Orlando student Adam Bouchachia gained national recognition at the 16th Annual Jimmy Awards in New York City, earning a $5,000 scholarship and recognition among top young musical theater talents.

Prior to this, Bouchachia was named Male Jimmy Nominee at the Dr. Phillips Center's 11th Annual Applause Awards for his portrayal of Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Since its inception, the Dr. Phillips Center's Applause Awards have produced 18 Jimmy Awards nominees, with six students reaching national recognition and two winning the Jimmy Awards.

Ryan Simpson, education director at the Dr. Phillips Center, praised Bouchachia's talent, discipline, and passion, expressing pride in his representation of Orlando's theater community.

Bouchachia was a top four finalist for the Best Performance by an Actor award at the Jimmy Awards, which featured 110 nominees from 55 regional programs at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre.

Leading up to the Jimmy Awards, Bouchachia participated in a weeklong theater intensive in New York City, receiving coaching from Broadway professionals.

The Applause Awards, which supported Bouchachia's nomination, was backed by organizations like AdventHealth, American Momentum Bank, and the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation.