Multiple UNCSA alumni nominated for Tony Awards
Four alumni from UNCSA have received Tony Award nominations and numerous alumni from the schools of Dance, Design and Production (D&P), Drama and Music are connected to 2024 Tony-nominated productions. The nominations, which honor theater professionals for distinguished achievements on Broadway, were announced Tuesday. Awards will be announced June 16 in a live telecast.
UNCSA alumni nominations include:
- Dance alumna Camille A. Brown (B.F.A. ’01) is nominated for best choreography for her work on “Hell’s Kitchen,” which received 13 nominations including best musical, best book of a musical, best scenic design of a musical, best lighting design of a musical and more.
- D&P alumnus and former UNCSA trustee member Paul Tazewell (B.F.A. ’86) is nominated for best costume design of a musical for “Suffs,” which received six nominations including best musical.
- Drama alumnus Orin Wolf (High School ’97) is nominated as a producer for best musical nominee “Illinoise,” which received four other nominations.
- Dance alumnus Jordan Medley (B.F.A ’18) is nominated for two Tony Awards as a producer with Medley Houlihan for best revival of a musical nominees "Merrily We Roll Along," which earned seven nominations, and "Gutenberg: The Musical."
"Suffs" / Photo: Joan Marcus
Brown, who leads Camille A. Brown and Dancers, has previously been nominated for three Tony awards and received numerous awards including Princess Grace, Bessie and Doris Duke. Last year, Brown was presented with an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts during UNCSA commencement in which she addressed nearly 300 graduating undergraduate and graduate students and their families and friends.
Tazewell, who was previously nominated for an Oscar for “West Side Story,” won a Tony in 2016 for “Hamilton.” He has designed original costumes for nearly two dozen Broadway shows and countless shows off-Broadway.
Wolf, who previously won two Tony Awards for “Once” and “The Band’s Visit,” has previously been nominated for his work on projects including “Orphans” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Medley is co-president and chief creative officer at Medley Houlihan.
"Merrily We Roll Along"
Other connections of UNCSA alumni with nominated shows include:
- In addition to Brown, several D&P alumni worked on “Hell’s Kitchen” including Craig Stelzenmuller(B.F.A. ’01) who is the associate lighting designer, Kristen Mendez (B.F.A. ’19) who is the assistant costume designer, Abby May (B.F.A. ’17) who is the associate lighting designer and Liz Printz (B.F.A. ’09) who is the associate hair designer.
- Several alumni worked on “Grey House,” which is nominated in two categories including best lighting design of a play. Joe Mantello (B.F.A. Drama '84) is the director, Stelzenmuller is the associate lighting designer Christina Grant (M.F.A. ’04) is the makeup designer and D&P alumnus Brian Davis (B.F.A. ’18) is a sound engineer.
- Music alumna Kristian Gitterman-Musser (High School ’86) is the concertmaster for “Back to The Future: The Musical,” which earned two nominations including best scene design of a musical. D&P alumna Tracy Cowit (M.F.A. ’16) is the assistant sound designer and D&P alumna Sarah Gass (B.F.A. ’15) is a stitcher.
- D&P alumnus Harley Haberman (B.F.A. ’20) is the associate hair designer for “Merrily We Roll Along”; D&P alumna Abby May is the associate lighting designer; D&P alumna Alex Howard (B.F.A. ’20) is the hair supervisor; and D&P alumna Amelia Brown (B.F.A. ’22) is the hairdresser.
- Alumna Mary-Mitchell Campbell (High School Music '92) is the co-music supervisor and co-arranger for “Water for Elephants,” which was nominated for seven awards including best musical. Drama alumnus Sean Stack (B.F.A. ’20) is a cast member.
- D&P alumnus Barclay Stiff (B.F.A. ’00) is the production stage manager for “Appropriate,” which earned eight nominations including best revival of a play. D&P alumnus Brian Messina (B.F.A. ’06) is the production electrician.
- Drama alumnus Bill English (B.F.A. ’02) plays several roles on “Days of Wine and Roses,” which was nominated for three awards including best original score written for theatre. D&P alumna Judith Schoenfeld (B.F.A. ’91) is the production stage manager for the show.
- D&P alumnus Brad Peterson (B.F.A. '09) is the video consultant and video programmer and Music alumnus Matthew Stephens (M.M. ’12) is in the orchestra pit for “Illinoise.”
- D&P alumnus Asher Robinson (B.F.A.’12) is the production video for “Back to the Future,” “The Outsiders” and “Hells Kitchen.”
- D&P alumni Evan Rooney (B.F.A.’12) is the production carpenter; Alyssa Eilbott (B.F.A. ’15) is the moving light programmer; Jaechelle Johnson (B.F.A. ’16) is the assistant sound designer; Kai Ravelson (M.F.A. ’14) is the assistant hair supervisor; and Drama alumna Chessa Metz (High School ’13 B.F.A.’17) is a swing for “Suffs.”
- D&P alumna Ridley Walker (B.F.A. ’18) designed the video for “Mary Jane,” which was nominated for best play.
- D&P alumna Roya Abab (B.F.A. ’11) was the moving light programmer for “Stereophonic,” which was for best lighting design of a play.
- D&P alumna Alyssa Eilbott (B.F.A. ’15) was the moving light programmer for “Suffs” and “The Who's Tommy,” which are both nominated for best musical.
- D&P alumna Jada Hutchinson (B.F.A. ’19) is the head electrician for “The Who's Tommy.”
- Nominated nine times, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club” has several D&P connections including alumna Elyssa Kohen (B.F.A. ’15) who was an assistant sound engineer, alumnus Zachary Feivou (B.F.A. ’17) who was the head carpenter and Brian Davis who was the prologue sound mixer.
- Bethany Joy Costumes, created and owned by D&P alumna Bethany J. Itterly (B.F.A. '11) created pieces for multiple nominated productions including "The Great
Gatsby," "Water for Elephants," "The Notebook," "Hell's Kitchen" and "Here Lies Love."
D&P alumni who worked as part of the company include draper Rebecca T. Eckes (B.F.A. '18, M.F.A '21), tailor Andrew Walsh (B.F.A '21) and stitcher Lily Mateus (B.F.A '22).
"Illinoise" artwork
The 77th annual Tony Awards will air live Sunday, June 16, at 8 p.m. on CBS and Paramount Plus.
Information in this release reflects what could be obtained by press time; updates will be made with additional connections as they are brought to our attention.
Get the best news, performance and alumni stories from UNCSA.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)(OPENS IN NEW TAB)
May 01, 2024