Corbin Bleu to Host the 14th Annual Jimmy Awards
High School Musical? More like the National High School Musical Theatre Awards! Corbin Bleu will host the 14th annual Jimmy Awards ceremony taking place on Monday, June 26, 2023 at 7:30pm. This marks his second time in the role as he first hosted the ceremony in 2021. The Jimmy Awards return to the Minskoff Theatre.
The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, better known as the Jimmy Awards, is a coast-to-coast celebration of outstanding student achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance. The 2023 Jimmy Awards features 96 nominees from 48 regional awards programs making their Broadway dreams come true as they perform live at the Minskoff Theatre. During this unforgettable talent showcase, a panel of judges will select two students to receive the coveted awards of Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress.
“I’m so honored to come back and host the Jimmys live and in person this year! Having this opportunity to support and celebrate high school musical theatre and the importance of arts education fills my heart,” said Bleu.
The evening will also feature the INSPIRING TEACHER AWARD presented by WELLS FARGO honoring two teachers, who during the previous school year, provided valuable guidance and encouragement for their students pursuing performing arts. This is a recognition of the importance of theatre arts education in schools.
Corbin Bleu has established himself as an actor, singer/songwriter, dancer, voiceover/ recording artist, host/television personality, and producer. Bleu is probably best known for his role as Chad Danforth in Disney’s Emmy Award-winning High School Musical franchise.
Bleu last appeared on Broadway as Lucentio/Bill Calhoun in the Tony-nominated, 2019 revival of Kiss Me Kate for the Roundabout Theatre Company at the legendary Studio 54. He also headlined as Ted Hanover in the Tony-nominated production of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, winning him the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show. Additional Broadway credits include: Godspell (Jesus) and In the Heights (Usnavi). Other stage highlights include Hairspray (Seaweed) and Mamma Mia! (Sky), both at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. In 2018, he starred as Don Lockwood, the role made famous by Gene Kelly in The Muny's centennial season production of Singin' in the Rain as well as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. That year he was honored with the Entertainer of the Year Award from the Tremaine National Gala honoring his work in the dance industry. In 2023, Bleu performed at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for a Broadway Collections TV special called Black Broadway: A Proud History, A Limitless Future which aired on PBS during Black History Month.
The Jimmy Awards®/The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) program impacts 140,000 students who participate in nearly 50 regional high musical theatre competitions sponsored by presenters of touring Broadway productions throughout the United States. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships.
For more information, visit www.JimmyAwards.com.
