St. Mary Catholic High School Senior Lauren Meyer has been named Outstanding Actress by the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s (Fox Cities PAC) Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program and will represent Wisconsin at the Jimmy Awards®, the country’s premier national high school theater awards, this summer.

The Fox Cities PAC Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program welcomed students and educators from 24 regional schools to participate in the program this year, which focuses on celebrating, supporting, and recognizing high school theater while developing theater talent in high school students throughout northeast Wisconsin. Lauren was recognized, amongst her peers, for her outstanding performance and role as Reno Sweeney in SMCHS’s performance of “Anything Goes” this spring.

“I am incredibly grateful to be receiving the Center Stage Program’s ‘Best Actress’ award this year and incredibly blessed to have had such a wonderful group of people as my teachers and supporters throughout my years at SMC,” Lauren said. “Performing in ‘Anything Goes’ was a much-needed breath of normalcy amidst the craziness going on, and I will be forever grateful to have had the ability to perform at all. Playing Reno wasn’t just memorable because I received this award, but because of the people who dedicated so much time and effort towards making the show and experience what it was.”

The 12th annual Jimmy Awards®, presented by the Broadway League, will be held on July 15, 2021. The national talent showcase celebrates high school students from across the country and features dynamic ensemble and solo performances, impacting more than 140,000 students who participate in high school musical theater competitions each year across the U.S. The program has previously invited two nominees from each of these regional ceremonies to New York City to participate in an intensive theater program including coaching and rehearsals with Broadway professionals in preparation for a one-night-only talent showcase on a Broadway stage. This year, due to COVID-19, Lauren will join all honorees virtually with all coaching, rehearsals, and activities will taking place online. The online program will culminate with two students being presented with a Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor award with a total of 20 awards and scholarships available to participants.

“I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to continue to share my love of theater with audiences this year, and I look forward to continuing to do so at the Jimmy Awards over the summer!” Lauren said.