Photo Flash: Go Inside the 2016 National High School Musical Theatre Awards!

The winners of the eighth annual NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS (NHSMTA)/JIMMY™ AWARDS were determined and announced just last week, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. This one-of-a-kind-event was hosted by Tony Award®-nominee Zachary Levi, currently starring on Broadway in Roundabout Theatre Company's She Loves Me at Studio 54.

The coveted Jimmyâ„¢ Award for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor was presented to Josh Strobl representing The Jerry Herman Awards and Amina Faye representing The Blumey Awards.

The Jimmyâ„¢ Award is named in honor of James M. Nederlander, Chairman of Nederlander Producing Company of America. Both winners were presented with a check for $10,000 to further their education. They will be eligible for a four-year merit and a need-based scholarship to attend the New Studio on Broadway, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama, contingent upon acceptance into the program.

Winners were selected by a panel of judges comprised of notable theatre professionals including Tony Award-winning producers, award-winning casting experts and industry professionals: Kent Gash, Rachel Hoffman, Alecia Parker, Tara Rubin, Nick Scandalios, and Kate Shindle. Additional judges who selected the groups in which the students performed were:Paul Canaan, Wayne Cilento, Kent Gash, Stephanie Klapper, and Cesar Rocha.

An unannounced surprise, former NHSMTA participant Eva Noblezada made an appearance and performed with the nominees. She will be reprising her critically-acclaimed London performance as Kim in the upcoming Broadway production of Miss Saigon.

In addition to host Zachary Levi, presenters included: Drew Gehling (currently starring in Waitress), Lena Hall (2014 Tony Award-winner for Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Zainab Jah (most recently in Eclipsed), Marc Kudisch (three-time Tony Award-nominee) and Bianca Marroquin (returning to Broadway's Chicago in July).

The production was directed by Van Kaplan and choreographed by Kiesha Lalama, with musical direction and arrangements by Michael Moricz. David Dabbin was Production Group Music Director.

The 2016 National High School Musical Theatre Awards introduced a new format 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 were 62 students representing 31 programs, compared to last year's 52 students representing 26 programs.

The students auditioned before a panel of judges earlier in the week, singing two prepared songs and participating in a dance call. Based on the audition results, the students were split into two groups: The Medley Group and The Production Group, leading up to when all students performed together in the opening and closing numbers on the Minskoff stage. The groups worked together throughout the week and received the same amount of coaching. All nominees were eligible for the scholarships and awards.

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 Jimmyâ„¢ Awards, in honor of legendary Broadway producer/theatre owner James M. Nederlander, the NHSMTA is partnered with NYU Tisch School of the Arts and supported by many leading theatre industry organizations. More information about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards can be found at NHSMTA.COM.

Check out photos from inside the special ceremony below!

Photo Credit: Henry McGee