Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NHSMTA?
The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) is a national celebration of outstanding student achievement recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performance by high school students. The program aims to create a pathway connecting promising young performers to the professional theater industry.

The program is the year-end culmination of awards programs across the country presented by dozens of professional theater organizations. Finalists in New York were named Best Actress or Best Actor at a regional competition, representing approximately 1,000 schools.

While in New York City, participants experience five days of private coaching, master classes and rehearsals with theater professionals. Their week’s journey concludes with a panel of industry experts selecting exceptional students for The Jimmy™ for Best Performance by an Actress and Actor. Students will receive opportunities for merit scholarships, professional advancement and other prizes.

What year did the NHSMTA start?
The National High School Musical Theater Awards was established in 2009.

Who founded the NHSMTA?
Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances, LLC founded the NHSMTA - Jimmy™ Awards.

Why Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances LLC?
Pittsburgh CLO, founded in 1946, is one of the country’s leading non-for-profit producers of musical theater. The organization’s educational efforts include its Gene Kelly Awards, which, at 20 years old, is the oldest high school musical program in the country. The Gene Kelly Awards competition involves as many as 40 high schools and is the prototype for other programs like it in the US. At the Gene Kelly Awards, students win college scholarships and prize monies. Pittsburgh CLO wanted to use the “bones” of its own successful regional competition to create a national program.

Nederlander Alliances, LLC was looking for an educational program to honor the legacy of legendary theater owner producer James M. Nederlander.

These two industry leaders united in a common mission to nurture future artists and audiences by supporting in-school theater arts programs.

This national program celebrates the country’s most talented musical theater students in one city under one roof, and connects them to the professional theater community in New York.

Who is the Jimmy™ Award named for?
The Jimmy™ is named for legendary Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander, or “Jimmy” as he is known on Broadway. Mr. Nederlander is the Chairman of the Nederlander Producing Company of America Inc., the owner/operator of a vast chain of theatres, including 9 Broadway houses, and a producer of distinguished entertainment for over 70 years. Jimmy and his son, James L. Nederlander, also present Broadway shows in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Jose, Tucson, Durham and London. The Broadway League recently presented Jimmy with the Schoenfeld Vision for Arts Education Award for establishing The National High School Musical Theater Awards.

Has the NHSMTA been endorsed nationally?
The NHSMTA has been recognized by The National Endowment for the Arts, The Broadway League, The Shubert Organization and other industry organizations and foundations committed to nurturing future artists and audiences.

Who are the major sponsors of the NHSMTA?
The program’s major sponsors are NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama,
Camp Broadway, The National Endowment for the Arts, Playbill®, SenovvA.

Click here for a list of 2010 donors visit.

Where is the NHSMTA held?
The event takes place in New York City. Students are housed and attend classes and rehearsals on the campus of New York University. The 2010 Jimmy™ Awards ceremony takes place on June 28th at 7:30 pm at the Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway, on the 2nd floor of the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Why is the NHSMTA held in NYC?
Because “Broadway” is the heart of the theater industry in the United States, and due to the vast resources available there, New York became the logical host city.

How many high school musical competitions exist throughout the US?
There are more than 30 programs in the US.

How many high school musical competitions are participating in the 2010 NHSMTA?
Twenty-two programs are participating in the 2010 NHSMTA, six more programs than in 2009.
Click here for a list of participating programs.

How do High School Awards programs qualify to participate in the NHSMTA?
Participating Awards Programs are required to be a member of The Broadway League, the National Alliance of Musical Theater or the Theatre Communications Group. Each theater organization sponsors two student representatives to compete in New York.

How many students are participating in the NHSMTA?
Forty-four students are participating in the program in New York. Students are Best Actress or Best Actor winners of their 2010 regional competitions.

Approx. how many high schools are represented?
An estimated 1,000 high schools are represented by the 22 participating programs.

How did NYU become involved in the NHSMTA?
NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts has one of the most prestigious theater programs in the country. The university shares the NHSMTA founders’ mission to nurture future artists who want to prepare for a life in the theater. Because the NHSMTA program is based in New York, NYU became an obvious choice as a partner.

What exactly is NYU’s New Studio on Broadway: Music Theatre and Acting?
This newly created program is a professional theater-training studio offered to undergraduate students at NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Department of Drama. New Studio work captures the present moment, drawing its energy from popular culture and the infinite possibilities of diverse global performance and art forms. Integrating rigorous training in acting, speech, singing, physical acting (movement), and dance and taking place in a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility, the New Studio’s four-year program reaches beyond a single methodology to offer young actors instruction in all the disciplines essential to the performer’s craft. It equally engages the American musical, the classical acting canon and new contemporary plays and musicals, preparing students for opportunities to perform in traditional Broadway musical productions as well as in emerging plays, music and performance forms. New Studio is deeply committed to developing each student’s distinctive voice and the skills necessary to sustain a career at play with global audiences on stage, in music theater, and in whatever forms and mediums lie beyond.

What prizes will be given out at the Jimmy™ Awards?
Prizes will vary by year. The complete list of prizes has not been announced but will include the opportunity for merit and need-based scholarship assistance to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Undergraduate New Studio on Broadway: Acting, Music and Theatre.

In 2009, the first year of the NHSMTA, 2 winners were accepted to and given the opportunity for $5,000 four-year merit scholarships to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Undergraduate New Studio on Broadway: Acting, Music and Theatre. Each winner also received a $10,000 check to be put toward their college educations. The cash award was announced live at the Jimmy™ Awards but was not announced prior to the event.

Two educator prizes were also given in the amounts of $5,000 and $3,000.

The spirit of the NHSMTA is that it is a collaborative, rewarding and fun experience for all participants. Students work alongside industry professionals, are seen by casting agents (last year various students were even asked to audition at Nickelodeon’s studios in New York), meet and converse with Broadway actors, and this year saw a performance of Memphis followed by a talkback with the cast.

Will scholarships be given out this year?
NYU will provide the Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor winners of the Jimmy™ Award with the opportunity to go through the application process (both academic and artistic) at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts for possible acceptance into the program. Jimmy™ Award winners are eligible for both merit and need based scholarship assistance to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama, Undergraduate at the New Studio On Broadway: Music Theatre and Acting. The amount of the guaranteed merit based scholarship is $5,000 per year, for 4-years. Winners will also be eligible for need-based aid and must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as required by New York University. The amount of scholarship assistance beyond the merit based aid is based on financial need, and the maximum amount available is $20,000 per year. If winners are not accepted into the Tisch School of the Arts, no scholarship assistance will be awarded. High School seniors who have already applied to TSOA Department of Drama and have been accepted will be eligible for scholarship support beginning in the fall. If they have not applied to Tisch Drama they can defer their admission to their chosen school for a year while they apply to NYU Tisch or they can transfer after a year. The NYU Department of Drama reserves the right to offer scholarships to finalists who are assessed as demonstrating exceptional ability by Tisch Drama Faculty. As a result, a scholarship may be awarded to a high school student with Junior Standing or a Senior who is willing to delay entry to NYU until the fall of 2011. Each scholarship winner must timely complete and submit an application to the undergraduate drama program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to receive the scholarship.

What is the correct way to refer to the NHSMTA?
The program can be referred to as:

The National High School Musical Theater Awards
The NHS Musical Theater Awards™
The Jimmy™ Awards

Who is the spokesperson for the NHSMTA?
All press inquiries should be directed to Matt Ross of the Hartman Group:

mross@thehartmangrouppr.com

Other spokespeople:

For Pittsburgh CLO: Van Kaplan, vkaplan@pittsburghclo.org
For Nederlander Alliances, LLC: Susan Lee, slee@nederlander.com
For NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts: Liz Bradley, liz.bradley@nyu.edu

Who do I call if I’d like to make a donation to the NHSMTA?
Wynne Fedele at Pittsburgh CLO: 412-281-3973
Email: wfedele@pittsburghclo.org

Who do I call if I’d like to participate next year?
Arianna Knapp, NHSMTA General Manager, 802-299-6575
Email: AKnapp@SenovvA.com

What is the Web site address of the NHSMTA?
www.nhsmta.com

What is the official contact information of the NHSMTA?
NHS Musical Theater Awards™
1450 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10018
Fax: (212) 840-3909
Email: gm@nhsmusicaltheaterawards.com