Las Vegas Academy graduate wins ‘Super Bowl’ of high school theater

Las Vegas Academy of the Arts celebrated its newest Broadway star this week when a 2025 graduate won what his theater director called the “Super Bowl” of high school theater.

On Monday, Chris Hayes, 18, won a National High School Musical Theatre Award for best performance by an actor.

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, commonly known as “The Jimmy Awards,” are given annually to recognize musical theatre performances by high school students in the United States. The Jimmy Awards are named after the late Broadway producer and theater owner James M. Nederlander, who was known as “Jimmy” on Broadway.

Hayes’ award — which included $25,000 — came at the end of a 12-day program of coaching sessions, training and rehearsals with Broadway actors in New York City. The Jimmy Awards closed with a talent showcase at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre.

“I’ve been watching this for so many years,” Hayes said of the awards. “I just never thought that would be me. To finally be in that position was so rewarding. It made all of the late nights going from school to here at Dance Dynamics and having 14-hour days completely worth it, because I know it all led up to that moment.”

Just a few days after his big win, Hayes was belting solos as Damian in Thursday’s rehearsal for the upcoming production of “Mean Girls” at Dynamic Performing Arts Center in Downtown Summerlin.

“He lives and breathes theater,” Dynamic Performing Arts Center Director Michael Vojvodich said. “It’s truly inspiring, even watching all these kids today watch him, it’s like they’re watching a star. It’s crazy.”

Performer from a young age

Hayes was first nominated for the competition after his performance of Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” at LVA. He then competed against other Nevada students at The Smith Center for Performing Arts. From there he moved on to compete against 100 students in the national competition in New York City.

Chris Hayes’ theater aspirations started long before that. His father, also named Chris Hayes, recalls his son at age 8 begging to join the choir for five days straight, from the moment he got home from school to when he went to sleep.

Despite him technically being a year too young at the time, his teacher, Doug Gemmell, at Conners Elementary School made an exception for him.

As a child, he was in Broadway Kids Academy and eventually launched into community theater at Dynamic Performing Arts at age 14. He credits Vojvodich’s directing to getting him to where he is now.

“Watching Michael work taught me,” the younger Hayes said. “It helped me build a catalog of acting choices and characters in my brain.”

But the learning went both ways for the student and his director.

“Every teacher wants to say, ‘Oh, my kids are the greatest,’ and we all do,” Vojvodich said. “But I’ve learned so much from working with him. And it’s been truly an honor to be part of his journey in any way, shape or form.”

The big win

Hayes’ father wore a beaming smile Wednesday as he discussed the moment his son won the award.

“That’s probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in my entire life,” his dad said. “I couldn’t sit still. And then it got to the point where I knew he was going to win, and I was actually in shock. I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t cry. I couldn’t breathe.”

Before he was announced as a winner, Hayes rose from below the stage with the other finalists — a feeling he said was unlike any other.

“It was just so amazing, seeing the audience grow and grow as I was able to see more of the theater as I was lifting up,” he said.

Hayes won’t need the $25,000 for a scholarship — he already earned a full ride to University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, where he will study musical theater. Hayes said he’ll use the money to buy some gifts for who he said were “very well-deserving people.” He’ll use the rest on school supplies and invest the rest.

“He’s a smart guy as well as an entertainer. He can use both sides of his brain. He’s just an all-around nice brain. He’s been a dream to raise,” his father said.

Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ktfutts on X.