CHANDLER, AZ — Chandler High School graduate Brayden Nesbitt was 14 when his interest in musical theatre began, something that has only grown over the years.
“Literally, it’s every night it's literally new people that haven't seen the show or people who have seen the show once, two times, however many times, but it's always authentic, and I think that's what keeps me coming back," Nesbitt said.
But it wasn't the big stage that brought him to Chandler High School.
"I was coming here for football originally, yeah. I just did theatre on the side, like community theatres around the valley," Nesbitt said.
He tackled both through the years, but this past year, he made a decision to put the Friday night lights aside and take center stage.
Last month, he won Best Lead Male at the ASU Gammage High School Musical Awards.
"I am literally just sitting there like this, and I'm like, I cannot believe this is happening, it was crazy," Nesbitt said.
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"It was definitely one of the most, happy moments of my life I have ever had," Nesbitt said.
His theatre teacher says the moment was earned following years of dedication and recently locking into knowing what he wants.
"He genuinely earned this recognition because he put the work in,” said Stephanie Likes, the theatre teacher at Chandler High School.
Now he heads to New York City to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards Program, known as the Jimmy Awards.
“Performing on a Broadway stage, I mean, not everyone gets to do that, so I am really going to take that in for sure," Nesbitt said.
The Jimmy Awards are on June 22. You can watch Brayden perform live at JimmyAwards.com or on YouTube.
