Interview: Meet the 2022 Jimmy Awards Winners- Nicholas Barrón and Kendall Becerra

On Monday night, Kendall Becerra and Nicholas Barrón's lives changed forever when they were announced the winners of the the thirteenth annual Jimmy Awards. As finalists from The Broadway San Diego Awards (San Diego, CA) and the Las Casas Foundation's Joci Awards (San Antonio, TX) respectively, both were selected out of 92 finalists and recieved a check for $25,000 to further their education.

watch as they perform their winning solos ("Breathe" from In the Heights and "This is Not Over Yet" from Parade) and read on as BroadwayWorld checks in with the pair following their big wins!

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Have you digested Monday yet? How did it feel to hear your name?

KB: This entire experience has definitely not settled in yet! It's so surreal! Hearing my name, I felt shock, disbelief, excitement, and so many more emotions. I am forever grateful to everyone I met on my journey!

NB: It's definitely been a crazy day, to say the least. I feel like it's slowly starting to sink in and that feeling has been incredible, if not a little overwhelming, just due to all of the amazing support I've received in the last few hours. It's an unreal experience to be recognized on this level, and I couldn't have done it without the guidance of Van [Kaplan], which is why it was so amazing to be presented this award by him.

Other than the moment of winning, what was your favorite part of Jimmys day?

NB: Definitely walking onto the stage of the Minskoff for the first time with the rest of the nominees! The energy was electric and so contagious, and I could not have asked for a better group to do it with.

KB: We had consistent warmups throughout this week that were so much fun and on the day of the performance we all stood in the lobby and took our final breaths together as the 2022 cast. That was my favorite moment. Being able to share a moment of stillness in a world full of chaos. It was beautiful.

What advice do you have for younger kids across the country who have dreams of getting to the Jimmy's one day?

KB: Breathe. It may seem cheesy but making time to stand still and take in where you are, how far you've come, and where you will go is so important. It's okay to take a step back and slow down every once and while! Take your time and breathe.

NB: The most important thing I've learned throughout this experience that I would share as advice is the importance of trusting your work! It's such an important part of this work that requires a lot of focus but the way it feels to truly trust what you're doing in front of an audience is unparalleled, and I am so glad that I was able to find a space comfortable enough to allow me to experience that this week.

Is there anyone you forgot to thank last night that you'd like to shout out now?

NB: Yes actually! All of my teachers back home. My incredible vocal coach, Donald Braswell, and my Musical Theater program teachers at my high school, Jordan Bryant and Daniel Everidge. They've made such a huge impact on my life and they've helped me so much to get to this point. And a huge thank you to the crew at the Minskoff as well, they were amazing every step of the way.

KB: I wish I could state every person I've crossed paths with this past year, but your finger would get tired from scrolling. Van, Kiesha, Theo, Bobby, Stephanie, Tommy, Mary, Andrea, MaryAnn, Arabella, Rachel, every crew member, and each nominee I owe everything to you. You have my heart.

What's next? What are your post-high school plans?

KB: I plan to attend college in the fall! I will be moving to New York and I can't wait!

NB: I'll actually be going into my senior year next year, so I'll be finishing out school this year and then hopefully will return to New York or somewhere close for college.

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Click here for a full list of finalists and click here to watch highlights!

The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts more than 140,000 students who participate in 46 regional high school 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 $5,000,000 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, recognize dedicated teachers, and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. Numerous student participants have already been cast in Broadway, Touring, and West End productions.

Photo Credit: Full Out Creative