Josh Groban kicked off hosting one of the best nights on Broadway at Monday night’s National High School Musical Awards by joking with the energetic crowd at the Minskoff Theatre, home of The Lion King, that the Jimmy Awards are “like the Oscars, but everyone can still move their faces.”
This year, The Jimmys welcomed more than 100 nominees from across the country who made their debuts on a Broadway stage. Since it began in 2009, there have been more than 65 Jimmy Award alumni who have either performed on Broadway or on tour. “While tonight is technically a contest, I have great news. You have already won!” Groban reminded the nominees.
Welcoming the students at this ceremony included 2018 Jimmy Award winner Andrew Barth Feldman who introduced a video segment about what their week looked like in New York City. “It’s not an exaggeration that the Jimmy Awards changed my life,” said Feldman, who currently stars as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway. This year 24 nominees saw their first Broadway show. 19 visited New York City for the first time and three flew on a plane for the first time. And they all got to sit in on the Tony Awards dress rehearsal.
Tony nominee Justin Cooley, a 2021 Jimmy Award finalist, helped introduce one of the featured group performances alongside his Kimberly Akimbo costar Victoria Clark. “The Jimmy Awards were just the start for me,” Cooley said. “Tomorrow should be a great day,” Clark added.
This year included singers performing medleys arranged in less than 48 hours time from Mean Girls, Something Rotten!, Hello, Dolly!, Urinetown, and Sweeney Todd, with many costumes loaned by the TDF costume collection.
17-year-old Fabiola Caraballo Quijada returned for her second year at the Jimmy Awards. She opened the show with her upbeat and standout performance as Nostradamus in Something Rotten!. Later in the evening, Quijada won the SCAD Achievement Scholarship, presented by Savannah College of Art and Design and was one of the eight solo finalists. “I actually couldn’t believe that I was there,” the upcoming senior from Dallas’ Tyler Legacy High School told Broadway Direct by phone last year. It was her first plane ride and visit to New York City. “I have definitely learned a lot, but probably how to take care of myself. I haven’t really been taking care of my voice. I’m kind of ignorant in that field. And this new experience has emphasized how important it is to take care of yourself mentally and physically.”
The judges included Montego Glover, Kenny Leon, Joe Machota, Marc Platt, T. Oliver Reid, Tara Rubin, Nick Scandalios, Bernard Telsey, and Lia Vollack, with special guest judges James Monroe Iglehart, Alan Menken, and Thomas Schumacher.
Broadway Direct caught up with this year’s winners Damson Chola Jr. of the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards and Gretchen Shope of the Sutton Foster Awards in East Lansing, Michigan who took home the top prizes of Best Performance by an Actor and Actress. They each received a $25,000 scholarship.
Chola Jr. performed “Suddenly Seymour” from Little Shop of Horrors in the medley section, later in the evening perfomring “Make Them Hear You” from Ragtime as his solo. Shope was seen in a medley performing “I’ve Shrunk Enough” from Alice by Heart, with her solo moment being “The Music That Makes Me Dance” from Funny Girl.
What were you thinking as they called your name?
Damson Chola Jr.: I felt a sense of accomplishment and an overwhelming feeling of gratitude when I heard that my name was called. I thought to myself, “There is no way” and “Thank you for seeing me.”
Gretchen Shope: At first, I felt like I was dreaming. Then the reality settled in and a great wave of gratitude came over me – pure thankfulness towards my home and community whose love feels like armor. I’ve been watching the Jimmy Awards since I was a little girl and have always looked up to the best actress finalists of the past. When they called my name, I was thinking of all the little girls I might have been inspiring in that moment. The thought that I could be someone’s reason to pursue their dream is simply magical.
What was the most challenging part of this whole experience?
DCJ: I believe the most challenging part of the whole experience was waking up and being ready to work harder than you’ve ever worked before. To wake up focused and motivated to create a show in one week. But with the help of the wonderful Nikki Kimbrough guiding all of the nominees through exercises and meditation practices, I was able to center myself and prepare for a brutal, and yet enjoyable, work day.
GS: The week leading up to the Jimmy Awards is not an easy one. I struggled constantly with self-doubt and fear. But at the end of each day, I was able to come away with that fear subsided due to the amount of love and support my fellow nominees showered on me.
What does winning this scholarship mean for you?
DCJ: This scholarship will lift a burden off of my family, and I am so thankful for that.
GS: Of course, I don’t participate in the magic that is storytelling with the intention of winning money. But I am forever grateful for the award offered to me. This scholarship covers my college tuition at Wright State University.
If you could be in any Broadway show right now what would it be?
DCJ: I would love to be in the cast of The Outsiders.
GS: I’ve been following Suffs since its Off-Broadway run, and to tell that story would be an honor. Shaina Taub is my favorite writer in the musical theatre world, and I would jump at the opportunity to do her masterpiece!
Who is your favorite Broadway star?
DCJ: I have many people that have inspired me to do theater for the rest of my life, but the two that come to my mind are Leslie Odom Jr. and Brian Stokes Mitchell.
GS: Sara Bareilles. The way she manages to be a spectacular actress, writer, producer, and musician inspires me everyday to not limit myself. The magic of musical theater is that so many mediums of art get to come together on one stage, and Sara is a wonder in mastering so many of them.
What’s next for you?
DCJ: I plan to continue my education at Carnegie Mellon University studying Musical Theatre.
GS: I’ll be a double major in Musical Theatre and Marketing at Wright State University in the fall. Additionally, I’ll be finishing a production of Sweeney Todd at my community theatre as Johanna.
Were you able to chat with Jimmys host Josh Groban?
GS: Speaking of Sweeney Todd… I told Josh about our production in Bay City, Michigan, and he let me know to send his love to my cast. As a fellow Interlochen Arts Camp Alumni, I felt like we were representing Michigan very well!
DCJ: To be completely honest, I was star-struck by him, therefore I don’t remember. But I do remember that after I had completed my final performance, he applauded and nodded his head as I walked off the stage. I watched him in Sweeney Todd last year. It being one of my first shows, I shed tears not only because of the compelling performance of him and the cast but, the performance itself made me realize that “this dream is real and attainable.”
Favorite moment of the entire night?
DCJ: The opening number was easily my favorite and most memorable moment of the night for me.
GS: The best moment was hugging my mom after the show. It was a truly life changing moment with my biggest fan in the whole world.
Who is your favorite past Jimmy Award winner or finalist?
DCJ: I am a huge fan of the performances of Langston Lee, Corbin Ross, and Andrew Barth Feldman.
GS: My favorite past finalist (and current finalist) is Samia Posadas, my beautiful roommate. What an amazing talent and even more beautiful and encouraging human. She made Jimmy’s history on Monday as the first two-time finalist, and I guarantee this won’t be the only time she makes history!