Tampa, Fla. – The Straz Center for the Performing Arts has awarded local high school students Janiyah McAllister and Josh Devine the prize of performing on Broadway in New York City and representing the Straz Center in the 2022 National High School Musical Theatre Awards, known as The Jimmys®, on Monday, June 27, at 7 p.m., at Minskoff Theatre. They will work with professional directors and producers and be considered for several recognitions, including a $10,000 college scholarship.
Josh Devine, age 17, just graduated from Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto and has studied musical theater at the Patel Conservatory. He was selected for his portrayal of Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde. Janiyah McAllister, 16, is a junior at Harrison School for the Arts in Lakeland and lives in Davenport. She performed as Esmerelda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, singing “God Help the Outcasts.”
McAllister and Devine were selected for this honor on May 22 at the Broadway Star of the Future Awards Showcase in the Straz Center’s Ferguson Hall. Tampa Bay area high school musical theater students and programs were celebrated at this impressive Tony Awards® inspired extravaganza, which featured student talent and musical numbers representing the best of the 2021-22 high school productions.
From October through April of this year, high schools in eight counties applied for inclusion in the Broadway Star of the Future program. A team of theater professionals, college faculty and industry experts reviewed 56 high school productions from 34 high schools, from Ft. Myers/Naples to Lakeland to Tampa, providing feedback to students and instructors. The most outstanding nominees were acknowledged at Broadway Star of the Future Awards Showcase.
In addition to two Best Performer awards presented, awards were given in the following categories: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Play, Best Performer Top 10, Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Outstanding Performer in a Play, Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Dancer, Outstanding Orchestra, Outstanding Technical Achievement, Outstanding Scenic Design, Outstanding Costume Design and additional special acknowledgement awards.
The goal of the Broadway Star of the Future program is to provide experiences and opportunities for local high school students and faculty and to engage local families and community members in a celebration of educational theater.
Presented by The Broadway League Foundation, The Jimmys® are a national celebration of outstanding student achievement, recognizing individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance and elevating the importance of theater arts education in schools.
More information about the Patel Conservatory is available by calling 813.222.1040 and at www.patelconservatory.org. The accredited Patel Conservatory offers summer camps and classes in dance, music and theater for students of all ages and experience levels. Each year, the Patel Conservatory and the Straz Center’s arts education programs enrich the lives of more than 60,000 students in our classrooms, on our stages and through the community.
For more information about the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and its upcoming events, visit www.strazcenter.org.