MANHATTAN (WABC) — The 17th annual Jimmy Awards took place Monday night at the Minskoff Theatre.
The awards are often thought of as the Tonys for high school theater and a chance for all of us to meet the theater stars of tomorrow.
This year, 116 students from all over the country made their Broadway debut, competing for top honors and scholarships.
Monday night’s winners were Jake James, from Atlanta, Georgia, who won Best Performance by an Actor, and Samia Posadas, from Tucson, Arizona, who won Best Performance by an Actress.
Watch the full ceremony at the Jimmy Awards’ YouTube page.
Ahead of the big show, the nominees spent the past week in New York City, learning from industry professionals, checking out Broadway shows, and creating lifelong bonds with their peers. Eyewitness News was there for it all.
On Tuesday night, the nominees had the chance to eat at the iconic Carmine’s with cast members from MJ The Musical. After dinner, it was showtime, and the group made their way to the Neil Simon Theatre to see MJ.
On Thursday, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – each student had their picture displayed on a billboard in Times Square. We kept hearing words like incredible, unbelievable, and life-changing. Because the Jimmys are more than just a competition – they’re a launching pad, a chance for young performers to be seen and discovered.
“The history shows it,” Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League, said. “These kids are going to be on Broadway or on tour. But even if they’re not, the training, the skills, the opportunities, you get through performance will carry forward and be some of the best skills you have in life.”
There are 22 past winners, finalists, and nominees currently on Broadway in shows like Ragtime, Schmigadoon!, Cats The Jellicle Ball, Chess, and Hamilton.
For Emersyn Hunt, the journey to Broadway began with music at home.
“When I was younger, my grandpa was always big in music and would often wake me up by singing,” Hunt said. “I’ve always had music in my veins.”
Now, the junior at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan is preparing for one of the biggest moments of her young career: representing the Greater New York region at the 2026 Jimmy Awards.
Emersyn Hunt is representing the Greater New York region at the 2026 Jimmy Awards.
Jacob A. Solomon has played everyone from Captain Hook to Judge Turpin, but now the Hauppauge High School senior is preparing for the biggest role of his life: representing the Greater New York region at the 2026 Jimmy Awards.
Solomon and fellow nominee Hunt earned spots at the prestigious national competition after being named Outstanding Performers at the 2026 Roger Rees Awards.
Solomon was recognized for his portrayal of Nick Bottom in Something Rotten!, while Hunt was honored for her performance as Beverley Bass in Come From Away.
One Senior at Hauppauge High School in Long Island found his way through theater, now finds his way to the 2026 Jimmy Awards.
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