The Rita Moreno Awards Announces 2021 Winners

A panel of nationally recognized judges- include Broadway actress and musical theater professor Tory Ross Roman (Kinky Boots) and Broadway music director Justin Mendoza (The Book of Mormon)-announced the 2021 winners of The Rita Moreno California High School Musical Honors held virtually on Monday, May 24, 2021. Sponsored by Broadway San Jose, a Nederlander Presentation, and Children's Musical Theater San Jose, this yearly regional awards competition recognizes outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre in the greater California region.

The 2021 winners are:

LEAD ACTOR:

Milo Mee
Archbishop Mitty High School
San Jose, CA

LEAD ACTRESS:

Kasey Hernandez
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School
Novato, CA

SUPPORTING PERFORMER:

Gabby Winnett
Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School
Novato, CA

Milo Mee ('Lead Actor') and Kasey Hernandez ('Lead Actress') will join regional winners from 35 regional programs across the nation at The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA)-also known as the Jimmy Awards-where they will compete virtually on Thursday, July 15 before industry experts. Two talented students will be presented with a Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress award with a total of 20 awards and scholarships available to participants.

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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