On Monday, June 24, Broadway's Minskoff Theatre played host to the brightest musical theatre stars of the next generation at the 2019 Jimmy Awards. Now for those not in the know, The Jimmy Awards are actually the National High School Musical Theater Awards honoring the best of high school talent around the country. The winners of the 11th annual Jimmy Awards were Ethan Kelso (who starred as Will Bloom in Big Fish at Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts in Logan, Utah) and Ekele Ukegbu (who played the title character in Aida at Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School in Nassau County, New York). Side note: Where are the boots, Elmont?! I want some "Gods of Nubia"! Scroll on to see Ethan and Ekele perform their solo numbers from the night in the clips below, then throw it back to performances by some Jimmy Awards alumni who have made their way to Broadway.
Ehtan Kelso sings "Wondering" from The Bridges of Madison County, 2019
Ekele Ukegbu sings "I'm Here" from The Color Purple, 2019
#BroadwayHereTheyCome
2018 winner Andrew Barth Feldman (currently starring as Evan Hansen in Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen
2018 winner Reneé Rapp (currently starring as Regina George in Broadway's Mean Girls)
2014 winner Jai'Len Christine Josey (currently co-starring as Sugar Girl in off-Broadway's The Secret Life of Bees)
2013 finalist Eva Noblezada (currently starring as Eurydice in Broadway's Hadestown)
2013 nominee John Clay III (recently seen on Broadway as AJ in Choir Boy)
2012 winner Joshua Grosso (currently starring as Marius in the national tour of Les Miserables)
2011 winner Ryan McCartan (recently seen on Broadway as Fiyero in Wicked)
2011 nominee Christian Thompson (currently starring as Smokey Robinson in Ain't Too Proud)
2010 winner Kyle Selig (currently starring as Aaron Samuels in Broadway's Mean Girls)
2010 finalist Stephanie Styles (currently starring as Lois Lane/Bianca in Broadway's Kiss Me, Kate)
