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The Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards have proven to be a stepping stone for young performers, with alumni going on to appear in Broadway & National Touring productions. IHSMTA is thrilled to have eight Alumni currently performing on Broadway this season! See below for a list of alum who have appeared on Broadway or in Broadway National Tours.

• Nathan Salstone (2012 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his professional Broadway debut in HARRY POTTER & THE CURSED CHILD, has recently appeared in the National Tour of HADESTOWN, and was most recently seen in the 2023 revival of SWEENEY TODD on Broadway.
• Kyrie Courter (2012 IHSMTA Nominee) made her Broadway debut in the 2023 revival of SWEENEY TODD.
• John Clay III (2013 IHSMTA Best Actor) made his professional Broadway debut in CHOIR BOY and originated the role of ‘Jesse Webb’ in the original Broadway cast of NEW YORK, NEW YORK in 2023.
• Jack Cahill-Lemme (2016 IHSMTA Best Actor) recently appeared in the North American tour of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, which premiered in Chicago in 2022, and made his professional Broadway debut in the Broadway production in Summer 2023.
• Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) joined the National Tour of HADESTOWN in 2022.
• Haley Gustafson (2016 & 2017 IHSMTA Nominee) made their Broadway debut in the 2024 revival cast of THE WHO’S TOMMY currently running on Broadway.
• Wren Rivera (2017 IHSMTA Nominee) made their Broadway debut in JAGGED LITTLE PILL in 2021.
• Joy Woods (2018 IHSMTA Finalist) made her Broadway debut in March 2022, joining the Broadway cast of SIX. She originated the role of ‘Middle Allie’ in the original Broadway cast of THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL currently running on Broadway.
• Andrew Tufano (2018 IHSMTA Nominee) made his Broadway debut in the 2024 revival cast of THE WHO’S TOMMY currently running on Broadway.
• Justin O’Brien (2018 IHSMTA Nominee) joined the National Tour of MEAN GIRLS in 2023.
• Sierra Fermin (2019 IHSMTA Finalist) made her Broadway debut in December 2023, joining the Broadway cast of SIX.
• Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) joined the National Tour of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in 2022.
• Jason Schmidt (2019 IHSMTA Finalist) made his Broadway debut in April 2024, originating the role of ‘Sodapop Curtis’ in the original Broadway cast THE OUTSIDERS, currently running on Broadway.

IHSMTA Award Recipients also have had great success at The Jimmy Awards®:
• Jonah Rawitz (2014 IHSMTA Best Actor) was awarded the 2014 Jimmy Award® for Best Performance by an Actor.
• Cecilia Trippiedi (2016 IHSMTA Best Actress) was awarded the 2016 Jimmy Award® for Best Dancer.
• Darian Goulding (2018 IHSMTA Best Actor) was a 2018 Jimmy Award® finalist.
• Jacob Simon (2019 IHSMTA Best Actor) was the recipient of the 2019 Rising Star Award from The Jimmy Awards®.

IHSMTA sends congratulations to all of these alumni, and to all of the alumni currently performing or working Off-Broadway, in film & television, and regionally all over the country in numbers too great to mention here! We are so proud of each of you!