Photo Coverage: The Jimmy Awards Finalists Take Break at Sardi's!

THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS (NHSMTA)/JIMMY AWARDS will take place on Monday, June 27th at 7:30PM at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street in Manhattan. The six coaches -- Gavin Creel, Eden Espinosa, Jose Llana, Michael McElroy, Howard McGillin and Karen Olivo will mentor the sixty-two high school students from across America as they compete for the Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress. The two-hour talent showcase will feature dynamic ensemble and solo performances and will be hosted by 2016 Tony Award nominee Zachary Levi, currently starring in Roundabout Theatre Company's She Loves Me on Broadway.

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.

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.

The 2016 National High School Musical Theatre Awards will debut new formatting for the program in order to accommodate more regional awards programs and provide opportunities for more students to experience Broadway and New York City. This year there will be 62 students representing 31 programs, compared to last year's 52 students representing 26 programs. The program will now take place over ten days.

The students will audition before a panel of judges early in the week, singing two prepared songs and participating in a dance call. Based on the audition results, the students will then be split into two groups: The Medley Group and The Production Group, leading up to when all students will perform together in the opening and closing numbers on the Minskoff stage on Monday, June 27th. The groups will work together throughout the week and receive the same amount of coaching. All nominees are eligible for the scholarships and awards.

Below, check out photos of the kids as they enjoy a Broadway tradition- Sardi's!

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists

Jimmy Awards Finalists