A Davenport Central High School student, Croix Baker, has won a statewide “Triple Threat” award for the third time since 2019, and will compete in a national musical theater program in New York City. Baker and Grace Casciato of Fort Dodge High School earned Triple Threat Awards on June 1 at the Iowa High School Music Theater Awards, and will represent Iowa at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (known as “The Jimmys”) later this month in New York City. The program invites two nominees from each regional ceremony across the country to participate in a theatre intensive with Broadway professionals.
For the third time since 2019, a Davenport Central High School student has won a statewide “Triple Threat” award and will compete in a national musical theater program in New York City.
The recent winners of the Triple Threat Awards were Croix Baker from Davenport Central High School and Grace Casciato from Fort Dodge High School. The Iowa High School Music Theater Awards (IHSMTA) in Des Moines honored them on June 1. The two students will represent Iowa in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards known as the Jimmy Awards in New York City.
Both Croix Baker and Mia Roldan performed their duet, “High Enough” from the spring musical “Rock of Ages,” at the IHSMTA held at the Des Moines Performing Arts Center. Croix also sang “Heart of Stone” from the musical “Six” in a musical medley. Mia and Croix won Awards for Outstanding Achievement in a Principal Role and “Rock of Ages” won an Award for a Distinguished Scene for “Harden My Heart.”
The Blue Devil Productions, a student-run production company at Davenport Central High School, posted on Facebook, “We are so very proud of you both! You are both amazing performers, and we are so very excited that Croix wraps up his senior year with this amazing accomplishment.”
The 14th-annual Jimmy Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, June 26, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. (ET), hosted by Corbin Bleu. The Jimmy Awards will be held at the Minskoff Theatre in Manhattan, home of “The Lion King.” As of June 2, 2023, tickets to the ceremony are already sold out. Livestream links will be posted on the Jimmys’ site a few days before the ceremony.
The program has invited two nominees from each regional ceremony across the country to New York City to participate in a theatre intensive, including coaching and rehearsals with Broadway professionals in preparation for a one-night-only talent showcase on a Broadway stage. The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) were established in 2009 by Pittsburgh CLO and Nederlander Alliances, a division of The Nederlander Organization, to elevate the importance of theatre arts education in schools and reward excellence in student performances.
The Triple Threat Award is given to students who excel in singing, dancing, and acting. Croix Baker is the third Davenport Central High School student to win the Triple Threat Award since 2019. His achievement is a testament to the quality of the school’s theater program and the dedication of its students and teachers.
Croix Baker’s and Grace Casciato’s Triple Threat Awards are a of pride for their respective schools and the state of Iowa. They will represent Iowa in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, and we wish them the best of luck in New York City.
