Fabiola Caraballo Quijada and Chris Hayes have won the Best Performance by an Actor and Actress prizes at the 2025 Jimmy Awards. They each received a $25,000 scholarship. The 16th annual ceremony was held at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre June 23, with Tony nominee Josh Groban hosting (watch the entirety of the ceremony, with performances, here).
Quijada in her acceptance speech thanked her family, including those in Venezuela, saying, "This is what immigrants are capable of. This is the only the beginning, thank you so much."
Said Hayes in his acceptance speech: "This has been a dream forever. I've studied the Jimmys for years and years and years, ranging from 2009 to now."
The ceremony, highlighting the best of high school musical theatre talent, featured 110 nominees from 55 regional awards programs (culled down from over 150,000 students who put on shows in their school theatres). The evening featured ensemble and solo performances from each nominee. Then, finalists and the winners were named.
Quijada is from the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards in Dallas, Texas, where she won for playing Sandra Bloom in Big Fish. Hayes is from the Nevada High School Musical Theater Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he won for playing Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. Watch their award-winning solo performances at the Jimmys below.
But that isn't all. A number of other awards were given out Monday night. The winners of Outstanding Performance in an Ensemble Awards were Mira Cahalane (from Playhouse Square Dazzle Awards in Cleveland, Ohio), Kash Stevenson (Henry Mancini Awards from Midland, Pennsylvania), JJ McDonough (Philadelphia Independence Awards), Joshiah D. Jennings (The DPAC Rising Star Awards from Durham, North Carolina), and Jayden Vega (Broadway Star of the Future from Tampa, Florida)鈥攅ach won $2,000.
The Best Dancer Award, and $2,500, was given to Jamaur Houston (Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards). The Rising Star Award, and $2,500, was given to Gavin Evanson (The Monte Awards in Tucson, Arizona). The Spirit of the Jimmy Award, and $2,500, was given to Kevin Wilson (The Patty Duke Award in Boise, Idaho).
The finalists for the Best Actor and Best Actress Awards, who each receive $5,000, are: JJ Korkin (Kravis Center Dream Awards in Palm Beach, Forida), Adam Bouchachia (Applause Awards in Orlando, Florida), Kayla Rae (The Lucie Arnaz Awards in Palm Springs, California), Dawson Fullingim (Discovery Awards in Tulsa, Oklahoma), Seger Ott-Rudolph (Brandon Victor Dixon Awards in Washington, D.C.), and Kinsley Stephens (Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards鈥擲huler Hensley Awards in Atlanta, Georgia).
It wasn't just students. Elena Ferrante-Martin (from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada) and KoKo M. Thornton (from Enloe High School in Durham, North Carolina) each won the 2025 Inspiring Teacher Award. Jimmy Award co-founder and choreographer Kiesha Lalama also won the Honorary Jimmy Awards.
The nominees were also invited to New York City for a 10-day theatre intensive that includes coaching sessions, training, and rehearsals led by some of Broadway鈥檚 most accomplished professionals.
Coaching this year's Jimmy nominees were Jenni Barber, Lisa Brescia, Janet Dacal, Colin Hanlon, Lily Kaufmann, Adam J. Levy, Julia Murney, Desi Oakley, Eliseo Rom谩n, Q. Smith, Steven Telsey, and EJ Zimmerman. The judging panel, which will select finalists and winners, comprises Montego Glover, LaChanze, Joe Machota, Alecia Parker, Marc Platt, Tara Rubin, Nick Scandalios, Bernard Telsey, and Lia Vollack. Preliminary judges included Kristian Charbonier, Stephanie Klapper, Sammy Lopez, Kevin Metzger-Timson, Dale A. Mott, Cody Renard Richard, and Rachel Sussman.
Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC, Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance, the mission of the Jimmys (also known as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards) is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, honor dedicated teachers, and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts. Named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the program has been the catalyst for more than $6,000,000 in educational scholarships.
READ: 20 Jimmy Award Alums Who Are Now Theatre Favorites
Since its inception, a number of Jimmy Award participants have gone on to lead Broadway shows, including Jasmine Amy Rogers (of Boop), Renee Rapp (Mean Girls), and Eva Noblezada (Cabaret).
