Josh Groban is set to host the 15th annual Jimmy Awards, which are sort of like the Tony Awards for promising high school theater arts students. The awards are set to take place Monday, June 24, at the Minskoff Theatre in Manhattan.
The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (the formal name of the awards) celebrate individual talent in vocal, dance and acting performance. Named for the late Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the Jimmy Awards has been the catalyst for more than $6 million in educational scholarships.
“I am excited to be the host for the 15th annual Jimmy Awards!,” Groban said in a statement. “The dedication and immense talent of these nominees are truly inspiring. Arts education holds a dear place in my heart, and its profound impact is clearly showcased through these young talents each year at the Jimmy Awards.”
“…We are thrilled to have [Josh] join us in celebrating the achievements of, and giving inspiration to, high school musical theatre students across the country, including the over 100 student nominees performing on stage that night,” Jason Laks, interim president of The Broadway League, said in a statement.
(The Broadway League is also a co-presenter of the annual Tony Awards, along with the American Theatre Wing.)
Tickets for the Jimmy Awards start at $75 and go on sale to the general public on Monday, June 10 through BroadwayDirect.com.
The show will stream for free online beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, June 24 via the Jimmy Awards Facebook and YouTube channels. The ceremony will remain available online for three days afterwards, through Thursday evening, June 27.
Groban co-hosted the Tony Awards six years ago with Sara Bareilles. The stars each received two Primetime Emmy nominations for their efforts – outstanding variety special (live) and outstanding original music and lyrics for co-writing the special-material song “This One’s for You” with Shaina Taub.
Groban is a two-time Tony nominee for best performance by a leading actor in a musical, for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (his Broadway debut) and Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Groban also received a Grammy nod for the Sweeney Todd cast album, which was nominated for best musical theater album at the ceremony held on Feb. 4.
Groban, 43, is also an active arts education philanthropist and advocate. His Find Your Light Foundation helps enrich the lives of young people through arts, education, and cultural awareness.
