The Jimmy Awards Congratulates Recipients of the Inspiring Teacher Award

The Jimmy Awards is congratulating the recipients of the 2023 INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO. Vanessa Lock Gelinas, Oakton High School (Vienna, Virginia), and Joe Sniegocki, Harrison School for the Arts (Lakeland, Florida) were nominated for this honor by their students and chosen by a selection committee of Broadway League members as recognition of their roles in providing valuable guidance and encouragement for their students who excelled during last year's Jimmy Awards.

Both teachers will be bestowed with the INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO during the 14th annual Jimmy Awards ceremony taking place on Monday, June 26th at 7:30pm at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided during the Jimmy Awards. Accessibility services secured by Invest in Access.

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.

"For each Jimmy Award nominee who performs on stage, there is a tremendous support system that takes place off-stage fostering a strong sense of community. There is no greater example than the hard work and dedication that teachers provide in helping students achieve success and develop lifelong connection to the arts," said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League. "We congratulate Vanessa Lock Gelinas and Joe Sniegocki for their outstanding efforts and the well-deserved honor of being this year's recipients of the INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO."

"Live theatre has an incredible power to connect local communities to the arts," said Krissy Moore, Senior Vice President, Community Relations, Northeast Region at Wells Fargo. "That's why Wells Fargo is proud to play a role in the Jimmy Awards to recognize and celebrate these exceptional educators. We salute this year's winners as they lead the next generation of students with the guidance, training, and support they need to thrive both in the classroom and on stage."

The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts 140,000 students who participate in nearly 50 regional high musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships.

Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC,Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), the mission of the NHSMTA is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, honor dedicated teachers, and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. Numerous participants have already been cast in Broadway, Touring, and West End productions.

Presented by The Broadway League Foundation Inc., the NHSMTA invites one Best Actress and one Best Actor nominee from each local regional ceremony to New York City for a week-long theatre intensive that includes coaching sessions, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway's most accomplished professionals. Following all their combined efforts throughout the week, the nominees will perform during one extraordinary talent showcase performed live in front of an audience on a Broadway stage. The 14th annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 26, 2023, at the Minskoff Theatre. For more information, please visit JimmyAwards.com.

The Broadway League conducts the program through The Broadway League Foundation Inc., its philanthropic division. Part of the Foundation's mission is to enlighten and increase the public's knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the theatrical arts, and since its founding in 1993, has supported several projects to help preserve Broadway's heritage and introduce new audiences to Broadway theatre. The Foundation is a corporation organized under the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York, the purposes of which are exclusively charitable as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Donations to support the program can be made at www.JimmyAwards.com.

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Apples and Oranges Arts is the streaming and video production partner of the Jimmy Awards. The official media partner of the Jimmy Awards is WABC-TV.

TEACHER BIOS

Vanessa Lock Gelinas

started teaching theatre at Oakton High School in 2002. She was named Theatre Arts Director in 2006 and has directed and produced a multitude of plays, one-acts, and musicals. Vanessa has a BFA in Theatre from Ithaca College. Living in Los Angeles, she performed with improvisation teams and worked in television and film. She now lives in the Washington DC area where she works and "plays." She has a very patient husband and son who are a huge support system. Teaching theatre has been the highlight of her professional career and the connections she has made with her students far surpass the classroom or the stage.

Joe Sniegocki

has had a passion for creating theatrical entertainment since he was doing little shows with his family and cousins in the living room of his home when he was young. Originally attending Dillard High School of the Arts in South Florida, he graduated with a degree in theatre from Auburn University in 1990. Mr. Sniegocki has worked as a performer, artisan, and manager at various theatres such as: Theatre West Virginia, Birmingham Children's Theatre, and Naples Dinner Theatre. In 2002, he accepted the position of Dean of Musical Theatre at Harrison School for the Arts and has been teaching and directing there for the past 21 years. He has directed over 30 productions in his tenure at Harrison including: The King and I, Into the Woods, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Sunday in the Park with George, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In addition to directing, Mr. Sniegocki teaches classes in Acting, Theatre History, Stagecraft, and Playwriting. He currently serves on the school advisory council and for the first 20 years served as the theatre manager for Harrison's busy season of over 40 productions a year. In 2005, he was voted by his peers as Teacher of the Year and in 2019 was an Honorable Mention for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award given by Carnegie Mellon. During his time at Harrison, he is grateful for the collaboration he has enjoyed with his administration and fellow teachers. Through this artistic collaboration Mr. Sniegocki is most proud of being a part of a musical theatre department that has produced students who have performed on Broadway, attended various prestigious universities, and have found success in a variety of paths by becoming great confident young people.