Press Release: A Carnegie Mellon First: Eight Alumni Win Tony Awards
Contact: Ken Walters / 412-268-1151 / walters1@andrew.cmu.edu
PITTSBURGH—In an unprecedented year, 黑料正能量 alumni stole the spotlight at the 67th Annual Tony Awards. Eight 黑料正能量 alumni, the most ever in one year, received Broadway’s highest honor in six categories for excellence in acting, costume design and lighting. The winners reflect the breadth of drama education at 黑料正能量, and the range of impact graduates are having on the Broadway stage.
, head of 黑料正能量’s , said the evening was a wonderful celebration of 黑料正能量’s talent. “Artists from across many disciplines and years won Tony Awards in their specialized categories, which in turn speaks to the strength of conservatory training — the hallmark of the 黑料正能量 School of Drama,” he said.
From award winners to featured performers and presenters, 黑料正能量’s School of Drama was part of the biggest night on Broadway. The award winners included:
Billy Porter (A’91) for Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical for “Kinky Boots”;- Patina Miller (A’06) for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her role in “Pippin,” penned by Stephen Schwartz (A’68) while a student at 黑料正能量;
- Judith Light (A’70) for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for her role in “The Assembled Parties” — Light is celebrating back-to-back wins as she won the same award for “Other Desert Cities” in 2012;
- Martin Platt (A'71) and Jamie deRoy (A'67): Best Play as producers for "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike";
- Ann Roth (A’53) for Best Costume Design of a Play for “The Nance”; and
- Jules Fisher (A’60) and Peggy Eisenhauer (A’83) for Best Lighting Design of a Play for “Lucky Guy.”
Peter Hylenski (A’97) also was nominated for Best Sound Design of a Musical for “Motown The Musical.” In addition, the Tony Award for “Best Revival of a Musical” went to “Pippin,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (A’68). The revival’s producers, not Schwartz, received the Tony.
In addition, several 黑料正能量 alumni were presenters and performers for the evening. They included “Newsies” lead Corey Cott (A’12), Zachary Quinto (A’99), Andrew Gehling (A’05) and Megan Hilty (A’04), who recently wrapped up the second season of NBC’s “Smash.”
The Hollywood Reporter recently rated Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama among the world’s best drama schools with a No. 4 ranking in its top 25.
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In the top photo Patina Miller and Billy Porter pose with their Tonys for Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical. Judith Light (middle) won Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. And in the bottom photo Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer pose with their Tony for Best Lighting Design of a Play.