For the second year in a row, a Dallas high school student has taken home the top honor at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, aka the Jimmy Awards.
Tyler Legacy High School's Fabiola Caraballo Quijada, who last year placed in the top four, won Best Performance by an Actress with an already viral solo performance of "Astonishing" from the musical Little Women. This was Quijada’s third straight year performing and competing at the Jimmy Awards.
Last year, Damson Chola Jr. of Cleburne High School received the 2024 Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor. This year, that honor went to Chris Hayes of Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. Braedon Carlton, from Cleburne High School, joined Quijada in competing for this year's Jimmy Awards.
Quijada will receive a $25,000 scholarship and plans on attending Texas State University in San Marcos this fall.
“It feels amazing to have been able to achieve a dream of mine three years in the making,” says Quijada. “I am so grateful for all the people who believed in me and helped me get this far, including those at Broadway Dallas who have taught me to challenge and believe in myself. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to speak up for what means to me on the podium, and I hope I can continue to inspire stories of strength in artists like me on and offstage.”
Hosted by Josh Groban and presented by The Broadway League Foundation, the Jimmy Awards took place June 23 at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. Quijada and Carlton were among over 100 selected participants from 55 regional awards programs across the country who spent 10 days in New York City in rehearsals and private coaching sessions at The Juilliard School in preparation for their performance on Broadway.
To get to the Jimmy Awards, both Quijada and Carlton first competed in the 14th annual Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards, which took place on May 17 at the Music Hall at Fair Park.
“Our nonprofit arts organization’s programs continue to grow in terms of the number of students and community members served as well as the individual impact we have on each of their lives,” says Allison Bret, director of education and community partnerships at Broadway Dallas. “Fabiola and Braedon’s success is a national recognition that Broadway Dallas’ commitment to increased access and inclusion for more students and schools at a local level is a worthwhile investment in the future of the art here and wherever these talented young students’ careers take them.”
2025 winners Fabiola Caraballo Quijada and Chris Hayes.Photo by Rebecca J Michelson
Over its 16 years, the Jimmy Awards have turned out a long roster of successful alumni. A few of the big names include pop star and actress Renee Rapp (winner, 2018); movie star Andrew Barth Feldman (winner, 2018); two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (finalist, 2013); and a pair of 2025 Tony Award nominees for Best Actress in a musical, Jasmine Amy Rogers (finalist, 2017) and Julia Knitel (nominee, 2009).
Registration for the next year's Broadway Dallas High School Musical Theatre Awards is not open yet, but typically begins in August.
