Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce the 24 student nominees for Best Performer in an Actor and Actress role, nominees for Best Ensemble, Best Direction and Best Production for the 2023 Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA). In its 12^th year, IHSMTA celebrates excellence in high school theatre throughout the State of Illinois and is the regional program that feeds into the National High School Musical Theatre Awards also known as The Jimmy Awards®.

The 24 high school student-nominees, selected from over 200 student applicants from 71 participating schools across the state of Illinois, have been invited to participate in the Awards Program, which will be held at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 6:30 PM, hosted by Program Sponsor NBC 5’s entertainment reporter LeeAnn Trotter. 

During the ceremony, the nominees will perform two musical numbers from Disney’s Aladdin, which will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre from May 17 – 28, 2023. The students are taught the musical numbers by a show representative and given the experience to work with a Broadway professional on a Broadway stage. Additionally, an Aladdin representative sits on the panel of judges made up of industry professionals in the city of Chicago to adjudicate and select the top six finalists and eventual Best Performer in an Actor and Best Performer in an Actress Role.

NOMINEES FOR BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTRESS ROLE

• Jordan Fox as “Velma Kelly” in Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Chicago
• Teagan Sharkey as “Cady Heron” in Cary-Grove High School’s Mean Girls
• Isabelle Kostbade as “Countess Lily Malevsky Malevich” in Coal City High School’s Anastasia 
• Jillian VanderHeyden as “Ariel” in Hampshire High School’s The Little Mermaid
• Nicole Jason as “Carrie White” in Hinsdale South High School’s Carrie: The Musical 
• Sophia Yen as “Sue Snell” in Hinsdale South High School’s Carrie the Musical
• Jazmin Rhodes as “Mae Tuck” in Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Tuck Everlasting 
• Emma Schuth as “Anya” in James B. Conant High School’s Anastasia 
• Payton Fraser as “Suzanne Prevot” in Joliet West High School’s The Hello Girls
• Charlotte Weissman as “Miss Honey” in Lane Tech High School’s Matilda the Musical
• Ava Barruffi as “Wednesday Addams” in Maine South High School’s The Addams Family
• Finley Pullano as “Morticia Addams” in Maine South High School’s The Addams Family

NOMINEES FOR BEST PERFORMER IN AN ACTOR ROLE

• Stephen Byers Jr. as “Vlad Popov” in Coal City High School’s Anastasia 
• Derek Carlson as “Dmitry” in Coal City High School’s Anastasia
• Collin Dames as “Gleb Vaganov” in Coal City High School’s Anastasia
• Wade Schacht as “Trunchbull” in Champaign Central High School’s Matilda the Musical
• Luke Skorija as “George” in Crystal Lake South High School’s Sunday in the Park with George
• Charlie Lettenberger as “Billy Flynn” in Glenbard West High School’s Chicago
• Jubilee Kim as “Prince Eric” in Maine East High School’s The Little Mermaid
• Kevin Paul as “Will Bloom” in Metea Valley High School’s Big Fish
• William Gonzalez as “Usnavi” in Mundelein High School’s In The Heights 
• Timothy Gnorski as “Ren” in St. Francis High School’s Footloose
• Joi Terrell as “Daniel” in Thornton Fractional North High School’s Once On This Island
• Alex Weber as “Seymour” in The Chicago High School for the Arts’ Little Shop of Horrors  

From the 24 nominees, two Illinois award recipients (one Best Performer in an Actor Role, one Best Performer in an Actress Role) will go on an all-expense-paid trip to New York City to represent the State of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® and participate in a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on Broadway, where a panel of judges crowns the nation’s top performers. The Jimmy Awards® are named for legendary Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander. Broadway In Chicago is a Nederlander presentation and is excited to be a part of the network of theatres across the country participating in The Jimmy Awards®.

For the first time since 2019, IHSMTA welcomes back three award categories: Best Ensemble, Best Direction and Best Production. Best Ensemble evaluates how the ensemble both on and off stage is utilized appropriately throughout the entire show, as well as their overall proficiency in the areas of singing, acting dancing and technical theatre efforts off stage. Best Direction evaluates how the director has used all the elements at their disposal to create the strongest production they can with their available resources. Best Productions evaluates the overall excellence of the production and considers all the above elements. Best Production is awarded to a school who produces an outstanding example of a high school musical.

NOMINEES FOR BEST ENSEMBLE

• Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Chicago
• Joliet West High School’s The Hello Girls
• Maine South High School’s The Addams Family 
• Thornton Fractional North High School’s Once On This Island
• William Fremd High School’s Footloose 

NOMINEES FOR BEST DIRECTION

• Rob Boncosky, Cary-Grove High School’s Mean Girls 
• Jack Micetich, Coal City High School’s Anastasia
• Ben Stoner, Crystal Lake South High School’s Sunday in the Park with George
• Carrie Saurer, Main South High School’s The Addams Family
• Sade’ May, Thornton Fractional North High School’s Once On This Island

NOMINEES FOR BEST PRODUCTION

• Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School’s Chicago
• Cary-Grove High School’s Mean Girls
• Coal City High School’s Anastasia
• The Chicago High School for the Arts’ Little Shop of Horrors
• Maine South High School’s The Addams Family 

In addition to welcoming back the three award categories, IHSMTA selected a Student Reporter to cover the 2023 award ceremony through social media. This year’s recipient is Rebecca Spezzano from Geneva Community High School. Spezzano has also been submitted for the Jimmy Awards® Student Reporter search. The Student Reporter opportunity has been added to the program as an effort to include students who are not eligible to be nominated as performers. This provides a chance to expand connections into local schools’ journalism, film, and other related departments. Student Reporters work directly with the Jimmy Awards Digital team which allows them to receive an insider look at the digital marketing strategy of Jimmy Awards coverage while gaining insight into the field as a whole. Student Reporters will be notified and selected by the Jimmy Awards® on or around June 1.

The Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards have proven to be a steppingstone for young performers, with several appearing in Broadway productions. Nathan Salstone (2012 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his Broadway debut in HARRY POTTER & THE CURSED CHILD, has recently appeared in the National Tour of HADESTOWN and is in the current revival of SWEENEY TODD on Broadway. John Clay III (2013 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his Broadway debut in CHOIR BOY and is currently in NEW YORK, NEW YORK on Broadway. Jack Cahill-Lemme (2016 Best Actor) recently appeared in the North American tour of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, which premiered in Chicago in 2022. Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) joined the National Tour of HADESTOWN in 2022 which will play at the CIBC Theatre June 20-25. Additionally, Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) joined the National Tour of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in 2022, Wren Rivera (2017 IHSMTA Nominee) made their Broadway debut in JAGGED LITTLE PILL, and Joy Woods (2018 IHSMTA Finalist) made her Broadway debut in March 2022, joining the Broadway cast of SIX.

Other Illinois winners have also been successful at The Jimmy Awards®: Jonah Rawitz (2014 IHSMTA Best Actor) was awarded the 2014 Jimmy Award® for Best Performance by an Actor, Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) was awarded the 2016 Jimmy Award® for Best Dancer, Darian Goulding (2018 IHSMTA Best Actor) was a 2018 Jimmy Award® finalist, and Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) was the recipient of the 2019 Rising Star Award from The Jimmy Awards®.

The 71 participating high schools involved in the program are given opportunities to see Broadway In Chicago shows and receive invitations to special events throughout the year. In years past, students performed with the casts of DEAR EVAN HANSEN and HAMILTON at Broadway In Chicago’s Summer Concert at Millennium Park, and performed with HAMILTON Chicago Company’s Miguel Cervantes (Alexander Hamilton) at the Illinois Bicentennial Birthday Party at Navy Pier. Most recently students performed at Sunday’s On State, the Chicago Loop Alliance activation inviting people back to the loop after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that applications are now being accepted for participation in the 12th Annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards. IHSMTA celebrates excellence in high school theatre throughout the State of Illinois. In a commitment to reaching communities with schools that do not have the resources to produce full musicals, IHSMTA will be the first Jimmy Awards® Regional Awards Program (RAP) to pilot a hybrid model to offer talented students the opportunity to experience IHSMTA and potentially The Jimmy Awards®.

Broadway In Chicago encourages all Illinois Public and Private High Schools to apply. The deadline to submit School Applications for the 2023 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards is Tuesday, September 14, 2022. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Application and details can be found at www.BroadwayInChicago.com/IHSMTA.

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA
Eligible high schools must be located in the State of Illinois; Musical productions must take place between September 29, 2022 and April 23, 2023 to be considered; a musical production qualifies only if it is a full-length musical listed on The Jimmy Awards® (National High School Musical Theatre Awards®) Qualifying Show List.

For more information on our Hybrid Model, please click here.

This year’s categories include Best Performance in an Actor Role, Best Performance in an Actress Role, Best Production, Best Direction, and Best Ensemble. The twenty-four nominees in the Best Performance categories will each receive tickets to a Broadway In Chicago show, perform on stage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) and compete in front of Chicago casting agents and theater professionals.

From the twenty-four nominees, two Illinois award recipients will travel to New York City on an all-expense paid trip where they will represent the State of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® and participate in a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on a Broadway stage, where a panel of judges will crown the nation’s top performers. The Jimmy Awards® are named after legendary Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander. Broadway In Chicago is a Nederlander presentation and is excited to join the network of theatres across the country participating in The Jimmy Awards®.

Important Program Dates

School Applications Due: Tuesday, September 14, 2022, at 11:59 PM (CT)

Tentative IHSMTA Program Date: Monday, May 22, 2023

The Jimmy Awards®: Summer 2023 (exact date to be announced)

The 2022 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards recipients were Joseph Kotze of Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, IL (Best Actor) and Regan Wright of York Community High School in Elmhurst, IL (Best Actress).

BEST ACTOR: JOSEPH KOTZE (FRANKFORT, IL)
BEST ACTRESS: REGAN WRIGHT (ELMHURST, IL)
BEST ACTOR RUNNER UP: JOSH FERMIN (BARRINGTON, IL)
BEST ACTRESS RUNNER UP: JULIET SIMON (DEERFIELD, IL)

Best Actor and Actress Award Recipients will Represent Illinois in “The Jimmy Awards®,” also known as The National High School Musical Theatre Awards®, named after James M. Nederlander

In celebration of outstanding achievement in high school musical theatre performances, Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the award recipients of the 11th Annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA) sponsored by NBC 5: Joseph Kotze of Frankfort, IL (Lincoln-Way East High School) as BEST ACTOR for his portrayal of “Sweeney Todd” in SWEENEY TODD and Regan Wright of Elmhurst, IL (York Community High School) as BEST ACTRESS for her portrayal of “Alice Murphy” in BRIGHT STAR. Joseph and Regan will represent the state of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® (also known as The National High School Musical Theatre Awards®) in New York on June 27, 2022.

In addition to our winners, Broadway In Chicago announced for the first time in the program, a BEST ACTOR and BEST ACTRESS runner up should the BEST ACTOR and/or BEST ACTRESS be unable to represent IHSMTA at the Jimmy Awards®. The BEST ACTOR RUNNER UP was awarded to Josh Fermin of Barrington, IL (Barrington High School) and the BEST ACTRESS RUNNER UP was awarded to Juliet Simon of Deerfield, IL (Deerfield High School).

On Monday, May 23, Broadway In Chicago crafted a full day of workshops with theatre professionals for twenty-four nominees that culminated in a performance on stage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. During the day, nominees performed for a panel of casting agents and theater professionals who chose the recipients.

In addition to the auditions, students were taught a group number to “One Short Day” led by WICKED company member Ben Susak (Dance Captain/Swing) which they performed at the ceremony.

BEST ACTOR Joseph Kotze and BEST ACTRESS Regan Wright will be sent to New York City, on an all-expense paid trip, for a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase, where they will represent the state of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® on Broadway, on Monday, June 27, 2022. The Jimmy Awards® are named for legendary Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander. Broadway In Chicago is a Nederlander presentation, and is excited to join the network of theatres across the country participating in The Jimmy Awards®.

The Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards have proven to be a stepping stone for young performers, with several appearing in Broadway productions. Nathan Salstone (2012 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his Broadway debut in HARRY POTTER & THE CURSED CHILD and recently appeared in the National Tour of HADESTOWN, John Clay III (2013 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his Broadway debut in CHOIR BOY. Jack Cahill-Lemme (2016 Best Actor) is currently in the North American tour of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL which launched its North American tour in Chicago back in March 2022. Additionally, Wren Rivera (2017 IHSMTA Nominee) made their Broadway debut in JAGGED LITTLE PILL, and Joy Woods (2018 IHSMTA Finalist) made her Broadway debut in March 2022, joining the Broadway cast of SIX.

Other Illinois winners have also been successful at The Jimmy Awards®: Jonah Rawitz (2014 IHSMTA Best Actor) was awarded the 2014 Jimmy Award® for Best Performance by an Actor, Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) was awarded the 2016 Jimmy Award® for Best Dancer, Darian Goulding (2018 IHSMTA Best Actor) was a 2018 Jimmy Award® finalist, and Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) was the recipient of the 2019 Rising Star Award from The Jimmy Awards®.

The 76 participating high schools involved in the program are given opportunities to see Broadway In Chicago shows and receive invitations to special events throughout the year. In years past, students performed with the casts of DEAR EVAN HANSEN and HAMILTON at Broadway In Chicago’s Summer Concert at Millennium Park, and performed with HAMILTON Chicago Company’s Miguel Cervantes (Alexander Hamilton) at the Illinois Bicentennial Birthday Party at Navy Pier. Most recently students performed at Sunday’s On State, the Chicago Loop Alliance activation inviting people back to the loop after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information on The Jimmy Awards®, also known as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards®, visit www.JimmyAwards.com. For more information on both awards and complete rules and regulations, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com/about/IHSMTA/.

ABOUT THE JIMMY AWARDS®
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. Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, 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 rehearsing led by some of Broadway’s most accomplished professionals. Nominees will spend one week 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 thirteenth annual Jimmy Awards will take place on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Minskoff Theatre. For more information, please visit www.JimmyAwards.com.

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

About WICKED

WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, WICKED —the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story that USA Today cheers is “a complete triumph! An original musical that will make you laugh, cry, and think.”

Performances begin September 28 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre.

Tickets are now on sale.

About NBC 5 Chicago

NBC 5 (WMAQ-TV) is the NBC Universal owned-and-operated station in Chicago. In partnership with Telemundo Chicago (WSNS-TV) as a duopoly station, NBC 5 serves the incredibly diverse and bilingual audiences throughout the city and suburbs. As the third largest television market, NBC 5 provides news, weather, community initiatives and more for the Chicago metropolitan area, as well as, areas of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. NBC 5 features daily local news on “NBC 5 News” and local lifestyle content on “Chicago Today.” All original content is available on-air, across streaming platforms, on NBCCHICAGO.COM and on the NBC Chicago Mobile App.

About Sound, Production & Lighting (SPL)

SPL is a full-service event production and system installation company. They provide production services for corporate meetings, galas and fundraising parties, marketing activations, and anything between. SPL offers permanent installation services for a variety of venues in fields such as live performance, education, worship, and hospitality whose goal for any project is to provide an unparalleled experience and service. www.splchicago.com

About Jennifer Heim Photography

​Jennifer Heim Photography specializes in live stage, rehearsal and headshot photography. Having shot over 900 productions and countless headshots, Jennifer is able to capture the emotion of a scene and create images that portray character depth and beautiful lighting design. Being a director and choreographer, she can anticipate blocking and movement to capture the best moments of your production for IHSMTA submissions. You want your students to stand out in their college auditions. Jennifer teaches them how to be in front of the camera to perfectly capture their personality for college auditions. www.jenniferheimheadshots.com 

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and, over the past 22 years, has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop, including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.