History
Since 2009, the Straz Center’s Broadway Star of the Future Program has celebrated outstanding student achievement in high school theater. Up to 2016, the awards were given in conjunction with the Florida State Thespians Mainstage Committee. For the awards in the 2016-17 school year, The Broadway League invited member professional theaters to select representative students using an adjudication model, opening the door for The Straz to recognize regional high school productions and host its own regional award ceremony. The first Broadway Star of the Future Awards Showcase was held June 4, 2017.
National High School Musical Theatre Awards
The Broadway Star of the Future Awards program is the Tampa Bay area’s regional awards program affiliated with the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) or the Jimmy Awards®, named in honor of James M. Nederlander, legendary Broadway theater owner and producer. The Jimmy Awards® for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor are awarded annually to two grand prize winners selected from a group of student performers representing participating professional theaters. For more information on the Jimmy Awards®, visit jimmyawards.com.
Eligibility
Local public and private high schools and/or collaborative multi-school or school district productions in surrounding counties may apply to receive adjudication and participate in the Broadway Star of the Future Awards Showcase which features performances by Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Musical nominees. Tampa Bay area theater professionals, college faculty and industry experts serve as reviewers for productions from participating high schools. The high school theater educator receives valuable feedback on their performance and category awards are tabulated based on reviewer ratings.
Purpose
The Straz Center’s Broadway Star of the Future Awards program focuses much-needed attention on the meaningful work being done on and off the stage by dedicated teachers and students in their high school theater programs. By honoring individual artistry in vocal, dance and acting performance, and honoring theater educators’ and administrators’ commitment to performing arts education, the Broadway Star of the Future Awards seek to encourage excellence in the performing arts, engage families in the activities of their students, ignite a far-reaching partnership between the Straz Center and area schools and contribute to the development of future audiences for live performing arts in the Tampa Bay area.
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2022-2023 Participating Schools
All Saints Academy
Alonso High School
Bayshore Christian School
Berkeley Preparatory School
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
Bradenton Christian School
Calvary Christian High School
Canterbury School
Clearwater High School
Community School of Naples
Countryside High School
Cypress Lake High School
Dunedin High School
East Lake High School
Gaither High School
Gulf Coast High School
Harrison School for the Arts
Hillsborough High School
Hollins High School
Howard W. Blake School of the Arts
Largo High School
Manatee High School
Manatee School for the Arts
Newsome High School
North Fort Myers High School
Northeast High School
Northside Christian School
Osceola Fundamental High School
Out of Door Academy
Palm Harbor University High School
Parrish Community High School
PCCA at Gibbs High School
Plant City High School
Plant High School
River Ridge High School
Riverview High School
Shorecrest Preparatory School
Sickles High School
St. Petersburg Catholic High School
Steinbrenner High School
Tampa Preparatory School
Tarpon Springs High School
Wharton High School
Wiregrass Ranch High School