The CAPA Marquee Awards Presented by American Electric Power Foundation gives participating schools and students the opportunity to win awards for artistic excellence in several categories.

Awards Criteria

BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION

Five high school musical theatre productions will be recognized as nominees in this award category. The five nominees and one winner will be determined by adjudicator scores. High schools receiving nominations for Best Musical Production will be invited to perform a 5- minute number from their award-winning musical at the Awards Showcase.

BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS IN A JIMMY AWARDS QUALIFYING ROLE

To be eligible to participate in The Jimmy Awards®, the Best Actor and Best Actress winners must have played a NHSMTA®-recognized qualifying role in their school’s production. For this reason, only students playing a NHSMTA®-recognized qualifying role in their high school’s production will be eligible for the CAPA Marquee Awards’ Best Actor and/or Best Actress in a Jimmy Awards Qualifying Role. (Jimmy Awards-qualifying roles may be classified as either leading or supporting roles within the CAPA Marquee Awards program.)

Due to the nature of the award, the Best Actor and Best Actress in a Jimmy Awards Qualifying Role nominees and winners will be determined by both a production and audition score. Qualifying students receive a production score from the adjudicators who attend their school productions. The adjudicated score will count as 65% of the total score. Based on school production scores, we will announce our 20-30 semifinalists on Thursday, April 8, 2027. The final number of semi-finalists will be based on the number of eligible roles we have this year.

Semifinalists will be invited to attend a panel audition on Saturday, April 10, 2027, from 10am-3:30pm at the Ohio Theatre. The panel audition will consist of a song and dance audition. The scores from the panel audition will count as 35% of the total score and will be combined with semifinalists’ production scores to determine our finalists and winners.

The ten finalists (5 actors and 5 actresses) receiving nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress in a Jimmy Awards Eligible Role will be announced on Monday, April 12, 2027, at 3pm and will be invited to perform a solo from their nominated role at the Awards Showcase as part of the Best Actor and Best Actress numbers.

Please note: Only registered high school students will be eligible to receive this award.

BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

For purposes of this awards program, a leading role will be classified as a principal role that carries the primary responsibility for advancing the story and is featured more prominently than supporting, ensemble, or feature roles. A performer in a leading role must have both substantial solo lines of dialogue and a featured musical solo during the musical production. 

All leading roles will be automatically adjudicated.

Ten student performers (5 actors and 5 actresses) will be recognized as nominees in this award category. Nominees and winners will be determined by adjudicator scores.

Please note: Only registered high school students will be eligible to receive this award.

BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

For purposes of this awards program, a supporting role will be classified as a role below that of a leading role and above that of a bit or ensemble part. A performer in a supporting role must have both solo lines of dialogue and perform substantial solo singing during the musical production.

All Jimmy Awards-qualifying roles will automatically be adjudicated. Other supporting roles may be adjudicated if the total number of Jimmy Awards-qualifying roles does not total eight (8) roles. 

Ten student performers (5 actors and 5 actresses) will be recognized as nominees in this award category. Nominees and winners will be determined by adjudicator scores.

Please note: Only registered high school students will be eligible to receive this award.

BEST DIRECTION

Five directors will be recognized as nominees in this award category. The nominees and winners will be determined by adjudicator scores.

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE

Five ensembles will be recognized as nominees in this award category. The nominees and winners will be determined by adjudicator scores.

Please note: At least 80% of the total ensemble must be high school students to be eligible for an Outstanding Ensemble. No more than 20% of the total ensemble may consist of non-high school students.

OUTSTANDING DANCE EXECUTION

Five high school musical theatre productions will be recognized as nominees in this award category. The nominees and winners will be determined by adjudicator scores.

Please note: At least 80% of the total ensemble must be high school students to be eligible for an Outstanding Dance Execution. No more than 20% of the total ensemble may consist of non-high school students.

OUTSTANDING STUDENT ORCHESTRA

Up to five student orchestras will be recognized as nominees in this award category. The nominees and winners will be determined by adjudicator scores.

Please note: At least 60% of the total orchestra must be high school students to be eligible for an Outstanding Student Orchestra award. No more than 40% of the total orchestra may be adults and/or professionals. If the conductor plays with the orchestra, she/he is counted as an adult and/or professional musician, unless the conductor is a registered high school student.

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL EXECUTION

Five high school musical theatre productions will be recognized as nominees in this award category. The five nominees and one winner will be determined by adjudicator scores.

Please note: At least 80% of the total technical run crew must be high school students to be eligible for an Outstanding Technical Execution award. No more than 20% of the technical run crew may consist of non-high school students.

BACKSTAGE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Five backstage crews or group of students demonstrating excellence behind-the-scenes may be recognized as nominees in this award category. Teachers are responsible for nominating students for this award. An adjudication panel will select the final nominees and winners in this category.

View Backstage Excellence Guidelines

Submit Application for Backstage Excellence  – The deadline for applications is NOON on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

OUTSTANDING STUDENT DESIGNER

Five students demonstrating excellence in costume, hair & makeup, lighting, scenic, sound, and props design may be recognized as nominees in this award category. Students are responsible for applying for this award. An adjudication panel will select the final nominees and winners in this category.

View Outstanding Student Designer Guidelines

Apply for Outstanding Student Designer Award  – The deadline for applications is NOON on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

NATIONAL STUDENT REPORTER

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® is seeking two Student Reporters from around the country to travel to New York to cover the 2025 Jimmy Awards® on social media on both the official Jimmy Awards® channels and the student reporters’ personal channels. Up to two outstanding high school students at a participating CAPA Marquee Awards school will be nominated to compete to represent central Ohio in the national competition in late June 2025.

View National Student Reporter Guidelines

Apply for National Student Reporter – The deadline for applications is NOON on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.