Dalton High School Students to Represent Georgia at Jimmy Awards in New York City

Georgia’s top musical theatre students are heading to Broadway.

Hayden Poe and Kinsley Stephens, both of Dalton High School, will represent Georgia at the  prestigious National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (the Jimmy Awards®) in New York City later this month. Their visit will culminate in an awards show hosted by Josh Groban.

Selected as Leading Performer winners at the recent 2025 Georgia High School Musical  Theatre Awards (GHSMTA), the "Shuler Awards," Poe and Stephens earned top honors for their standout performances as Hermes and Eurydice in Dalton High School’s production of Hadestown: Teen Edition. 

This marks a special milestone for Poe, who will return to the Jimmy Awards for a second  consecutive year after previously winning Spirit of the Jimmy Awards in 2024. The two students travel to New York on Friday, June 13, where they will take part in intensive auditions, coaching sessions, workshops, and rehearsals alongside fellow student nominees from across the nation.

Their journey will culminate in a performance at the 16th annual Jimmy Awards, held at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre (home of Disney's The Lion King) on Monday, June  23 at 7:30 PM. The show will be available to stream here.

The list of former Jimmy Awards nominees who have gone on to Broadway careers is long, and even includes Georgians like Nick Eibler (The Prom), Ramone Nelson (MJ, Parade tour), and McKenzie Kurtz (Frozen, Wicked, Heathers Off-Broadway).

“We are thrilled to see Hayden and Kinsley representing Georgia at the national level,”  says Thomas Fowlkes, Executive Director of ArtsBridge Foundation, which presents GHSMTA. “Their talent, dedication, and artistry are inspiring, and we know they will make Georgia proud on Broadway’s biggest stage for young performers.” 

“We are incredibly proud of Hayden and Kinsley,” says Elizabeth Lenhart, Director of Arts  Education and Director of the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards. “Both students demonstrated exceptional skill and heartfelt artistry throughout their performances this season. Representing Georgia at the Jimmy Awards is a tremendous accomplishment, and I am confident they will shine on this national stage, inspiring even more students across our state.”

Now in its 16th year, the Jimmy Awards are a national celebration of outstanding  achievement in high school musical theatre. The program brings together over 100 of the  nation’s best student performers, who undergo 10 days of rigorous training and rehearsals before performing in the final awards showcase on Broadway. 

Presented by ArtsBridge Foundation, the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards— also known as the Shuler Awards—are Georgia’s premier celebration of high school  musical theatre excellence. Each year, leading actor and actress winners from GHSMTA  advance to represent Georgia at the Jimmy Awards. 

For more information about the Jimmy Awards, visit www.jimmyawards.com. For more about the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards, visit www.artsbridgega.org.   

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Best Lead Performer in a Musical - Top 3

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