The Rita Moreno Awards Announces 2021 Nominees

Today, The Rita Moreno California High School Musical Honors announced the 2021 nominees who will virtually compete on Monday, May 24, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. PT. Sponsored by Broadway San Jose, a Nederlander Presentation, and Children's Musical Theater San Jose, this regional awards competition recognizes outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre north of Santa Barbara. Due to the unique circumstances of the 2020-21 school year, this year's awards will only be given out to Lead Actor, Lead Actress, and Supporting Performers. The program will stream for free on The Rita Moreno California High School Musical Honors Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ritamorenoawards).

This year's nominees are:

LEAD ACTOR:

· Leandro Bilello
Gunderson High School (San Jose, CA)
· Daniel Ford
San Marin High School (Novato, CA)
· Arlo Gersten
Ruth Asawa School of the Arts (San Francisco, CA)
· Milo Mee
Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, CA)
· Carson Merrick
Dublin High School (Dublin, CA)
· Carl Robinett
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School (Novato, CA)

LEAD ACTRESS:

· Chloe Brandi
Inspire School of Arts & Sciences (Chico, CA)
· Julia Gibbs
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School (Novato, CA)
· Kasey Hernandez
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School (Novato, CA)
· Maya Homicz
Sonoma Academy (Santa Rosa, CA)
· Elizabeth Lamora
Woodcreek High School (Roseville, CA)
· Ella Rasmussen
Mountain View High School (Mountain View, CA)

SUPPORTING PERFORMERS:

· Izek Fernandez
Coalinga High School (Coalinga, CA)
· Isabella Hildebrand-Veccia
Notre Dame High School (Belmont, CA)
· Sofia Storey
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School (Novato, CA)
· Gabrielle Winnett
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School (Novato, CA)

Winners in the 'Best Lead Actor' and 'Best Lead Actress' categories that evening will join regional winners from around the nation at The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA)-also known as the Jimmy Awards-where they will perform virtually on Thursday, July 15 before industry experts and compete for scholarship opportunities to New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.

70 high school students from 35 regional programs across America will compete for the Jimmy for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress at the 12th annual presentation. All nominees will participate in virtual coaching, rehearsals, and other activities.

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards was established in 2009 to elevate the importance of theatre arts education in schools and reward excellence in student performance. The program impacts over 140,000 students annually who participate in high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by 40 professional theatres throughout the United States.

Since its inception, NHSMTA has been the catalyst for more than $4,000,000 in educational scholarships awarded to deserving young performers. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, this year-round program is administered by The Broadway League Foundation, Inc., The Broadway League's charitable foundation. Its mission is to enlighten and increase the public's knowledge, appreciation and awareness of the theatrical arts and to provide a forum for the discussion of issues relating to the preservation and promotion of live theatre as a vital and culturally significant artistic medium.

Thanks to the support of its participating League member theatres and donors, NHSMTA continues to grow. In 2012, the program inspired PBS to produce a three-part documentary series called "Broadway or Bust," which followed students on a journey from their hometown competitions to their debut at the Minskoff Theatre. The series premiered in September 2012 and was showcased in 100% of PBS's Top 50 strategic markets, ranking as one of their most highly rated programs. It remains popular viewing at www.pbs.org.

The depth, scope, and education-centric mission of NHSMTA coupled with its extensive television and media exposure has made participating in the program an aspiration for a growing number of high schools. Based on feedback from participating theatres, school administrators are now directing both human and financial resources to improve the quality of theatre arts education in their districts. This renewed enthusiasm for the performing arts in schools is already helping to invigorate local theatres and the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.nhsmta.com.

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