Best Performer in a Leading Role Eligibility
To be eligible to participate in The Jimmy Awards®, the Best Actor and Best Actress winners must have played a NHSMTA®-recognized leading role in their school’s production. For this reason, only students
playing a NHSMTA®-recognized leading role in their high school’s production will be eligible for the CAPA Marquee Awards’ Best Actor and/or Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Due to the nature of the award, the Best Performer in a Leading Role nominees and winners will be determined by both a production and audition score. Eligible students receive a production score from the adjudicators who attend their school productions. The adjudicated score will count as 65% of the total score.
Based on school production scores, we will notify our 30 semifinalists on Monday, April 13. Semifinalists will be invited to attend a panel audition on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 10am-3:30pm at the Ohio Theatre.
The panel audition will consist of a song and dance audition. The scores from the panel audition will count as 35% of the total score and will be combined with semifinalists’ production scores to determine our finalists and winners.
The ten finalists (5 actors and 5 actresses) receiving nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role will be announced on Monday, April 20 at 3pm and will be invited to perform a solo from their nominated role at the Awards Showcase as part of the Best Actor and Best Actress numbers.
Required Forms for Panel Audition
Each student eligible for Best Performer in a Leading Role must complete and submit each of the required digital forms.
2026 Jimmy Awards® Eligibility
Two CAPA Marquee Awards student nominees will join top musical theatre students from across the country in New York City for a CAPA-sponsored theatre intensive where they will experience private coaching, master classes, and rehearsals in preparation for a special showcase performance and the chance to compete for scholarships and the national title of Best Actor and Best Actress.
Student Participation Handbook
Information about the adjudication process, panel audition, nomination process, Marquee Awards Showcase participation, and the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® can all be found in the Student Handbook for Best Performer in a Leading Role-Eligible Performers.
