JIMMYS BLOG: Meet a Nominee from the Triangle Rising Stars, Haven Bowers!

This year, a record 86 high school students from across America will participate in The Jimmy Awards, competing for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress as well as other honors and scholarships at the eleventh annual awards ceremony on Monday, June 24.

Jimmy Awards nominees will prepare for their debut on a Broadway stage during a nine-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 industry experts. 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 1,700 high schools and 100,000 students participate in these annual events.

BroadwayWorld is bringing you the inside scoop on this year's Jimmy Awards with student blogger Haven Bowers- a nominee from Durham's Triangle Rising Stars. Earlier this year, she won the title of Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Katherine Plumber in Heritage High School's Newsies.

Read Haven's first entry below!

Our regional ceremony was only 20 kids, 10 guys and 10 girls. That, to me, seemed like a one in a million chance, but after figuring out that some RAPs are upwards of 40 kids, I felt really lucky since my chances were higher. I was so surprised to win, my only experience with Triangle Rising Stars prior to winning this year was when a good friend of mine was a nominee two years ago, but I went in completely not expecting to win.

You hear about all the great big city art schools whose kids continually win and so you never consider this happening to you until it does! And with such a challenging role as Katherine Plumber I truly thought it was such a blessing. Because Newsies is so male-heavy, standing out is not super challenging, but maintaining the iconic-ness that is Kara Lindsay was definitely the hardest part. Finding my own voice while trying to mimic her near-perfection portrayal was so insanely fun. The vocals, acting, and dancing all around truly pushed me and I couldn't be more grateful, especially given I was 3 months out of ACL reconstruction surgery when my school opened the show!

Before I won my regional competition, I wasn't super familiar with the Jimmy's actually. I went through my regional competition not really understanding the severity of The Situation (i) was in, and that was honestly a good thing. I took it in stride and had the most fun I could without being so petrified about winning so I could go to New York and be on Broadway.

That doesn't discount my gratefulness, however. I can't even begin to imagine the expense of things I'm going to learn this week. I have been to New York before twice, but never in a situation such as this. I look forward more than anything to meeting new people and new opportunities and growth! I can't fathom how much I'm sure I will grow this week. Lots of growth, lots of sleep deprivation maybe, but it's surely worth it.