Guthrie Alum Wins Big At The Jimmy Awards In NYC

High school graduation, The Orpheum Theatre. The White House. Broadway debut. To say June has been a busy month for Hennepin Theatre Trust Spotlight Triple Threat winner Ryan McCartan is an understatement.

Last night, McCartan was named best actor at the Third Annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City. The competition has been nicknamed the Jimmy Awards after theatre owner James Nederlander.

After a months-long process that began with 50,000 students from 1,000 schools, 50 finalists were invited to New York City for a week of competition and the opportunity to make their Broadway debuts on the Minskoff Theatre stage.

While in New York, the 50 teens got five days of coaching by New York University faculty, had lunch with "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" star Nick Adams, chatted with "Baby It's You!" star Beth Leavel and had a talk-back session with cast members of "The Addams Family" after seeing the show.

As winner of the best actor award, McCartan received a full ride scholarship to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and an additional $10,000 in scholarships.

McCartan was recently named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one, of 20 students in the nation to be honored. In addition to appearing in Minnetonka Theatre and Minnetonka High School productions, he has appeared in "The Master Butchers Singing Club" and "Little House on the Prairie" at the Guthrie.

Photo Credit: Hennepin Theatre Trust