The Jerry Herman Awards

THE JERRY HERMAN AWARDS is a local celebration dedicated to recognizing, encouraging, and rewarding achievements and excellence in high school musical theatre. It is the local award ceremony for THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS, also known as The Jimmy’s, which take place annually at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway in New York City. Every year two students are sent to New York to represent Los Angeles at The Jimmy’s to participate in a week-long workshop and compete for the coveted Jimmy Award, named after the late James M. Nederlander.

 

CLICK HERE • 2025 JERRY HERMAN AWARD NOMINEES

During a six-month period, this school year, over fifty eligible high school productions were either attended in person or judged virtually by adjudicators, and scored in multiple creative, technical and performance categories, like Broadway’s Tony® Awards. The list of nominees for THE 13th ANNUAL JERRY HERMAN AWARDS are:

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

  • Charter Oak HS | Anything Goes
  • Immaculate Heart HS | Little Shop of Horrors
  • Brentwood School | Matilda
  • El Camino Real Charter HS | Between the Lines
  • Thousand Oaks HS | Zombie Prom
  • The Archer School for Girls | Mamma Mia!

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

  • Palos Verdes HS | Once Upon a Mattress
  • Arcadia HS | 9 to 5
  • HArts Academy | In the Heights
  • Wildwood School | Mamma Mia!
  • New Roads | Rent
  • St. Francis HS | Les Misérables

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

  • Charter Oak HS | Anything Goes
  • Redondo Union | Matilda
  • Newbury Park HS | Newsies
  • Canyon HS | Rocky
  • Diamond Bar HS | Once Upon a One More Time
  • Marlborough School | Alice By Heart
  • Arcadia HS | 9 to 5

BEST ORCHESTRA

  • Long Beach Polytechnic HS | The Little Mermaid
  • Oak Park HS | Mean Girls
  • Beverly Hills HS | Mary Poppins
  • Millikan HS | Grease
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Oakwood HS | Mean Girls

BEST ENSEMBLE OR CHORUS

  • Milken Community School | Shrek the Musical
  • Diamond Bar HS | Once Upon a One More Time
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Da Vinci Schools | Grease
  • West Covina HS | Hadestown
  • Royal HS | Something Rotten!

BEST MUSICAL STAGING & CHOREOGRAPHY

  • Village Christian School | Anything Goes
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Marlborough School | Alice By Heart
  • Grace School | Hadestown
  • LACHSA | Footloose
  • Palisades Charter HS | The Addams Family

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION

  • Harvard-Westlake School | Hadestown
  • Windward School | Into the Woods
  • Notre Dame Academy | Annie
  • El Segundo HS | Newsies
  • Glendora HS | The Addams Family
  • Notre Dame HS | Into the Woods

BEST TECHNICAL CREW

  • The Buckley School | Something Rotten!
  • Redondo Union HS | Matilda
  • Culver City HS | Grease
  • Ambassador Christian School | Cinderella
  • Chadwick School | The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee
  • St. Francis HS | Les Misérables

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Evan Baker as Will Bloom • John Burroughs HS | Big Fish
  • Joel Lavapie as Moonface Martin • Charter Oak HS | Anything Goes
  • Reid Chariton as Lord Farquaad • Milken Community School | Shrek the Musical
  • Christian Valles as Paul San Marco • Ramon C. Cortines School of VPA | A Chorus Line
  • Ryan Bohmholdt as Jack • Notre Dame HS | Into the Woods
  • Axel Truitt as Amos Hart • Crescenta Valley HS | Chicago: HS Edition

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Ella Wesson as Velma Kelly • University High Charter | Chicago: HS Edition
  • Maya Bamford as Bea • The Buckley School | Something Rotten!
  • Elyse Ramirez as Benjamin Franklin • Louisville HS | 1776
  • Brooklyn Witwit as Persephone • Chaminade College Preparatory HS | Hadestown
  • Bianca Guiga as Rooster Hannigan • Notre Dame Academy | Annie
  • Jaylene Tarin as Daniela • Covina HS | In the Heights

"NO SMALL PARTS" AWARD

  • Calista Lopez as Les Filles La Ville • Saint Joseph HS | Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
  • Nora Shayne as Kevin G. • Oakwood School | Mean Girls
  • Alexander Ramirez as Snoopy • AMPA @ Hamilton HS | You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
  • Asher Prady as Shylock • The Buckley School | Something Rotten!
  • Pearson Loesser as Kyle • Providence HS | Legally Blonde
  • Pedro Valdez as Lurch Addams • Glendora HS | The Addams Family

BEST PRODUCTION

  • John Burroughs HS | Big Fish
  • Calabasas HS | Urinetown
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Arcadia HS | 9 to 5
  • Palisades Charter HS | The Addams Family
  • Notre Dame HS | Into the Woods

IMPORTANT TICKET INFORMATION

  • TICKETS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO ALL JERRY HERMAN AWARDS PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS VIA PRIVATE PRESALE NOW THROUGH MON, APR 28TH AT 11:59PM. PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL'S ARTS ADMINISTRATOR FOR TICKETING AVAILABILITY.
  • ALL REMAINING TICKETS WILL BE RELEASED FOR PUBLIC SALE AT 10AM ON TUESDAY, APRIL 29TH. Meaning, if any schools / parents / students / etc seek additional tickets beyond the 13 original tickets allotted, they will have an opportunity to purchase any remaining tickets at that time.
  • ALL NOMINATED SCHOOLS will be provided TWO (2) complimentary tickets, to be used SPECIFICALLY by the school representative and guest – who would accept any / all Jerry Herman Awards for any nominated category. These tickets will be distributed at a later date.
  • ALL STUDENTS NOMINATED FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS or BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR or “NO SMALL PARTS AWARD” will have TWO (2) complimentary tickets for the show, and will be assigned seats under their names. These tickets will be distributed at a later date.
  • ALL STUDENT NOMINEES FOR BEST ACTRESS & BEST ACTOR (the students who will be auditioning for the chance to go to NYC and compete) – will not need to purchase tickets for themselves as they will be seated in the theatre if NOT chosen to be finalists during Act One of our competition. Finalists who are chosen will remain backstage in preparation for their auditions and therefore will not need a ticket.
  • ALL STUDENT PERFORMERS in production numbers during our show will not be seated in the theatre, but will be held in areas of the theatre in preparation for their on stage group performance. There will be monitors backstage so that they can watch the show. This is due to seating restrictions in the theatre.

MEET YOUR HOSTS

Valentine has been a staple in Los Angeles radio for over 25 years. Valentine hosts the incredibly popular show "Valentine in the Morning." Valentine is married 27 years to his beautiful wife Leilani, and they have one amazing teenage son Colin.

Valentine is a regular reader to patients at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, and helps build houses in Tijuana, Mexico. Valentine in the Morning is IN the community, raising funds for charities: The American Red Cross, The M.S. Society, The Girls Scouts of America, Alzheimer's Association and Homes for Our Troops. Ever a supporter of our military, Valentine has also hosted 10 overseas USO shows.

Ask Valentine to recite his favorite Shakespear monologue and you'll be in for a ride.

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Co-Host of "Valentine in the Morning," Jill grew up in the San Fernando Valley and loves keeping you company as you start your day with 104.3 MYfm.

Jill has been featured on the KTLA 5 Morning News, "The Morning Wrap," on KCAL and she is an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Her positive & upbeat perspectives are a refreshing treat for Valentine in the Morning's loyal listeners across the country. Jill is the oldest of 3 girls and is a loving aunt to her 2 nieces and nephew.

Jill is a HUGE fan of Broadway and musical theatre. Her very first Broadway show was here at the Hollywood Pantages - when she saw Disney's THE LION KING with her family. Jill is incredibly honored to be a part of THE JERRY HERMAN AWARDS celebratory evening. You can follow her on Instagram: @jillianelaine.

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MEET OUR JUDGES

Nicole Parker is an accomplished actress with a dynamic career spanning Television, Film, and the Broadway stage. As an actor; her Broadway credits include: “Wicked” (Elphaba), “Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me” (Original Broadway Cast), and most recently the Off-Broadway sensation “Titanique” (Céline Dion). She also starred in the critically acclaimed production of “Reefer Madness: The Musical” (Mae) right here in Hollywood. Television audiences know Nicole from her celebrated run on the iconic sketch comedy series MADtv, where her impressions and original characters made her a standout. She has also appeared on shows such as “Hot in Cleveland”, and “Key & Peele.”  Her film credits include “Funny People” (directed by Judd Apatow), and “Meet the Spartans”, where her comedic timing was on full display. She has also lent her voice to numerous animated projects and audiobooks. A skilled comedian and vocalist, Nicole has performed with the acclaimed improv group The Groundlings, and regularly appears in comedy shows and live musical parodies across the country. She also co-hosts a podcast with Paul F. Tompkins called "The Neighborhood Listen." She is a frequent collaborator with Broadway and comedy talents alike. Graduate of Indiana University. @nfparkergirl on Instagram

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Eric Petersen has worked extensively in Television and the Broadway stage. As an Actor; his Broadway credits include: “School of Rock” (Dewey Finn), “Shrek: The Musical” (Shrek on the 1st National Tour and Shrek Standby on Broadway), “Escape To Margaritaville” (Brick, OBC), and “Peter & The Starcatcher” (Ted).  His television  credits include: Kevin on “Kevin Can F*** Himself” on AMC,  Ant’ney on the hit children’s show “Madagascar: A Little Wild” on Hulu (EMMY Nominated for his role), and “Kirstie” (TVLand) where he played the Series Regular role of Arlo Barth alongside Kirstie Alley, Rhea Perlman, and Michael Richards. Eric was also recently seen in “High Desert” for AppleTV+, and “The Curse” on Showtime. Eric has made guest star appearances on “Big Bang Theory”, “Modern Family”, “NCIS”, “CSI”, “GCB”, “The Brittany Murphy Story”.  Eric has many Disney channel credits including the shows “Jessie”, “Sydney To The Max”, “Kirby Buckets” and “Pair of Kings”. Eric appeared in the Oscar-nominated Coen Brothers’ film “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” for Netflix. As a Director, his work includes the shows “Play That Goes Wrong”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, and “Escape To Margaritaville”. Graduate of Bradley University. @ericpete on Instagram.

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Connie Jackson is a singer/actress, born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. Her credits range from “DREAMGIRLS” on Broadway to touring the world with pop music icon Phil Collins, to primetime television as Elaine on NCIS. Connie can also be seen as Aunt Ellis in Ethan Coen’s DRIVE AWAY DOLLS, Rene Lewis in CAMERA, and Beth in the upcoming feature THE SHERIFF. An avid animal activist, Connie volunteers her spare time photographing shelter animals and encourages you to adopt, don't shop. www.conniejackson.com. Instagram: @theconniejackson.

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Janelle Dote Portman is an LA based actor, singer, dancer, choreographer and coach.  She is a California native and a UCLA graduate with a BA in Theatre Arts.  Storytelling, in all forms, is her vessel to connect human to human + heart to art. Broadway: Allegiance (Executor, Mrs. Maruyama, Asst. Dance Captain-Longacre), Selected regional credits include: American Idiot (Associate Choreographer - CTG, Deaf West), Allegiance (Executor, Mrs. Maruyama, Assistant Choreographer-EWP),  Paint Your Wagon (Kwai-Fa-Geffen), Takarazuka! (Onstage Yuko-EWP), Flower Drum Song (Linda Low-Woodminster), Avenue Q (Christmas Eve-DOMA), Mulan (Matchmaker-Tuacahn), Peter Pan (Tiger Lily-Cabrillo), The King & I (Eliza-Cabrillo), Seussical! (Bird Girl- CLOSBC), Damn Yankees (Reprise!) and six worldwide productions of Miss Saigon. Selected film/TV: Memoirs of a Geisha, The Young & the Restless, Everybody Hates Chris, The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll. Selected choreography/dance: Berlin, 3OH!3, Blink 182, MTV Asia, Nike Asia.

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Jeff Loeb is President of Broadway in Hollywood, overseeing the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and the Nederlander West Coast Regional Season Ticket Office that manages the season ticket operations for 7 Nederlander Broadway touring markets. Jeff has been the chief strategist for Broadway in Hollywood’s dedication to patron loyalty which catapulted their growth to 45,000 season ticket holders as well as record grosses for extended engagements of Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton.  Over the last 22 years, he has been privileged to work with over 200 Broadway touring productions.  A volunteer both in the entertainment industry and in the Hollywood community at large, Jeff is currently an Executive Board member of the Broadway League, where he is a Tony® Voter, Board Treasurer for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Trust, and Board member of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.  Jeff is President Emeritus of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Vice President Emeritus for the Hollywood Police Activities League, and past Gala Chair for the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society and Museum.

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NHSMTA | Qualifying Best Actor/Actress Roles 2025

CLICK HERE to view the qualifying roles for Best Actor and Best Actress nominations.

2024 JERRY HERMAN AWARD WINNERS

BEST ACTRESS

  • Marley Garner - Canyon High School

BEST ACTOR

  • Mauricio Lara - John Burroughs High School

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

  • Charter Oak High School - Something Rotten

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

  • Oakwood School - 9 to 5

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

  • New Roads School - Hairspray

BEST ORCHESTRA

  • Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual & Performing Arts - Cabaret

BEST TECHNICAL CREW

  • Ambassador Christian School - Anastasia

BEST ENSEMBLE OR CHORUS

  • Providence High School - Les Miserables

BEST MUSICAL STAGING OR CHOREOGRAPHY

  • John Burroughs High School - Shrek the Musical

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION

  • Louisville High School - The Secret Garden

BEST PRODUCTION

  • Village Christian School - Beauty & the Beast

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Agoura HS | Legally Blonde | Lucas Wienken as Professor Callahan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Palisades Charter HS | Mean Girls | Annika Johansson as Regina George“NO

SMALL PARTS” AWARD

  • Royal HS | Mean Girls | Aedyn Fredericksen as Shane Oman

Competing in the JERRY HERMAN AWARDS

Each year, Broadway in Hollywood hosts the Jerry Herman High School Musical Theatre Awards with one goal: to constructively support local high school performing arts programs. Both public and private high schools from all over Los Angeles County submit productions for consideration across twelve performance and technical categories:

  • Scenic Design
  • Lighting Design
  • Costume Design
  • Orchestra
  • Ensemble/Chorus
  • Musical Staging/Choreography
  • Musical Direction
  • Technical Crew
  • Supporting Actor
  • Supporting Actress
  • "No Small Parts"
  • Best Production

The Hollywood Pantages sends volunteer adjudicators to all of the performances. In the spring, a team at the Pantages, determine the nominees using the adjudicators’ notes and a digital recording of the production. 

To compete for the best actor and best actress categories, each participating school sends one male and one female lead to audition in front of a panel of industry judges. For two days leading up the award show, the best actor and actress nominees are narrowed down to three male and three female finalists. The six finalists perform a solo number on the night of the awards, with a trip to New York to participate in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmys) awarded to the final male and female contestants.

Adjudicator Application

Please CLICK HERE to sign up to be a volunteer adjudicator for the 2024 Jerry Herman Awards. Once you sign up, a member of our team will be contacting you with more information.

NHSMTA | The Jimmy Awards

CLICK HERE for information about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (AKA: "The Jimmy Awards")

Interested in Participating? Contact Us!

Partcicipation Forms for the 2025 Jerry Herman Awards are now CLOSED. If you would like to participate next year, please email JHAWARDS@NEDERLANDER.COM  with your school's name, production, production dates, and a contact and someone from our team will connect with you!

2025 JERRY HERMAN AWARD NOMINEES

During a six-month period, this school year, over fifty eligible high school productions were either attended in person or judged virtually by adjudicators, and scored in multiple creative, technical and performance categories, like Broadway’s Tony® Awards. The list of nominees for THE 13th ANNUAL JERRY HERMAN AWARDS are:

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

  • Charter Oak HS | Anything Goes
  • Immaculate Heart HS | Little Shop of Horrors
  • Brentwood School | Matilda
  • El Camino Real Charter HS | Between the Lines
  • Thousand Oaks HS | Zombie Prom
  • The Archer School for Girls | Mamma Mia!

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

  • Palos Verdes HS | Once Upon a Mattress
  • Arcadia HS | 9 to 5
  • HArts Academy | In the Heights
  • Wildwood School | Mamma Mia!
  • New Roads | Rent
  • St. Francis HS | Les Misérables

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

  • Charter Oak HS | Anything Goes
  • Redondo Union | Matilda
  • Newbury Park HS | Newsies
  • Diamond Bar HS | Once Upon a One More Time
  • Marlborough School | Alice By Heart
  • Arcadia HS | 9 to 5

BEST ORCHESTRA

  • Long Beach Polytechnic HS | The Little Mermaid
  • Oak Park HS | Mean Girls
  • Beverly Hills HS | Mary Poppins
  • Millikan HS | Grease
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Oakwood HS | Mean Girls

BEST ENSEMBLE OR CHORUS

  • Milken Community School | Shrek the Musical
  • Diamond Bar HS | Once Upon a One More Time
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Da Vinci Schools | Grease
  • West Covina HS | Hadestown
  • Royal HS | Something Rotten!

BEST MUSICAL STAGING & CHOREOGRAPHY

  • Village Christian School | Anything Goes
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Marlborough School | Alice By Heart
  • Grace School | Hadestown
  • LACHSA | Footloose
  • Palisades Charter HS | The Addams Family

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION

  • Harvard-Westlake School | Hadestown
  • Windward School | Into the Woods
  • Notre Dame Academy | Annie
  • El Segundo HS | Newsies
  • Glendora HS | The Addams Family
  • Notre Dame HS | Into the Woods

BEST TECHNICAL CREW

  • The Buckley School | Something Rotten!
  • Redondo Union HS | Matilda
  • Culver City HS | Grease
  • Ambassador Christian School | Cinderella
  • Chadwick School | The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee
  • St. Francis HS | Les Misérables

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Evan Baker as Will Bloom • John Burroughs HS | Big Fish
  • Joel Lavapie as Moonface Martin • Charter Oak HS | Anything Goes
  • Reid Chariton as Lord Farquaad • Milken Community School | Shrek the Musical
  • Christian Valles as Paul San Marco • Ramon C. Cortines School of VPA | A Chorus Line
  • Ryan Bohmholdt as Jack • Notre Dame HS | Into the Woods
  • Axel Truitt as Amos Hart • Crescenta Valley HS | Chicago: HS Edition

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Ella Wesson as Velma Kelly • University High Charter | Chicago: HS Edition
  • Maya Bamford as Bea • The Buckley School | Something Rotten!
  • Elyse Ramirez as Benjamin Franklin • Louisville HS | 1776
  • Brooklyn Witwit as Persephone • Chaminade College Preparatory HS | Hadestown
  • Bianca Guiga as Rooster Hannigan • Notre Dame Academy | Annie
  • Haylene Tarin as Daniela • Covina HS | In the Heights

"NO SMALL PARTS" AWARD

  • Calista Lopez as Les Filles La Ville • Saint Joseph HS | Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
  • Nora Shayne as Kevin G. • Oakwood School | Mean Girls
  • Alexander Ramirez as Snoopy • AMPA @ Hamilton HS | You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
  • Asher Prady as Shylock • The Buckley School | Something Rotten!
  • Pearson Loesser as Kyle • Providence HS | Legally Blonde
  • Pedro Valdez as Lurch Addams • Glendora HS | The Addams Family

BEST PRODUCTION

  • John Burroughs HS | Big Fish
  • Calabasas HS | Urinetown
  • Agoura HS | 42nd Street
  • Arcadia HS | 9 to 5
  • Palisades Charter HS | The Addams Family
  • Notre Dame HS | Into the Woods