ROAD TO THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS: The Smith Center Announces the Nominees for the 2017 Nevada High School Musical Theatre Awards

Jess here. The Jimmy Awards are quickly approaching, and the Nevada chapter has just released its list of their 2017 Nevada High School Musical Theatre Awards nominees. What are the Jimmy Awards you ask? The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA), also known as the Jimmy's, are named after James M. Nederlander, a critically acclaimed producer of hundreds of Broadway musicals and plays, 11 of which were Tony Award winners. In 2009, his son, James L. Nederlander, created the Jimmy Awards to honor his Father, and provide high school students with an opportunity to train with Broadway professionals and perform on a Broadway stage.

37 regions across America participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards with 2017 marking the ninth anniversary of the Jimmy's. Each year, high school theatre teachers nominate one lead male and one lead female actor from their mainstage musical theatre productions to compete in their region's local competition. A total of 74 high school students are chosen as Best Actor/Best Actress from their respective regional programs and these talented students then travel to NYC in June to participate in the NHSMTA bootcamp and Jimmy Awards competition.

While in New York, NHSMTA nominees stay in the dorms at NYU and spend a week doing workshops with Broadway theatre professionals and NYU Tisch School of the Arts' New Studio on Broadway faculty members. The program culminates with the 74 nominees taking the stage at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre, where two winners will be chosen as the Best Actor and Best Actress, both of which will take home the coveted Jimmy Award! In addition to being the recipient of the Jimmy Award, the Best Actor/Actress award winners each receive $10,000 to further their education. They also become eligible for scholarship opportunities to attend the New Studio on Broadway, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama. In addition, six finalists are chosen, and each receives $2,500 for use toward their future college education.

Nevada began participating in the NHSMTA competition in 2013, with The Smith Center serving as the regional area program sponsor and host. This year, the Nevada High School Musical Theatre Awards yearly competition will be held on May 20-21. For the competition, each nominee will sing a song from their school's musical that recreates and highlights their lead role. The 2017 nominees are:

Lincoln County High School - SEUSSICAL: Abigail Loverme

Bonanza High School - THE ADDAMS FAMILY: Ariana Castaneda and Devon Mangani

Bishop Gorman High School - THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE: Ria Joshi and Daniel Shim

Calvary Chapel Christian School - PETER PAN: Juliana Puckett and Joseph Frizzell

Centennial High School - THE ADDAMS FAMILY: Selena Caballero and Nathan Sink

Green Valley High School - NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT: Adelynn Tourondel and Jake Van Orden

Las Vegas Academy of the Arts - CINDERELLA: Nikole York and David Wade

Silverado College Prepatory - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT: Yesenia Gonzalez and Abraham Hunsaker

West Career and Technical Academy - VIOLET: Tyler Coomes and Sam Danielson, Jr.

The nominees will spend the weekend at The Smith Center workshopping and rehearsing with local celebrities, producers and artists who will provide guidance and mentoring opportunities in preparation for the solo and group numbers that will be performed at the Award's competition on May 21 at 2 pm. The winners are chosen by a panel of esteemed judges and will be announced at the end of the program. I will be managing social media for the event, so you can find me running the Smith Center's Instagram on May 20-21!

The two students selected to represent Nevada in the National High School Musical Theater Awards will travel to New York City in June to compete in the national competition.

If you would like to see this fantastic show featuring Nevada's best up and coming actors, tickets ($10/general admission) are available online and at the Smith Center box office.

http://ev10.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=NHS&linkID=tsc&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=&_template=chocolate&_ga=2.121693826.804406667.1494618684-1920360121.1494534278

And, if you happen to be in New York on June 26, be sure to get tickets to see the 2017 Jimmy Awards at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre. This year's event will be overseen once again by The Broadway League Foundation and will be hosted by Ben Platt from DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Break legs everyone!

http://www.ticketmaster.com/the-national-high-school-musical-theater-new-york-new-york-06-26-2017/event/03005261F51C8507?bba=1

"Guide them but step away, children will glisten" -Stephen Sondheim