Best Performer in a Leading Role

Best Performer in a Leading Role Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in The Jimmy Awards®, the Best Actor and Best Actress winners must have played a NHSMTA®-recognized leading role in their school’s production. For this reason, only students
playing a NHSMTA®-recognized leading role in their high school’s production will be eligible for the CAPA Marquee Awards’ Best Actor and/or Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Due to the nature of the award, the Best Performer in a Leading Role nominees and winners will be determined by both a production and audition score. Eligible 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 notify our 30 semifinalists on Monday, April 7. Semifinalists will be invited to attend a panel audition on Saturday, April 12, 2025, 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 Leading Role will be announced on Monday, April 14 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.

Required Forms for Panel Audition

Each student eligible for Best Performer in a Leading Role must complete and submit each of the required digital forms.

Forms will be available on February 10, 2025!

Each student eligible for Best Performer in a Leading Role must complete and submit each of the following digital forms by NOON on Friday, March 21, 2025. (Form will be available on February 10.)

• 2024-2025 Intent to Participate Form
• 2024-2025 Panel Audition Form
• 2024-2025 Emergency Medical & Release Form
• 2024-2025 Media Release Form 

Note: If you have already completed the 24-25 Emergency Medical Form and 24-25 Media Release Form for a workshop or master class this season, you do not need to complete them again. 

2025 Jimmy Awards® Eligibility

June 14-24, 2025, two CAPA Marquee Awards student nominees will join top musical theatre students from across the country in New York City for a CAPA-sponsored theatre intensive where they will experience private coaching, master classes, and rehearsals in preparation for a special showcase performance and the chance to compete for scholarships and the national title of Best Actor and Best Actress.

Student Participation Handbook

Information about the adjudication process, panel audition, nomination process, Marquee Awards Showcase participation, and the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® can all be found in the Student Handbook for Best Performer in a Leading Role-Eligible Performers.