getting to dance, sing, and act every day is not only a dream, but a great privilege. And what better place to do it than NYC! Alongside college, I have been auditioning in person and through (everyone’s new favorite) self-tape. Getting my foot in the door and meeting new people has been such an amazing experience. 

Last September, both Nicholas Barrón (2022 Jimmy Award Winner Best Actor) and I were invited to the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts Noche de Gala in Washington D.C.! We payed tribute to the children and teachers of Uvalde, Texas and met so many wonderful people. And hearing Nickie sing “Somewhere” from West Side Story was a blessing to everyone listening! I was also invited to the closing performance of Come From Away in October where I tried not to make a fool of myself when meeting artists like Jenn Colella and Caesar Samayoa. Events like this showed me everyone is so passionate about this beautiful art form. Lastly I’ve been fortunate enough to make my 54 Below and Green Room 42 debut in the last year. All of this to say I am incredibly blessed to have experienced everything I have, and can’t wait for what’s next!

Just being a part of the Jimmy Awards (let alone winning) can be a life-changing experience. Reflecting back on it now, what was your biggest takeaway?

Oh my goodness! Life-changing is right! There were a couple things that struck me throughout Jimmy’s week that made me so excited to be there. The first being collaboration is key. Watching not only the nominees, but the entire creative team work together to build a show was eye-opening. It proved to me it truly does take a village. The second thing is best said with one of my favorite movie quotes, “The human race is filled with passion” (Dead Poets Society). Sharing a space with 92 other insanely talented artists who were just as driven as one another was incredible. Everyone gave there all and it was beautiful to feel the energy and excitement beaming off one another. 

Have you kept in touch with any of your fellow participants?

Absolutely! Our Jimmy Awards group chat is still going strong! Through social media we all stay connected and cheer each other on! Our queen Anna Zavelson is making magic at City Center, Adriano Robins is killing it at the Muny, Josh Thone just performed an amazing solo show, and so many more beautiful performances from our 2022 family. Friends, Asa Thompson, Carl Robinett, and I revisited the underground subway station where we first met and caught up on life. We all support each other in every way we can from across the country. The 2022 family is full of love! 

If you could do it all again, would you do anything differently?

I wouldn’t change this experience at all. I know it’s cliche to say something is perfect, but that entire week was truly flawless. From early morning breakfasts in the dining hall to whispered late night music rehearsals in the dorms, every second was amazing. I would have loved to get rid of Covid and its dark cloud, but everyone stayed optimistic and hopeful for the full 9 days. I learned so much from every coach, nominee, creative team member, choreographer, and guest. If knowledge was water and I walked in a dry sponge, I left with enough water to get California out of its drought! 

Is there a piece of advice that you got from one of your coaches that has stuck with you?

One of the biggest pieces of advice my coach MaryAnn Hu said that stuck with me was paint the picture. My selected song “Breathe” had so many moments to visualize and story tell that I wasn’t fully utilizing until our one-on-one coaching session. Actually seeing the GWB and “…faces I’ve known all my life” helped me create the world around me that made it much more real. Since then I have tried to “paint the picture” with every performance. The eyes are a wondrous tool to use when it comes to storytelling, and I have MaryAnn to thank for flipping that switch in me. 

Do you have any advice to share for this year's nominees?

My advice to this year’s nominees was given to me at my regional awards program and is as followed: “Nothing to prove, only to share”. In every audition room, dance call, and theater environment I enter I tell myself this phrase and it calms me in a way. When you know you are in a room or on a stage to share your gift and not prove anything to anyone, you are able to let loose and truly perform. You can say, “Hey all, this is me and I’m proud to be here!” That is how I entered Jimmy week and it gave me so much comfort. Everyone is truly talented and although comparison is something everyone struggles with in the industry, if you arrive with an open mind and kind heart, I promise, you’ll be just fine. But the absolute most important piece of advice I can say is HAVE FUN! 

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The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, better known as the Jimmy Awards, is a coast-to-coast celebration of outstanding student achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance. The 2023 Jimmy Awards features 96 nominees from 48 regional awards programs making their debuts on a Broadway stage. During this unforgettable talent showcase, a panel of judges will select two students to receive the coveted awards of Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress.

Corbin Bleu returns to host this year’s Jimmy Awards taking place on Monday, June 26th at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre.

View the full list of 2023 nominees!

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