Broadway vet and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star Kate Reinders will host the 2022 Jimmy Awards, the first in-person ceremony for the honors recognizing the best in high school musical theatre performers nationwide since 2019. The event is planned for Broadway's Minskoff Theatre June 27 at 7:30 PM ET. The ceremony will also stream live on Playbill.
"I feel honored to be hosting the 2022 Jimmy Awards,” says Reinders in a statement. “If the last few years playing Miss Jenn on HSMTMTS has taught me anything, it’s that nothing makes me feel more inspired and alive than being surrounded by extremely talented young people. I can’t wait!"
The Jimmy Awards ceremony is the annual culmination of more than 40 nationwide regional awards—representing more than 140,000 students at 1,800 high schools across 25 states—honoring the best in high school musical theatre, bringing regional winners together for a week of events, workshops, and master classes with industry professionals in New York City. The week culminates in a final ceremony on a Broadway stage, where nominees compete with performances to earn the top titles and college scholarships. The return to an in-person event follows an online event earlier this year and the cancellation of the 2020 ceremony.
On hand to coach this year's cohort of nominees are Desi Oakley, Max Chernin, Howard McGillin, Janet Dacal, Maryann Hu, Denis Jones, and Jacques Smith. Judging the final performances will be High School Musical: The Musical: The Series showrunner and writer Tim Federle, Broadway performer Montego Glover, producers Brian Moreland and Alecia Parker, and casting directors Tara Rubin and Bernie Telsey, with Kristian Charbonier, Stephanie Klapper, Kevin Metzger-Timson, Dale Mott, and Seth Sklar-Heyn selecting finalists prior to the June 27 ceremony.
Last year's Jimmy winners for Best Performance by an Actress and Actor, Elena Holder and Bryson Battle, respectively, will introduce the Inspiring Teacher Award, presented by Wells Fargo, to their respective theatre teachers Kristin Winchester and Ian Sullivan.