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OVERVIEW
HIDDEN GEM Awards EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS, a Broadway Utica High School Musical Theatre Awards program, is a regional recognition and educational initiative designed to celebrate excellence in high school musical theatre while uncovering and elevating emerging student talent across the Mohawk Valley and surrounding communities. Through a professional adjudication process, written educational feedback, student workshops, and a culminating awards celebration, the HIDDEN GEM AWARDS honor the dedication, creativity, and passion found within local high school theatre programs. This pilot-year initiative emphasizes growth, collaboration, and community celebration over competition. The long-term vision of the HIDDEN GEM AWARDS is to position Broadway Utica as a regional leader in arts education and to pursue recognition as an official regional partner of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (The Jimmy Awards®), allowing two students annually—one male-presenting and one female-presenting—to represent the region on a national stage.
MISSION STATEMENT
To discover, celebrate, and elevate the hidden gems of high school musical theatre by recognizing artistic excellence, supporting arts education, and creating pathways for young performers to grow on and off the stage.
VISION STATEMENT
BROADWAY UTICA envisions a region where high school theatre programs are recognized as essential educational experiences, where students are empowered to pursue artistic excellence, and where local talent is celebrated both regionally and nationally.
WHY “HIDDEN GEM”
The Central New York area, especially the Mohawk Valley has a strong “hidden gem” narrative already. Our community is often underrated, yet it is home to an incredible depth of talent, creativity, and passion. This program is all about discovering the already amazing talent in our area that is hiding in plain sight. We plan to shed light on individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to have their talents recognized on a larger stage. The name “Hidden Gem” represents both the spirit of our region and the students at the heart of this program; young artists whose potential is waiting to be discovered, celebrated, and given the opportunity to shine. The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS gives the youth of our community a platform to showcase their inner sparkle, celebrate their accomplishments, and remind our region just how much talent exists right here in our own backyard.
WHY IT MATTERS
High school musical theatre plays a vital role in student development, fostering confidence, collaboration, leadership, creativity, and empathy. Despite their impact, these programs often lack access to professional recognition and constructive feedback. THE HIDDEN GEM AWARDS: Celebrate students and educators for their artistic dedication Provide professional, educational adjudication and written feedback Strengthen partnerships between schools and BROADWAY UTICA Create a clear artistic pipeline from youth programming to national opportunity By leading this initiative, BROADWAY UTICA reinforces its role not only as a presenter of professional theatre, but as a champion of arts education and community investment.
ELIGABILITY
Open to public and private high schools within the Greater Utica / Mohawk Valley / Central New York region Each participating school may submit one fully staged musical theatre production per academic year Schools must agree to program guidelines, timelines, and adjudication standards
AWARDS Structure HONORS, NOT RANKINGS
The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS utilize gemstone-inspired honor levels to recognize distinct areas of achievement. These honor levels are not rankings, but categories of recognition designed to celebrate excellence across performance, artistry, leadership, and community impact.
DIAMOND HONORS
Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre Diamond Honor for Actor Diamond Honor for Actress Diamond Honor for Musical Production
RUBY HONORS
Excellence in Supporting Performance & Ensemble Ruby Honor for Supporting Actor Ruby Honor for Supporting Actress Ruby Honor for Ensemble
EMERALD HONORS
Creative Vision & Artistic Leadership Emerald Honor for Choreography Emerald Honor for Musical Direction Emerald Honor for Scenic / Technical Design
PEARL HONORS
Creative Vision & Artistic Leadership Pearl Honor for Rising Artist Pearl Honor for Spirit of Theatre Pearl Honor for Direction
ADJUDICATION Standards The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS are not about simply determining which theatre department is “better.” Our adjudication process is designed to provide a fair and meaningful evaluation of each production while celebrating the unique strengths, creativity, and accomplishments of its students.
ADJUDICATOR QUALIFICATIONS Theatre professionals and/or educators with relevant experience No conflicts of interest with participating schools Commitment to constructive, student-centered feedback
CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
Adjudicators may not evaluate: Schools where they are employed or contracted Productions involving family members Schools where they have taught or directed within the past two years All adjudicators must sign a conflict-of-interest acknowledgment prior to participation.
ADJUDICATION PROCESS
Each production evaluated by 2–3 adjudicators Judges attend a live public performance Standardized scoring rubric used by all adjudicators Written feedback submitted within 72 hours Scores compiled and reviewed internally by Broadway Utica staff
Schools receive written feedback but do not receive numerical scores.
STUDENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
To reinforce BROADWAY UTICA’s educational mission and align with Jimmy Awards® best practices, nominated students may be invited to participate in: Professional workshops and masterclasses Coaching sessions focused on audition and storytelling skills A showcase-style performance as part of the awards celebration Educators will also receive written feedback (not the scoring) after the adjudication period has concluded.
AWARDS CEREMONY OVERVIEW
The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS culminate in an annual celebration honoring students, educators, and schools. The ceremony includes: Student performances Award presentations Educator recognition Community celebration of arts education The event will be hosted in a professional performance venue (The Stanley Theatre) to reinforce the prestige and significance of the awards. Each school’s representative will be given an itinerary list of performances. Each student will be responsible for not only their “show” costume, but also formal attire for the actual awards portion of the evening. The evening will be broken up into two acts. Act one will consist of an introduction, six awards, and six performances. followed by a 20 minute intermission. Following intermission, we will draw a 50/50 winner, and continue on with the evening having six more performances, and six more awards. concluding with the Diamond Honors (Best Musical Production, Leading Actor, and Leading Actress).
LONG TERM Vision PATHWAY TO THE JIMMY AWARDS
BROADWAY UTICA intends to pursue official recognition of the HIDDEN GEM AWARDS as a regional program of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® This includes: Consistent adjudication standards Student educational programming Transparent operations Multi-year community and institutional support Upon recognition, BROADWAY UTICA would be eligible to nominate two students annually to represent the region at the Jimmy Awards in New York City.
YEAR-ONE PILOT SCOPE
Limited number of participating schools (6-10) Streamlined award categories Focus on relationship-building and program refinement Evaluation of logistics, impact, and feedback
PRELIMINARY TIMELINE
September-November: Finalize program structure, create materials, & school outreach December-January: Finalize school information and find/assign adjuticators February-April: Attend productions, collect/track scores, plan out timeline April-May: Announce nominees, collect student info, finalize everything for awards Middle-Late May: HIDDEN GEM AWARDS
BUDGET Overview PILOT YEAR ESTIMATE
Estimated range: $8,000–$16,500, covering adjudication, student education, physical awards, ceremony production, theatre rental, union workers, marketing, and administration. Funding will be supported through a combination of sponsorships, in-kind contributions, and Broadway Utica support.
SPONSORSHIP STRUCTURE Diamond Sponsor ($7,500) Ruby Sponsor ($5,000) Emerald Sponsor ($2,500) Pearl Sponsor ($1,000) Sapphire Sponsor ($500)
Each sponsorship tier will have a different set of benefits/perks based on where their money will be allocated in the budget. Ranging from being able to present an award, to providing branded materials at event, to logo placement on all of our marketing assets, to receiving complimentary tickets to the event. The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS is made possible through the support of local businesses, organizations, and community partners who believe in the power of the arts and the potential of young people. Sponsorship support helps BROADWAY UTICA provide professional adjudication, meaningful educational opportunities, student recognition, and a platform for high school theatre artists to be celebrated. Sponsors play an important role in creating opportunities for students to grow, connect, and shine—while helping build a stronger future for theatre and the arts throughout our region. A variety of sponsorship levels and unique program sponsorship opportunities are available to fit a range of community partners and investment levels.
TICKETING
$35 adult tickets $25 student/children tickets
The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS will bring students, educators, families, and community members together to celebrate the accomplishments of local student artists. The awards ceremony will provide a professional and exciting experience where young theatre artists can be recognized and celebrated. Ticketing information will be publicly announced as event details are finalized.
CONCLUSION The HIDDEN GEM AWARDS represents an opportunity for BROADWAY UTICA to shine a light on the incredible talent already thriving within our region. More than an awards program, it is an investment in students, educators, theatre programs, and the future of the performing arts in our community. Through recognition, meaningful feedback, educational opportunities, and a pathway toward the national stage, the program will create opportunities for young artists to discover their potential and see where their passion can take them. As the program grows, so too will its impact. BROADWAY UTICA has the opportunity to establish the HIDDEN GEM AWARDS as a signature regional program that celebrates the best of what our community has to offer while creating new pathways for the next generation of theatre artists. What begins as a celebration of the talent in our own backyard can become a lasting tradition—one that helps local students find their voice, find their confidence, and most importantly, find their opportunity to shine. At its core, the HIDDEN GEM AWARDS is about believing in the potential that exists within our community and giving that potential a place to be seen. Every school, every educator, every production, and every student brings something unique to the stage. By creating a program that recognizes those contributions and invests in the people behind them, BROADWAY UTICA can help ensure that the next generation of artists knows that their talent matters—and that they do not have to leave our region to have someone believe in their ability to shine not only locally, but one day, nationally.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Carter Klumbach, Marketing Coordinatior Carter@BroadwayUtica.org | (315) 624-9444