YOU DID IT!

Monday night was MAGICAL, to say the least. Before we get to that, let's talk about our day at the Minskoff. The day began with a bus ride to the Minskoff where the nominees jumped right into rehearsal as the orchestra warmed up below. For most, this included their very first steps on a Broadway stage - it's a feeling that can't be described. After lunch with press-expert-extraordinaire Chris Boneau of Boneau/Bryan-Brown it was off to more rehearsal before the big night. Dinner included the awarding of several awards including Best Ensemble, Rising Star, the Spirit of the Jimmys, 6 Special Recognition Awards and the presentation of Carnegie Mellon University's 6-week Pre-College Summer Program. After smiles and congratulations were shared, the participants headed to the red carpet for group photos and a visit from event host, the one-and-only Zachary Levi! Oh, and did we mention Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber stopped by?!

Before long it was time for "places," and the energy in the wings was palpable. It seemed like just a moment later and it was time to announce the FINALISTS:
Kailey Boyle, Tommy Awards
Cameron Chang, The San Diego Ben Vereen Awards
Amina Faye, Blumey Awards        
John Fredrickson, DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards
Lauren Johnson, Nebraska High School Theatre Awards    
Devin Moore, Gene Kelly Awards     
Marnie Quick, Gene Kelly Awards
Josh Strobl, Jerry Herman Awards

One-by-one, they sang for the captivated audience before it was time to head downstairs. There, they boarded the lift and [literally] rose up to greet the audience one last time before the winners were announced...Amina Faye and Josh Strobl!!!

Congratulations to every single one of our talented nominees. You should all be exceptionally proud of your accomplishments over these past 10 days. We know we'll see many of you back on Broadway soon! Until next year...