ABOUT

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (or NHSMTA®), otherwise known as The Jimmy Awards®, was established in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances, a division of The Nederlander Organization, to elevate the importance of theatre arts education in schools and reward excellence in student performance. The program impacts over 100,000 students annually who participate in high school musical theatre competitions sponsored by over 40 professional theaters throughout the U.S. The NHSMTA® is a national celebration of outstanding student achievement in high school musical theatre that recognizes individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance, and honors teachers and their schools’ commitment to performing arts education. NHSMTA® focuses much needed attention on the meaningful work being done by dedicated teachers and students with wide ranging talents on and off the stage, engages families in the activities of their children, ignites new partnerships between theatres and the schools in their area, and contributes to the development of future audiences for live performing arts in communities across America. Since its inception, NHSMTA® has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships awarded to deserving young performers. NHSMTA® week takes place annually in June in New York City. The Jimmy® Awards are presented on Broadway at a Nederlander theatre and are administered by The Broadway League Foundation.

The Diamond Awards aim to recognize and celebrate student achievement, and to focus the attention of the community and school districts on the importance of musical theater and arts education. The winners of the Diamond Awards for Best Actress and Best Actor will participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York, where they will receive professional training and compete with winners from dozens of other regional programs for a national audience.