NEW YORK — Cleburne High School student Damson Chola, Jr. won the top prize and a $25,000 scholarship in this year’s National High School Musical Theatre Awards.
The national competition, also known as the Jimmy's, was established in 2009 and honors the best high school performers out of approximately 130,000 students participating in 51 regional high school musical theatre competitions. Singer Josh Groban hosted the ceremony.
Chola won the award for Best Performance by an Actor, he also gave a rousing performance of "Make Them Hear You" from the musical "Ragtime." In his acceptance speech, he thanked his family.
"Thank you, mama, thank you, Dad, thank you Clarity. Thank you Preference, my little brother, I wouldn't get out of my shell if it wasn't for him," Chola told the audience.
Another student, Fabiola Caraballo Quijada from Tyler Legacy High School, was named a finalist. She performed "I'm Here" from "The Color Purple" at the award ceremony.
The pair earned their spot at The Jimmy's by winning the award for Outstanding Lead Performer at the Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards. The students spent ten days in New York City receiving one-on-one coaching, attending master classes and the Tony Awards.
The award ceremony took place on Monday, June 24, in the Minskoff Theatre where they performed a talent showcase live in front of an audience.
The Jimmy's are known for producing future Broadway stars including "Mean Girls: The Musical" star Reneé Rapp, Eva Noblezada and Andrew Barth Feldman, who recently starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence in "No Hard Feelings."