LEANDER, Texas —
A Leander student who just won a national musical theater award is now back in Central Texas after his adventures in New York.
The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, or the Jimmy Awards, were recently held on Broadway in the Big Apple. Local star Langston Lee, who stole the whole show, is now sharing his experience.
"It's so surreal. I never thought that all this would be happening so quickly," Lee said.
Every time he prepares to perform, Lee has a routine where he gets into character.
"I would like to think I'm an actor first, so I like to get into what the character's feeling, their emotions in the moment,” he said.
It's that routine that helped him land this year's Jimmy Award for Best Actor.
"It was so out of the realm of possibilities because everybody there was so fantastic and talented. But I just blacked out, and I was just so emotional," Lee said.
He won with his performance of "Wondering" from the "Bridges of Madison County." But it was his performance as Dimitri in "Anastasia" on the stage at Rouse High School in Leander that got him there.
"Performing is the only thing that gives me true joy. And, really, the only thing that ignites a certain kind of passion in my heart," Lee said.
His school competes in the "Austin Heller Awards" for the Central Texas region. In the awards' 10-year history, this was the first time a participant was considered for the Jimmy Awards.
They didn't expect to go far, much less win. But Langston said it shows that local kids deserve to have the opportunity.
"I think it's a testament to the people and the kids here in Austin and the drive and passion that they have for theater," Lee said.
That's something Lee's musical theater teacher, Cheryl Painter, agrees with.
"I don't think they're going to count us out as a first-year anymore. I think, nationally, I think they're going to realize that there are some really amazing talent here in Austin," Painter said.
Painter helped Lee prepare and watched his victory unfold.
"Weeping and cheering, I think is the best way to describe that," Painter said, referring to watching Lee perform on a Broadway stage.
She said from the first time she heard his voice, she knew he was something special.
"He is unstoppable. There is – there is no adversity that he will not fight to overcome for this. And so, [I'm] just so very proud of him," Painter said.
Now, as a Jimmy Award winner, Lee is preparing for the next steps. He plans to go to Juilliard in the fall and just see where life takes him.
"Theater changes so many people's lives, and it's culturally so significant. So the fact that, you know, I get to represent Austin and represent them in a good way, I think that's super important," Lee said.
He received a $25,000 scholarship for winning at the Jimmy Awards.
The Austin Heller Awards also sent Kyra Carr to the Jimmy Awards. She won the Heller for Best Supporting Performer for her performance as Officer Lockstock in Hendrickson High School's production of "Urinetown."
While she didn't bring home any hardware from New York, it's still a huge honor to have two people from the Austin area represent at the Jimmy Awards.