In Tuesday's Spotlight: Nashville School of the Arts' Jayden Murphy

Third of six parts: 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of the very first Nashville Musical Theatre Awards, which were presented for the first time in 2014, when 12 Middle Tennessee high school theater programs took part in the fledgling program founded by Mike Fernandez and Lipscomb University’s College of Entertainment and the Arts. 

From that beginning, the program has grown into what is now known as The Spotlight Awards, an arts initiative of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, which – since 2017 – celebrates, supports and grows the artistry and diverse community of high school theatre programs in Tennessee while developing confidence, creativity, empathy and collaboration among schools. 

This Saturday night, May 25, the latest group of students from schools throughout the region will gather at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall – which is normally the site for the Broadway at TPAC series of touring shows (the most recent offering was Frozen, which closed May 18, and will be followed Hairspray, opening June 11) – for the presentation of the 2024 Spotlight Awards. 

The two winners of the Outstanding Lead Performer Spotlight Awards in Nashville will travel later this summer to New York City to take part The Jimmy Awards and to compete for top honors, which recognizes the nation’s leading high school musical theater performers. In addition to The Spotlight Awards, Tennessee will be represented by top theatre students from The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis’ High School Musical Theatre Awards, Knoxville’s Tennessee Theatre’s Marquee Awards and The Tivoli Theatres’ Jewel Awards in Chattanooga. 

Today we continue our six-part series of interviews with the Spotlight Awards’ nominees for Outstanding Lead Performer, shining our BroadwayWorld Nashville spotlight on the talented young actors who will compete for the opportunity to represent Nashville, Middle Tennessee and TPAC at The Jimmy Awards. 

In today’s spotlight is Jayden Murphy, a senior at Nashville School of the Arts, who garnered Spotlight Award attention for his role as Jimmy Ray Dobbs in Bright Star. This fall, Jayden will begin his studies at AMDA (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy) in New York City. 

Get to know more about Jayden and his theatrical experiences before seeing him onstage this weekend at The Spotlight Awards.

What has your SPOTLIGHT AWARDS experience been like so far? It’s been amazing. It’s been everything I hoped for and I cannot wait to get to the show and perform.

How did you become interested in theater and live performance? I watched Little Shop of Horrors all the time when I was little and when I figured out that that was a musical on stage, I knew I wanted to do this for a career.

What, where and when was your first role and character? I was in elementary school, around the second grade, and I played mad cat in Aristocats.

What is your theatrical goal? To win a Tony for Best Actor.

If you could play any role, in any show, what would you choose? The answer to this question changes so much – but right now I would want to be Coalhouse Walker in the musical Ragtime.

What’s been your most memorable theater experience so far? Personally, anytime I get to perform on stage is the most memorable moment for me!

Who are your favorite actors? My two favorite actors right now are Joshua Henry and Joy Woods.

What show that you’ve never seen would you most like to see live and onstage? Ragtime!

What’s next for you theatrically speaking? I just got cast as Evan in 13 The Musical in a local theater in Nashville so that’s next for me.

About The Spotlight Awards: The Spotlight Awards are dedicated to supporting the talents, educational endeavors, and friendships of high school theatre students in Tennessee to build a strong and inclusive theatre community. 

Every year Tennessee high school theatre programs can apply to participate in the three-part program comprised of achievement recognition, exclusive learning opportunities, and community building. Events and opportunities offered throughout the year are designed to help students and directors hone their skills and advance their understanding of the craft. Schools can participate in the Adjudication Level to have a panel of arts professionals attend each school’s musical and provide feedback on the performance. Schools receive awards that honor achievements in performance, technical and creative categories. 

TPAC’s membership in The Broadway League allows the two Spotlight Award Outstanding Lead Performer winners to attend The Jimmy Awards in New York City, a national celebration of outstanding student achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance and elevating the importance of theatre arts education in schools. 

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