Meet Gretchen Shope and Damson Chola Jr., Winners of the 2024 Jimmy Awards

If the Tony Awards speak to what’s happening on Broadway now, the Jimmy Awards provide a forecast of Broadway's future. Formally known as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Jimmy Awards are an annual celebration of outstanding musical theater talent in high schools across America—from Dallas to Des Moines, San Antonio to San Diego, Memphis to Minneapolis. This year's Jimmy Awards were held on June 24 at the Minskoff Theatre, culminating The Broadway Show's chronicle of the Road to the Jimmys. 

Gretchen Shope from the Sutton Foster Awards in East Lansing, MI and Damson Chola Jr. from Broadway Dallas in Dallas, TX took home the prizes for Best Actress and Best Actor at the June 24 showcase. In addition to their statues and bragging rights, each walked away with $25,000 from the Nederlander Organization for their future education (Shope will be enrolling in the musical theater program at Wright State University in the fall, while Chola will be attending the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama). Shope, who appeared as Alice from Alice By Heart in her initial Character Medley, solidified her win with a solo performance of "The Music That Makes Me Dance" from Funny Girl. Chola, meanwhile, shapeshifted from Little Shop of Horrors' Seymour Krelborn in his Character Medley into Ragtime's Coalhouse Walker, Jr., performing "Make Them Hear You" as his winning solo. 

"Last night was magical and unbelievable," Shope told The Broadway Show the morning after her Jimmys win. "The amount of love and support that my community gave me from Midland, Michigan felt like I was walking into every room with a coat of armor." Her fellow winner also felt the support of his family, who shouted down to him from the mezzanine of the Minskoff. "It was the most memorable moment of my life. I will never forget this," Chola commented. "I felt this overwhelming sense of accomplishment and gratitude. Not only to hear my name called, but my father's name."

This was Chola's third year attempting to make it to the Jimmys, finally clinching the nomination his senior year. Shope, also a senior, participated in the Sutton Foster Awards last year as well, missing out on a finalist spot on her first attempt. But with the Jimmys concluding their 15th cycle, Shope had already spent years admiring the young artists who made it to the Jimmys stage. "When I won, all the memories of watching the YouTube videos and obsessively watching those medleys over and over and over again came flooding back to me," she said. "I was like, 'I'm gonna be that girl for some little kid out there. I'm gonna be that inspiration.' That's winning enough." 

Before heading back to their hometowns, checks and trophies in hand, both Shope and Chola shared their thoughts about the value of theater education. "I would literally tell anyone who is going into marketing, business, take a theater class, take an improv class. Because it boosts your confidence and it makes you entertaining in the room," said Chola. "It's about becoming an empathetic person," Shope added. "To do theater, or even be a part backstage, or be a part of the producing team, you are opening yourself up to that empathetic viewpoint." 

"It can change people's minds and it can give people ideas," Chola replied. "That's the power that our craft has. That's why I love it so much."