Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and Nederlander Presentations co-created the Jimmy Awards (the National High School Musical Theater Awards) which present Best Actress and Best Actor honors to two high school students from a nationwide competition. The awards will be presented on June 29 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

As part of its sponsorship of the awards, Tisch School of the Arts has committed four-year scholarship assistance to the two winning Best Actor and Actress nominees, contingent upon their acceptance into the department of drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

"High school musical theatre is often the first point of incubation for the performers of tomorrow," stated Kent Gash, director of the Tisch's Studio on Broadway: Music Theatre and Acting. "We in musical theatre here at Tisch School of the Arts are eager to celebrate the work of these talented young people and are delighted to be able to encourage arts education and the development of the nation's best and brightest young performers through supporting The Jimmys!"

Prior to the awards ceremony, nominated students will have the opportunity to participate in five days of musical theatre rehearsals, master classes, private coaching and interviews with theatre professionals.

Visit NHSMTA for more information. The NHS Musical Theater Awards are based on Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards, which began in 1991. Numerous regional theatre companies have followed suit, including Casa Mañana's Betty Lynn Buckley Awards.