NM teens win spots in Broadway program
Colin Miller and Nora Cullinan are living their Broadway dreams.
The New Mexico teenagers have been in New York City taking part in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards — also known as the Jimmy Awards.
Since its inception in 2009, NHSMTA has been the catalyst for more than $2 million in educational scholarships awarded to deserving young performers.
Miller and Cullinan spent just over a week in New York City taking master classes from Broadway veterans, as well as competing against the other contestants.
The Jimmy Awards, named for Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, are a year-round program administered by the Broadway League Foundation Inc.
The pair earned a spot in the program by picking up best actor and best actress at the Enchantment Awards in May.
Miller played the role of Seymour in Sandia Preparatory School’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Cullinan was Irene Molloy in the Los Alamos High School production of “Hello, Dolly!”
“Theater has always been a part of my life,” Miller says. “I started singing at age 5. I fell in love with theater in sixth grade.”
Miller says being part of the program in New York City helps him grow with the competition.
“This is the path I want for a career,” he says. “It will allow me to see the ins and outs of Broadway. Plus, I get to learn from some industry legends.”
After the weeklong competition, Miller was named one of the six finalists during the competition and was awarded a $5,000 scholarship.
Cullinan’s path to theater began at a young age because she was born into a theater family.
Being part of the Jimmy Awards is exciting for her because she, too, wants to have a career in theater.
“I really enjoy the characters,” she says. “It’s a chance for me to escape into another world and take on the life of someone else.”
Cullinan is a recent graduate of Los Alamos High School. She will attend Loyola University, where she will study classical voice performance.
Miller recently graduated from Sandia Preparatory School and will begin classes at New England Conservatory in Boston in the fall.