Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards Archives

Now in its 15th year, the Broadway In Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA) celebrates excellence in Musical Theatre throughout the state of Illinois. From all student applicants, twenty-four nominees (12 Best Performer in an Actor Role and 12 Best Performer in an Actress Role nominees) are invited to downtown Chicago for a day of coaching with a Broadway professional, to perform on stage at the Broadway Playhouse, and attend a Broadway In Chicago show. Two winners are selected to compete in the national program, The Jimmy Awards®. For more info on The Jimmy Awards®, please click here. In past years, nominees have worked with incredible Broadway talent including Kacey Alfonso and Jordan Douglas Ellis (Titanique, a Porchlight Music Theatre Production) Danny Lopez-Alicea (MAMMA MIA!) Marcus M. Martin and Kelly Jacobs (Disney’s Aladdin), Ben Susak (Wicked), Christophe Caballero (Chicago The Musical) Gabriella Sorrentino and Jose Rosario Jr (Hamilton) Jonathan Weir and Kelly Jacobs (Disney’s Aladdin), Kerstin Anderson (The Sound of Music), Brad Musgrove (Pippin), and Nick Cosgrove (Jersey Boys). The students compete for top honors in front of Chicago casting agents and theater professionals.

NOTABLE ALUMNI

The Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards have proven to be a steppingstone for young performers, with several appearing in Broadway & National Touring productions:

• Nathan Salstone (2012 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his professional Broadway debut in HARRY POTTER & THE CURSED CHILD, appeared in the National Tour of HADESTOWN, and was most recently seen in the 2023 revival of SWEENEY TODD on Broadway.
• Kyrie Courter (2012 IHSMTA Nominee) made her Broadway debut in the 2023 revival of SWEENEY TODD.
• John Clay III (2013 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his professional Broadway debut in CHOIR BOY and originated the role of Jesse Webb in the original Broadway cast of NEW YORK, NEW YORK in 2023. He can currently be seen as Booker T. Washington in the Broadway revival of RAGTIME.
• Reagan Pender (2013 IHSMTA Nominee) made his Broadway debut in the 2024 revival cast of THE WHO’S TOMMY.
• Kaitlin Feely (2014 & 2016 IHSMTA Nominee) appeared in Broadway In Chicago and Porchlight Music Theatre’s Chicago Premiere of TITANIQUEas understudy for Céline Dion, Molly Brown, Rose, and Background Vocalist in 2025.
• Jack Cahill-Lemme (2016 IHSMTA Best Actor) launched the first North American tour of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, which premiered in Chicago in 2022, and made his professional Broadway debut in the Broadway production in Summer 2023, where he is still performing.
• Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) joined the national tour of HADESTOWN in 2022.
• Clare Kennedy McLaughlin (2016 IHSMTA Nominee) starred in Broadway In Chicago and Porchlight Music Theatre’s Chicago Premiere of TITANIQUEas Céline Dion in 2025.
• Haley Gustafson (2016 & 2017 IHSMTA Nominee) made their Broadway debut in the 2024 revival cast of THE WHO’S TOMMY.
• Wren Rivera (2017 IHSMTA Nominee) made their Broadway debut in JAGGED LITTLE PILL in 2021.
• Joy Woods (2018 IHSMTA Finalist) made her Broadway debut in March 2022, joining the Broadway cast of She originated the role of Middle Allie in the original Broadway cast of THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL in 2024, and appeared as Louise in the 2025 Broadway revival of GYPSY, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical .
• Andrew Tufano (2018 IHSMTA Nominee) made his Broadway debut in the 2024 revival cast of THE WHO’S TOMMY.
• Justin O’Brien (2018 IHSMTA Nominee) joined the National Tour of MEAN GIRLS in 2023.
• Mike Bindeman (2019 IHSMTA Nominee) launched the First National Tour of THE CHER SHOW as Gregg Allman/John Southall. In December 2023. He joined the first National Tour of BACK TO THE FUTUREas George McFly in December 2024.
• Sierra Fermin (2019 IHSMTA Finalist) made her Broadway debut in December 2023, joining the Broadway cast of
• Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) joined the National Tour of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in 2022.
• Jason Schmidt (2019 IHSMTA Finalist) made his Broadway debut in April 2024, originating the role of Sodapop Curtis in the original Broadway cast THE OUTSIDERS, currently running on Broadway.
• Josh Fermin (2022 IHSMTA Best Performer in An Actor Role Runner-Up) joined the first National Tour of & JULIET in 2025.

Other Illinois winners and students have also been successful at The Jimmy Awards®:

• Jonah Rawitz (2014 IHSMTA Best Actor) was awarded the 2014 Jimmy Award® for Best Performance by an Actor.
• Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) was awarded the 2016 Jimmy Award® for Best Dancer.
• Nate Garner (2017 IHSMTA Student Reporter) was selected in 2017 as one of the first ever Jimmy Awards® Student Reporters.
• Darian Goulding (2018 IHSMTA Best Actor) was a 2018 Jimmy Award® finalist.
• Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) was the recipient of the 2019 Rising Star Award from The Jimmy Awards®.
• Nicole Scimeca (2024 IHSMTA Student Reporter) was selected as one of The 2024 Jimmy Awards® Student Reporters.
• Jamaur Houston (2025 IHSMTA Best Performer in an Actor Role) was awarded the 2025 Jimmy Award® for Best Dancer.

BY THE NUMBERS

Over the past 15 years of our program, 194 schools throughout the state participated

34 counties represented throughout the state of Illinois

In 2024, IHSMTA was represented on Broadway by 9 Alumni of the program.

In 2019, Jacob Simon (Deerfield, IL) was honored with the Rising Star Award from The Jimmy Awards®

In 2018, Darian Goulding (Hampshire, Illinois) was one of the Top 4 Best Actor Finalists for The Jimmy® Award for Best Performance by an Actor

In 2017, Broadway In Chicago’s IHSMTA impacted over 6,000 students across the state

In 2016, Cecilia Trippiedi (Orland Park, Illinois) was honored with the Jimmy® Award for Best Dancer

In 2014, Jonah Rawitz (Buffalo Grove, Illinois), was the recipient of the highest honor- the Jimmy® Award winner for Best Performance by an Actor

QUOTES

“I love the Illinois High School Music Theatre Awards because it gives teens an opportunity to express what we love to do- musical theatre. Meeting all of these kind individuals and getting the opportunity to sing with them has been fantastic. Thank you to the IHSMTA program, Broadway In Chicago for sponsoring this great outlet for students to do musical theatre.”

– Jordan Radis, 2017 Best Actor Finalist, Adlai E Stevenson High School

“Words cannot express how much today has impacted my life and career. I am honored to have been a part of this amazingly talented group of people. Thank you IHSMTA for this amazing opportunity!”

– Brax Melvin, 2017 IHSMTA Best Actor Nominee, Frankfort Community High School

“IHSMTA gives us inspiration and gives our students tools and experiences to take them to the next level. It’s really great for them to have this experience where they get to work with professionals and their peers and it really elevates what they do when they come back to us.”

– Brian Wand, 2017 Best Direction Award Recipient, Benet Academy

“My favorite part of the entire IHSTMA experience was getting to meet all of the talented teens from across Illinois.”

– Grace Etzkorn, 2015 IHSMTA Best Actress, Benet Academy

“The most exciting thing about being part of the program is the opportunity to push myself out of the comfort zone of my small town and share my talent with other people who appreciate the arts as much as I do.”

– Katie Frye, 2014 IHSMTA Best Actress Nominee, Delavan High School

“This program has given me amazing friends, as well as the opportunity to network with and learn from industry professionals.”

– Ben Love, 2015 IHSMTA Best Actor, Byron High School