We’re proud to participate in the Broadway League’s National High School Musical Theatre Awards®, also known as the Jimmy Awards®. Each year, two outstanding student performers (one lead actor and one lead actress) are nominated to join top students from across the country for a week of private coaching with university faculty, master classes with Broadway professionals, and rehearsals in preparation for a special performance. All travel, accommodation, and food costs will be paid for by O-pa. National nominees are determined through an audition process.
This year, the National High School Musical Theatre Awards will tentatively be held in New York City from Friday, June 13 – Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
This year, up to 16 students will be chosen as National Finalists and will be invited to perform at the Nebraska Theater Academy Showcase on Saturday, May 31, 2025. From the group of National Finalists, two top students will be selected as National Nominees and will go on to represent the state at the Jimmy Awards. Throughout the rehearsal process, National Finalists will be required to stay in FREE housing at Creighton University.
eligibility
Nebraska Theater Academy students in grades 9-12 playing qualifying lead roles in their school musicals are eligible to apply. Qualified lead roles are determined by the Broadway League.
application
Applications are now open. Eligible students should submit an online application by Monday, March 31, 2025. To complete the application, please be prepared to submit the following items:
- One-page résumé
- Headshot photo
- Audition video 1: Perform a solo (32-bar cut) from the qualified lead role you played in your adjudicated high school musical
- Audition video 2: Perform a solo (32-bar cut) of a musical theater ballad OR musical theater up-tempo piece of your choice
- Music: Attach the piano/vocal score for the full song (not just the 32-bar cut) featured in both videos. If the qualifying lead role you played performs more than one solo in the musical, please attach all other piano/vocal scores for those songs. If you are invited to the live callback audition, please be prepared to sing one or both songs submitted.
Please note: Videos should showcase your audition abilities. Do NOT submit video from a fully staged or costumed production.
callback audition
Jimmy Awards® applicants will be considered for the Nationals Callback Auditions at the Holland Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 13, 2025. The callback will include vocal auditions and a dance call where students will learn a short piece of choreography to perform. O-pa will hire a professional pianist – please bring hardcopies of your sheet music with cuts clearly marked.
Callbacks and other details will be announced in April 2025.
Questions?
Contact Taylor Wyatt, Senior Manager of Education, at twyatt@o-pa.org or 402.661.8559.
