Theater Awards Put Student Performers in the Spotlight

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Students who excel at spelling or know how to argue have long enjoyed annual recognition through the National Spelling Bee or the National Debate Tournament.

But, it wasn't until 2009 that the National High School Musical Theater Awards focused the spotlight on high-school musical-theater performers.

Established by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and Nederlander Alliances LLC, the annual awards show, known informally as the Jimmys, takes place in June.

The Jimmys and many of the high-school musical-theater awards programs around the country are patterned, in part, on the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera's Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in Musical Theater, …