BUZZ Photos

On Monday, June 29, at New York University’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, it was all about—as Sondheim might have said—children and art: Theater professionals and talented high-schoolers from around the country gathered for the first-annual National High School Musical Theater Awards—a.k.a. “The Jimmy,” named in honor of venerable Broadway producer/theater owner James M. Nederlander. Before the big night, all of the 32 nominees performed an excerpt from their star turn for the six judges. (Among the roles they saw: a couple Jean Valjeans, an Anna Karenina, two Bakers, a pair of Millie Dillmounts, a Sweeney Todd and a Toad—as in A Year With Frog and Toad.) Two teens received the prestigious prize—which brings a four-year scholarship (worth $100,000!) to NYU)—but all 32 nominees sure looked like winners to us. We have a feeling we’ll be seeing lots of them on our stages in the very near future.