Michael Cerveris Replaces Sutton Foster as Tonight's Jimmy Awards Host!

THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS (NHSMTA)/JIMMY™ AWARDS just announced that two-time Tony Award-winner, celebrated actor MICHAEL CERVERIS will host the seventh annual awards ceremony tonight, Monday, June 29th at 7:30PM at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street in Manhattan. Fifty-two high school students from across America will compete for the Jimmy™ Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress.The talent showcase will feature dynamic ensemble and solo performances.

"We are thrilled that two-time Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris, currently on Broadway in this year's Best Musical Fun Home, will host the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, replacing Sutton Foster who had to step down due to laryngitis. Thanks to Michael's dedication to musical theatre, the show will go on and the 52 student nominees will get to share the stage with an incredibly talented 2015 Tony Award-winner!" says Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League.

MICHAEL CERVERIS is a 2015 Tony Award®-winner for his role as Bruce Bechdel in Fun Home, which he originated in the Public Theater production (2014 Lortel Award). Broadway: Assassins (2004 Tony Award), Sweeney Todd, The Who's Tommy, Evita, LoveMusik, In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), Hedda Gabler, Cymbeline, Titanic. Off-Broadway: Hedwig (also L.A. and London's West End), King Lear, Macbeth, Nikolai and the Others, Road Show. Television: "The Good Wife," "Treme," "Fringe." Film: Cirque du Freak, Stake Land, The Mexican. Music: the Loose Cattle Band and solo records Dog Eared and Piety.

Student performers qualify to compete in the national program by winning top honors at regional high school musical theatre awards competitions presented by Broadway League member performing arts centers. Over 1,000 high schools and 50,000 students participate in these annual events. Since its inception in 2009, the NHSMTA has enabled over $1,000,000 in university and conservatory scholarships to be awarded to talented students at the national and local level-several of whom have already been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions.

NHSMTA nominees will prepare for their Broadway debut during a five-day professional training intensive with NYU Tisch School of the Arts' New Studio on Broadway faculty members plus other theatre professionals.

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges comprised of notable theatre professionals including Tony Award-winning producers and award-winning casting experts: Kent Gash (Associate Arts Professor; Founding Director, New Studio on Broadway, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama), Rachel Hoffman C.S.A. (Telsey + Company), Alecia Parker (Executive Producer, National Artists Management Company), Tara Rubin C.S.A. (Tara Rubin Casting), Nick Scandalios (Executive Vice President, The Nederlander Organization), Thomas Schumacher (President, Disney Theatrical Group) and Bernie Telsey C.S.A. (Telsey + Company).

Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC, Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), NHSMTA's mission is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, recognize dedicated teachers and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. Also known as The Jimmy™ Awards, in honor of legendary Broadway producer/theatre owner James M. Nederlander, the NHSMTA is supported by many leading theatre industry organizations. More information about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards can be found at nhsmta.com.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting NHSMTA.COM or TICKETMASTER.COM and range from $39 to $79. Premium seats are $175.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

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