ONLINE: Jimmy Awards
media release: Alex Daspit and Laëtitia Hollard, both 2021 graduates of McFarland High School, will represent Overture Center on Thursday, July 15, at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®), The Jimmy Awards®. The 12th Jimmy Awards will be streamed from New York at 6:30 p.m. CT.
For the ceremony, 72 student participants will represent 36 regions from across the U.S. The show will feature dynamic ensemble and solo performances and will culminate with two students presented with a Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor award with a total of 20 awards and scholarships available to participants.
The local nominees and their families and friends along with Jerry Awards fans and media are invited to attend a Jimmy Awards Watch Party at Overture Center in Promenade Hall. Doors (at the State Street entrance) open at 6 p.m., and the pre-recorded show will begin at 6:30 p.m. If you’d like to join the watch party, please RSVP by July 14 to Karra Beach, programming and community engagement manager, at kbeach@overture.org.
In 2021, all Jimmy Awards coaching, rehearsals and activities took place online for the nominees.
Due to the pandemic, Overture Center did not implement its usual Jerry Awards program or go on the road to see high school productions. Instead, the Jerry Company was started in January, open to all high school students in Wisconsin. More than 40 students participated in the Jerry Company through a series of virtual workshops geared to improve their performance skills with a focus on preparing for auditions. At the end of the sessions, students interested in representing the Jerry Awards program at The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) submitted a video audition. In March, 20 students were selected to be featured in the 2021 Jerry Awards show, which served as the final audition for the Jimmy Awards. Ten finalists were selected to perform one additional solo at the event before the judge’s panel selected the two representatives: Daspit and Hollard.
Jerry Awards: Overture Center’s Jerry Awards, one of Wisconsin’s high school musical awards programs, encourages, recognizes and honors excellence in high school musical theater. The program began in the 2009/10 school year as the Tommy Awards and was renamed in 2017/18 season to the Jerry Awards after philanthropist and arts supporter W. Jerome Frautschi. Educators and industry professionals review productions at more than 85 high schools in 30 counties around the state providing valuable feedback. The program elevates the importance of musical theater within high schools.
The Jerry Awards are sponsored by Old National Bank, Madison Gas & Electric Foundation and American Girl’s Fund for Children with additional support by Katie Dowling-Marcus & Ben Marcus and contributions to Overture Center.
Click here to view the video of the 2021 Jerry Awards: https://www.overture.org/