A Strange Loop Tony nominee Jaquel Spivey hosts the 2022-23 Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance May 21 at 4 PM at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan.
Prior to the May 21 event, the high school students participated in a day-long performance intensive taught by Broadway professionals: actors Jason Gotay, Jarvis B. Manning, Shannon Mullen, and Correy West and music directors Isaac Harlan, Sean Mayes, Julianne B. Merrill, and Christine Riley. This team selected the 12 Roger Rees Awards finalists.
Sponsored by Disney Theatrical Group and the Tony-nominated Kimberly Akimbo, the awards ceremony features two musical production numbers featuring the 54 Roger Rees Awards nominees and the 12 solo performances by award finalists. For the complete list of Roger Rees Awards nominees, click here.
The Roger Rees Awards is directed and choreographed by Theo Lencicki with music direction by Christine Riley.
To be eligible to participate in The Roger Rees Awards, a student must have performed a qualifying role in an officially licensed high school production during the 2022-2023 academic year. Students from 53 high schools located throughout New York compete for Outstanding Performer in a Musical. Judges include Michael Arden, Kiara Brown Clark, Greg Nobile, Merri Sugarman, Jeanine Tesori, and Cynthia Thole. Two students selected by this panel will represent the greater New York area at The Broadway League Foundation’s The Jimmy Awards June 26 at the Minskoff.
Broadway Education Alliance and Roger Rees Awards Founder Susan Lee said in a recent statement, “Encouraging and educating students about theatre is vital. These young artists are the next generation of performers and theatre audiences. We strive to inspire interest, nurture talent and to recognize excellence in these emerging theatre artists.”
Tickets are on sale by clicking here.
