Nicholas Barrón and Kendall Becerra Win Top Prizes at the 2022 Jimmy Awards

 

The winners of the thirteenth annual Jimmy Awards® were determined and announced last night, Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. The first in-person ceremony in three years was hosted by KATE REINDERS, Broadway star and star of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+. The ceremony was livestreamed on www.JimmyAwards.com, where it will remain available for the next 72 hours, through Thursday, June 30, 2022.

The coveted Jimmy Awards for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor were presented to Kendall Becerra, The Broadway San Diego Awards (San Diego, CA) and Nicholas Barrón, Las Casas Foundation's Joci Awards (San Antonio, TX).

Both winners were presented with a check for $25,000 to further their education.

The Jimmy Awards has been the catalyst for more than $5,000,000 in educational scholarships to date. This year, a total of twenty awards and scholarships were available to participants.

Six Jimmy Awards finalists:

(Each received a $3,000 scholarship toward their future education)

-Thomas Beeker, The Bobby G Awards (Denver, CO)
-Sophie Pollono, The Jerry Herman Awards (Los Angeles, CA)
-Dakota Lee Renteria, The Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards (Las Vegas, NV)
-Symoné Spencer, Triangle Rising Stars (Durham, NC)
-Joshua Thompson, Triangle Rising Stars (Durham, NC)
-Anna Zavelson, The Las Casas Foundation's Joci Awards (San Antonio, TX)

Additional awards winners:

(each received a $2,000 scholarship)
Best Dancer, presented by Moulin Rouge! The Musical, for excellence in dance and movement

- Kylie Edwards, Gene Kelly Awards (Pittsburgh, PA)

Rising Star, presented by The John Gore Organization, for impressive advancement during the Jimmy Awards program
-Carl Robinett, The Rita Moreno Awards (San Jose, CA)

Best Performance in an Ensemble, presented by Thomas Schumacher & Disney Theatrical Productions, for outstanding collaboration during the Jimmy Awards program
-Jackson Chase, Applause Awards (Orlando, FL)

Spirit of the Jimmys, presented by Iris Smith & Once Upon A Time Productions, for embodying the spirit of this musical theatre celebration
-Joshua Thompson, Triangle Rising Stars (Durham, NC)

Semifinalist Scholarships:

(presented by the Shubert Organization):
-Landry Barker, Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards (Dallas, TX)
-Noah C. Bowers, Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards (Des Moines, IA)
-Vera Brown, The Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards (Memphis, TN)
-Joshua Devine, Broadway Star of the Future (Tampa, FL)
-Angelis Gonzalez, Spotlight Awards - Nashville High School Musical Theatre Awards (Nashville, TN)
-Hayden Henderson, Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards (Logan, UT)
-Janiyah McAllister, Broadway Star of the Future (Tampa, FL)
-Ashley Woytal, Sutton Foster Awards (East Lansing, MI)

KRISTIN WINCHESTER, Durham School of the Arts (Durham, North Carolina), and IAN SULLIVAN, Hickory Ridge High School (Harrisburg, North Carolina), received the INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD, presented by WELLS FARGO, for their guidance that led their respective students, ELENA HOLDER and BRYSON BATTLE, to win last year's 2021 Jimmy Awards for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor. Holder and Battle were in attendance to introduce the awards.

During the ceremony, ANDREA MACASAET (SIX The Musical) presented The Musicals Group number, "Walls Yet to Climb," celebrating female Broadway composers and lyricists. Also making a special appearance was CHRISTOPHER SIEBER (Company), who presented The Tribute Group number, "Shubert Salutes Sondheim."

Judges for the 2022 Jimmys were comprised of notable industry professionals. MONTEGO GLOVER, ALECIA PARKER, TARA RUBIN, and BERNARD TELSEY selected the evening's winners. Preliminary judges who evaluated nominees prior to the ceremony included KRISTIAN CHARBONIER, STEPHANIE KLAPPER, KEVIN METZGER-TIMSON, DALE MOTT, and SETH SKLAR-HEYN.

The annual talent showcase featured all 92 nominees and solos by select finalists. Their debut on a Broadway stage followed seven days of rehearsals and private coaching which took place at The Juilliard School. The industry coaches who mentored the nominees included: MAX CHERNIN, JANET DACAL, MARYANN HU, DENIS JONES, HOWARD MCGILLIN, DESI OAKLEY, and JACQUES C. SMITH. Students also attended a performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which included a talkback with the cast.

The 2022 Jimmy Awards was directed by VAN KAPLAN and choreographed by KIESHA LALAMA. GEOFFREY KO and WILEY DEWEESE were the musical directors, and MARY JANE BRENNAN was the writer. DAN KNECHTGES guest directed and choreographed The Tribute Group number, "Shubert Salutes Sondheim," and STEPHANIE POPE LOFGREN guest directed and choreographed The Musicals Group number, "Walls Yet to Climb."

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.

Presented by The Broadway League Foundation Inc., the NHSMTA invites one Best Actress and one Best Actor nominee from each local regional ceremony to New York City for a week-long theatre intensive that includes coaching, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway's most accomplished professionals. Nominees will be in New York City from Monday, June 20, 2022, through Tuesday, June 28, 2022, and their combined efforts throughout the week will lead to one extraordinary talent showcase performed live in front of an audience on a Broadway stage. The 13th annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Minskoff Theatre. For more information, please visit JimmyAwards.com.

The Broadway League conducts the program through The Broadway League Foundation Inc., its philanthropic division. 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 several 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 www.JimmyAwards.com.