Jimmys Roundup: Meet the Nominees of the 2016 National High School Musical Theatre Awards!

Tonight's the night! After months of exclusive coverage by BroadwayWorld, including written and video blogs, interviews of nominees and winners, plus tons of other features, dozens of kids from across the country will gather to compete for the ultimate prize- Best Performance by an Actor and Actress at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, tonight, Monday, June 27, 2016 at the Minskoff Theatre. This year's awards ceremony is hosted by Zachary Levi who is currently starring in Roundabout Theatre Company's She Loves Me on Broadway. He was nominated for a 2016 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his portrayal of Georg.

While the students are busy getting ready to sing on a Broadway stage, BroadwayWorld has been preparing by bringing you blogs from the kids themselves, and it's not too late to catch up on what they've been up to this week.

Meet Charlotte Movizzo from Parker's Ponderosa High School, winner of the Bobby G Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress for her performance in SWEET CHARITY. Joining her is Curtis Salinger, a Bobby G Award winner for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his performance in Durango High School's LEGALLY BLONDE in Denver, Colorado. They have been blogging about the excitement building on their road to the Jimmys in NYC. Watch their latest video blogs from Charlotte here and Curtis here. And check out highlights of the Bobby G Awards ceremony here!

Since the ceremony, Movizzo has performed for both the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Board as well as at the Randy Weeks Memorial Golf Tournament. Salinger worked his song with instructors at Durango Performing Arts Camp (DPAC), where he's attended for several years. Both kept busy packing and making the rounds in Denver media before their departure earlier this week.

"After the [Bobby G] ceremony, I was up all night just smiling about how amazing this chance is, and all the support is...I can't describe it," Salinger recalls.

Salinger, from Durango, took flights between home and Denver, which would otherwise been a scenic six-hour drive. His brother, Evatt, won the same title at last year's ceremony, so Curtis was able to attend the Jimmy Awards then.

"It was really nice to have that familiarity from the Bobby Gs," he says. "I've gotten advice from my brother and [former winner] Emma about what to prepare for."

Over in Cleveland, meet J.R. Heckman and Kate Klika, winners of the 2016 Dazzle Awards, who will represent Northeast Ohio at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards ceremony tonight. They have been doing video blogs to document their journey to New York City. Check out their latest here!

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, we have Will Davis and Shelbea Owens, winners of the 2016 Shuler Hensley Awards. They, too, have been documenting their journey by presenting video blogs. Check out their latest here, where they share an inside look at the rehearsal process and how grueling it can be.

Break a leg to all the nominees from BroadwayWorld!

Student performers qualify to compete in the national program by winning top honors at regional high school musical theatre awards competitions presented by Broadway League member performing arts centers. Over 1,000 high schools and 50,000 students participate in these annual events. Since its inception in 2009, the NHSMTA has enabled over $1,000,000 in university and conservatory scholarships to be awarded to talented students at the national and local level-several of whom have already been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions.

NHSMTA nominees will prepare for their Broadway debut during a ten-day professional training intensive with NYU Tisch School of the Arts' New Studio on Broadway faculty members plus other theatre professionals.

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges comprised of notable theatre professionals including Tony Award-winning producers and award-winning casting experts.

Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC, Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), NHSMTA's mission is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, recognize dedicated teachers and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. Also known as The Jimmy™ Awards, in honor of legendary Broadway producer/theatre owner James M. Nederlander, the NHSMTA is supported by many leading theatre industry organizations. More information about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards can be found at NHSMTA.COM.

The Broadway League administers the program through The Broadway League Foundation, which acts as its philanthropic arm. 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 a number of 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 NHSMTA.COM.

To get into the Jimmys spirit, check out highlights from last year's ceremony below!