Kristen Nevarez Schweizer

Each spring, these judges become the cheerleaders. Twenty young performers have been selected from 31 San Diego County high schools for a shot at the Jimmy Awards — the national high school musical theatre competition held in New York City. The same professionals who evaluated them will spend next week training them into the best possible versions of themselves. That tension between competition and mentorship is, by design, the whole point of the Broadway San Diego Awards.

The Broadway San Diego Awards have been shepherded since 2014 by Artistic Director Joey Landwehr. “The moment I set foot on the tarmac, I fell in love with this city,” he says. Landwehr knows what he’s measuring San Diego against. Before landing here, the Tony-nominated Landwehr worked on and off-Broadway, on national tours, and directed at Carnegie Hall. “The kids in San Diego are beyond anywhere else I’ve taught or worked. You can’t swing a cat without hitting a youth theatre, but also — they’re just so good.”

The program’s selection process is more rigorous than most people realize. Adjudicators attend productions at all 31 participating schools — this year’s productions ranged from Hairspray to Sweeney Todd to Urinetown — and evaluate each production using a Tony-style rubric, which provides educators and the school’s administration with feedback on their program. From that pool, roughly 35 students are called back. Landwehr and stage manager Nicole Ries, along with additional judges, narrow it down to the top 20 students for the showcase. 

“Nicole and I have worked hard to infuse this with support, respect, and compassion,” Landwehr says. “Otherwise, it’ll just be about points and winning, and not the journey. And it’s the journey these kids carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

The journey is inspiring and grueling in the week leading up to the showcase. This Monday, the 20 nominees converge on San Diego State University for a full-immersion training program: learning two fully choreographed group numbers, taking individual sessions with musical directors on their solo competition pieces, an acting masterclass with Old Globe’s Associate Artistic Director Kim Heil, and a string of mentorship talks with working theatre professionals. By Thursday, it comes together; Friday and Saturday are runs at the Balboa itself. Sunday is the show.

The stakes are higher than the average showcase. “I would have been on Broadway ten years earlier if something like this had been offered to me,” Landwehr says. “There are agents, recruiters, and casting directors in these audiences. Even the kids who don’t win are going to be seen.” This is especially true because the evening will be co-emceed by Emmy Award-winning journalist Marcella Lee of CBS 8.

The Broadway San Diego Awards take place Sunday, May 24, at the Historic Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Avenue. Tickets are $20 at Awards.BroadwaySD.com.

AND THE 2026 NOMINEES ARE…

Best Actress Nominees (in alphabetical order):

Isabella Burer (Santa Fe Christian School)
Gabriela Chait (Canyon Crest Academy)
Julia Davidson (Coronado High School)
Sophie Espinoza (Classical Academy)
Andrea Felix (Carlsbad High School)
Skylar Grace (Carlsbad High School)
Sophia Hughes (Canyon Crest Academy)
Addison Nesbitt (Coronado High School)
Amanda Nurding (Coronado High School)
Therese Schanzenbach (Classical Academy).

Best Actor Nominees (in alphabetical order):

Chase Boertje (Carlsbad High School)
Benji Fox (Canyon Crest Academy)
Logan Hamilton (Canyon Hills High School)
Justin Lee (La Costa Canyon High School)
Teo Levy (San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts)
Logan Loerzel (Carlsbad High School)
Jackson Martin (Classical Academy)
Elijah May (Cathedral Catholic High School)
Marcellino Mendoza (Westview High School)
Ali Nelson (San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts)

TOP FIVE BEST MUSICAL NOMINEES (In alphabetical order)

Carlsbad High School (SOMETHING ROTTEN!)
Classical Academy (HELLO, DOLLY!)
Santa Fe Christian School (HELLO, DOLLY!)
San Dieguito High School Academy (ANYTHING GOES)
San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (HAIRSPRAY)

2026 PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS

Canyon Crest Academy (SIX THE MUSICAL: TEEN EDITION; MAMMA MIA!)
Canyon Hills High School (TARZAN)
Carlsbad High School (SOMETHING ROTTEN)
Cathedral Catholic High School (BIG FISH, IN THE HEIGHTS, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN)
Classical Academy (HELLO, DOLLY!)
Coronado High School (ALICE BY HEART; FREAKY FRIDAY)
Del Norte High School (FOOTLOOSE)
El Camino High School (ONCE UPON A MATTRESS)
Escondido Charter School (FOOTLOOSE)
Francis Parker School (MATILDA THE MUSICAL)
Grossmont High School (ROCK OF AGES)
La Costa Canyon High School (SPAMALOT; 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE)
Mater Dei Catholic High School (THE ADDAMS FAMILY; WEST SIDE STORY)
Mission Hills High School (PIPPIN)
Mission Vista High School (LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL)
Mt. Carmel High School (MAMMA MIA!)
Pacific Ridge School (CRAZY FOR YOU)
Patrick Henry High School (BYE BYE BIRDIE)
Poway High School (CURTAINS SCHOOL EDITION)
Rancho Bernardo High School (GUYS & DOLLS; YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN)
Sage Creek High School (URINETOWN)
San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (HAIRSPRAY)
San Dieguito High School Academy (ANYTHING GOES)
San Marcos High School (PIPPIN)
Santa Fe Christian School (HELLO, DOLLY!)
Scripps Ranch High School (MAMMA MIA!)
St. Augustine High School (SWEENEY TODD SCHOOL EDITION)
Steel Canyon Charter School (THE WIZARD OF OZ; FOOTLOOSE)
Valhalla High School (A CHORUS LINE: TEEN EDITION)
West Hills High School (CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY)
Westview High School (THE PROM)