Fabiola Caraballo Quijada, Chris Hayes, and More Win Jimmy Awards

The winners of the 16th annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards, better known as the Jimmy Awards, were determined and announced last night at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.

The Jimmy Awards for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor were presented to Fabiola Caraballo Quijada, Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards (Dallas) and Chris Hayes, Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards (Las Vegas).

Each winner was awarded a $25,000 check to further their education, presented by Nederlander Producing Company of America, Inc.

The ceremony, hosted by Josh Groban, was also live-streamed and will remain available for viewing through Thursday, June 26. To wathc click here (an ASL interpretation and closed captioning video is also available).

The annual talent showcase featured over 100 nominees from 55 cities across the country performing on a Broadway stage following 10 days of rehearsals and private coaching in New York. The industry coaches who mentored the nominees were Jenni Barber, Lisa Brescia, Janet Dacal, Colin Hanlon, Lily Kaufmann, Adam J. Levy, Julia Murney, Desi Oakley, Eliseo Román, Q. Smith, Steven Telsey, and EJ Zimmerman.

This year, 16 awards and scholarships were presented to participants, including six finalists, who each received a $5,000 scholarship toward their future education, presented by MJ: Adam Bouchachia, Applause Awards (Orlando, Florida), Dawson Fullingim, Discovery Awards (Tulsa, Oklahoma), JJ Korkin, Kravis Center Dream Awards (West Palm Beach, Florida), Seger Ott-Rudolph, Brandon Victor Dixon Awards (Washington, DC), Kayla Rae, The Lucie Arnaz Awards (Palm Springs, California), and Kinsley Stephens, Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards – Shuler Hensley Awards (Atlanta).

Additional awards winners each received a $2,500 scholarship, including the Rising Star for impressive advancement during the Jimmy Awards program, which went to Gavin Evanson, The Monte Awards (Tucson, Arizona).

Best Dancer, presented by the Shubert Organization, for excellence in dance and movement was awarded to Jamaur Houston, Broadway in Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (Chicago).

Spirit of the Jimmys, presented by Aki Nishino of Chimney Town, for embodying the spirit of this musical theater celebration went to Kevin Wilson, The Patty Duke Awards (Boise, Idaho).

Outstanding Performance in an Ensemble, co-presented by BOOP! The Musical, Hadestown, John Gore Organization, No Guarantees, and Thomas Schumacher for outstanding collaboration during the Jimmy Awards program went to Mira Cahalane, Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards (Cleveland), Josiah D. Jennings, The DPAC Rising Star Awards (Durham, North Carolina), JJ McDonough, Philadelphia Independence Awards (Philadelphia), Kash Stevenson, Henry Mancini Awards (Midland, Pennsylvania), and Jayden Vega, Broadway Star of the Future (Tampa, Florida).

The recipients of the 2025 Inspiring Teacher Award were Elena Ferrante-Martin, Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas) and KoKo M. Thornton, Enloe High School (Durham, North Carolina).

Kiesha Lalama, Jimmy Awards choreographer from 2009 to 2024, was awarded an an honorary Jimmy Award, presented by Tony nominees Julia Knitel and Jasmine Amy Rogers. Other presenters included, Aki Nishino, Apollo Levine, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Judges for the 2025 Jimmy Awards included Montego Glover, LaChanze, Joe Machota, Alecia Parker, Marc Platt, Tara Rubin, Nick Scandalios, Bernard Telsey, and Lia Vollack. Preliminary judges who adjudicated and cast the nominees in the character and feature groups included Kristian Charbonier, Stephanie Klapper, Sammy Lopez, Kevin Metzger-Timson, Dale A. Mott, Cody Renard Richard, and Rachel Sussman.