The 2025 National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, brought the most talented high school performers together from all around the nation for a week of learning and celebration of Broadway. The 16th annual ceremony was held on June 23rd, 2025, at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City. The event highlighted students’ talent, hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm towards musical theatre.
The Jimmy Awards, often called the “Tony Awards for Teens,” represent the most prestigious level of achievement in high school musical theatre nationwide. Students are selected through regional awards programs and other state competitions, getting the opportunity to perform in New York City, gain experience working with industry professionals, participate in workshops, and compete for high-level awards such as Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress.
This program is much more than just a competition; it provides unique opportunities, life-changing experiences, professional coaching from Broadway experts, and exposure to the Broadway industry.
In preparation for each ceremony, each nominee gets the chance to improve their skills during rehearsals. This is when they get the opportunity to meet new people, gain experience of true Broadway, and work with coaches. Below, you can find an inside look at how their rehearsals look!
Jimmy Awards 2025 Rehearsal Video
One of the most well-known aspects of the show is its opening number. It consists of all the students performing a medley of songs from opening Broadway shows to demonstrate their creativity and skills. Click here to watch the 2025 Jimmy Awards Opening Number!
In May 2025, we were proud to witness one of our own GVPAA members, Jeanne Eppler, nominated for her role as Meg Brokie in Brigadoon by the Philadelphia Independence Awards as a possible Jimmy Awards nominee. Jeanne went on to perform as part of a medley with four other women who were also competing for the same nomination. While Jeanne did not take home the award, she made GVPAA proud with her talent, dedication, and professionalism, representing our school with pride on a regional stage.
The 2025 finalists represented their individual programs with skill, confidence, artistry, and dedication. Each performed solo and ensemble pieces, earning scholarships and the chance to perform on a national stage. The finalists include Adam Bouchachia (Orlando, FL), Dawson Fullingim (Tulsa, OK), JJ Korkin (West Palm Beach, FL), Seger Ott‑Rudolph (Washington, DC), Kayla Rae (Palm Springs, CA), and Kinsley Stephens (Atlanta, GA). (Listed left-right)
The winners of the ceremony were recognized for their incredible dedication and talent. Fabiola Caraballo Quijada (Dallas, TX) won Best Performance by an Actress for her rendition of “Astonishing” from Little Women, and Chris Hayes (Las Vegas, NV) won Best Performance by an Actor for “She Loves Me” from She Loves Me. Each winner received a $25,000 scholarship. You can find both links to each of their performances below.
2025 Jimmy Awards Solo - Fabiola Caraballo Quijada
2025 Jimmy Awards Solo - Chris Hayes
The Jimmy Awards is more than just a musical theater competition; it’s a foundation for aspiring Broadway actors to showcase their talents in the hope of a future career. In most cases, Jimmy nominees tend to succeed and become big stars! Actors such as Andrew Barth Feldman, Renée Rapp, Eva Noblezada, and more. By recognizing people in musical theater, the Jimmy Awards help inspire teens to pursue their dreams with talent, passion, determination, and dedication.
