Tulsa teens represent Oklahoma on Broadway stage at 2025 Jimmy Awards

Two Tulsa-area students are gaining national recognition for their talent in musical theatre, representing Eastern Oklahoma this summer on one of Broadway’s biggest stages.

Dawson Fullingim, 18, and Macy Gerkin, 17, were named Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, at the 2025 Discovery Awards. Both students advanced to New York City as Oklahoma’s nominees for the prestigious Jimmy Awards, formally known as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Fullingim, a recent graduate of Lincoln Christian School, was named Best Actor at The Discovery Awards two years in a row and earned a finalist spot at the 2025 Jimmy Awards. Gerkin, a rising senior at Bishop Kelley High School, was a nominee at the Jimmys after being named Best Actress in Tulsa.

What Are the Discovery and Jimmy Awards?

The Discovery Awards, presented by Celebrity Attractions and the Tulsa PAC Trust, celebrate excellence in high school musical theatre across Eastern Oklahoma. Professional adjudicators attend local high school productions and select top performers, who then participate in a masterclass series leading up to a showcase competition on the Tulsa PAC stage.

The Best Actor and Best Actress winners receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York City to represent the region at the Jimmy Awards. There, they join top students from across the country for another intensive training week and final performance on Broadway.

This year’s Discovery Awards were held on June 2 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The Jimmy Awards took place on June 23 at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney’s The Lion King.

Performing on Broadway

For Fullingim and Gerkin, the experience was both humbling and unforgettable.

“Performing at the Jimmy Awards was a surreal experience,” Fullingim said. “Getting to perform on the Lion King stage in a Broadway theatre was incredible and something that I will never forget. Performing at the Discovery Awards was exciting because we had the privilege of performing on the Wicked set and in front of family and friends.”

Gerkin echoed that sentiment: “My experiences in The Discovery Awards and The Jimmy Awards are very similar in many ways. In both programs, I got to work with and learn from top professionals in the field, meet and collaborate with incredibly talented fellow nominees that have now become life-long friends, and work extremely hard to push myself to be the best performer I can be.”

A Week on Broadway

From workshops to stage performances, both students described the Jimmy Awards as a dream come true.

“Words cannot do justice to how amazing of an experience The Jimmy Awards is!” Gerkin said. “It is truly a dream-come-true experience that keeps nominees pinching themselves to make sure what’s happening is actually real like seeing your face on a billboard in Times Square or the incredible opportunity to perform on a Broadway stage! At the Jimmy Awards, nominees are cultivated and pushed to grow immensely in their craft.”

Fullingim added, “I got to perform on a Broadway stage, work with industry professionals, and watch a Broadway show. Being surrounded by so many dedicated performers from around the country pushed me to grow and gave me motivation to continue to work hard.”

Looking Ahead

Both Fullingim and Gerkin plan to pursue musical theatre professionally.

“I plan on pursuing musical theatre professionally and will be attending the University of Oklahoma this fall to study musical theatre,” Fullingim said.

Gerkin, who is heading into her senior year at Bishop Kelley, said, “I am going into my senior year of high school and look forward to auditioning for many college programs this next year to further my musical theatre career.”

Future Aspirations and Thanks

While Gerkin dreams of one day playing Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical, Fullingim said he hopes to originate a role on stage.

“I don’t necessarily have a dream role, but I would like to be involved in developing something new and getting to play a new character on stage,” he said.

Gerkin added, “I would like to thank Celebrity Attractions, the Tulsa PAC, The Discovery Awards, and Bishop Kelley High School for their generous support and the honor to represent the Tulsa performing arts community on Broadway!”

Follow The Discovery Awards

1. Instagram: @thediscoveryawards
2. Facebook: The Discovery Awards