Local high school students reach Top 40 of National Musical Theatre Awards Nominees

Two Capital Region performers experience Broadway firsthand with workshops, tickets to Tony Awards

After winning Best Actor and Best Actress at the Collaborative School of the Arts’ High School Musical Theatre Awards, Daniel Cormie (South Glens Falls High School) and Abby DeGregory (Saratoga Springs High School) spent a week in New York City preparing for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, more commonly known as The Jimmy Awards.

The Jimmy Awards—modeled after the Tonys­—are a national celebration of outstanding student achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performance and elevating the importance of theatre arts education in schools.

Cormie, DeGregory and 100 other nominees participated in dance calls to prepare for the awards show, had press training with Broadway outlets and attended “MJ” at the Neil Simon Theatre. A huge highlight for the high school performers was being able to see their faces on billboards in Times Square! Nominees also got to work first-hand with top professionals from Broadway. From costume fittings to performing on a Broadway stage the trip is a dream experience for the high school students.

DeGregory said, “My Jimmys’ experience has been nothing short of amazing. I have had the opportunity to meet people who are extraordinarily welcoming and kind and have made memories that will stick with me forever.”

Hosted by Broadway League, the time spent in New York City included attending workshops, performances and more. To kick off the week, the students were invited to the Tony Awards dress rehearsals, and then the big surprise—attending the award show too!

“Being at the Jimmy Awards has given me opportunities that I didn’t think were possible. The Jimmys aren’t only about what is on stage, but the core memories and forever friends that we make along the way. I can confidently say that the Jimmy Awards have made me a better actor and person,” said Cormie.

Over the course of the week, the 102 nominees performed for the award show. Cormie and DeGregory made it to the Top 20 of their categories, landing in the Top 40 of all nominees across the country. Students can win six awards: Best Performance by an Actor, Best Performance by an Actress, Outstanding Performance in Ensemble, Spirit of the Jimmys, Best Dancer and Rising Star.

DeGregory added, “I have improved drastically over this short amount of time, and I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned from the Jimmys and implement it into my college career and future!”

DeGregory starred as Pamela in Saratoga Springs’ production of “Head Over Heels: High School Edition” and Cormie won for his role as William Shakespeare, reimagined as a hip-swiveling rock idol, in “Something’s Rotten.”

Josh Groban hosted the 15th Jimmy Awards Monday, June 24, at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre. The ceremony highlighted the best of high school musical theatre talent and featured nominees from over 50 regions around the U.S. To date, more than 900 nominees have participated in the program.

Past winners and nominees can be found on Broadway; including Casey Likes (“Back to the Future: The Musical”), Tyler James Eisenreich (“The Who’s Tommy”) and Jack Cahill-Lemme (“Moulin Rouge! The Musical”).

The Collaborative School of the Arts and the High School Musical Theatre Awards are a part of Proctors Collaborative. To learn more visit collaborativeschoolofthearts.org. The Collaborative School of the Arts within Proctors sponsors the trip for the High School Musical Theatre Awards winners from the Capital Region.