5 CMU grads earn Tony Award nominations

For 11 years in a row, at least one Carnegie Mellon University graduate has received a Tony Award nomination, according to spokeswoman Julie Mattera.

Five School of Drama alumni are nominated for 11 nominations for their Broadway behind-the-scenes work, Mattera says. The Tony Award nominations were announced Tuesday morning.

Leading the way is producer Jamie deRoy, a 1967 alumna, landing six nominations.

“Tootsie,” “Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations” and “Beetlejuice” are nominated for Best Musical.

Best Play nominations go to “The Ferryman,” “The Waverly Gallery” and “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus.”

Ann Roth, a 1953 alumna, has two Best Costume Design of a Play nominations for her work in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus.”

Earning two Best Sound Design of a Musical nominations is Peter Hylenski, a 1997 alumnus for “Beetlejuice” and “King Kong.”

Lighting designers Peggy Eisenhauer, a 1983 alumna, and Jules Fisher, class of 1960, are nominated for Best Lighting Design of a Play in “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus.”

Alumni from @cmudrama receive 11 @TheTonyAwards nominations; Alumna @JudithLight to receive humanitarian award. Congratulations! #cmutonys #iamcmu https://t.co/02dVpIVwqC pic.twitter.com/ORvyIPA6ID

— Carnegie Mellon (@CarnegieMellon) April 30, 2019

In addition to the nominees, Judith Light, a 1970 alumna and two-time Tony Award winner, will receive this year’s Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her advocacy to end HIV/AIDS and her support for the LGBTQ+ community.

“Every year, several of our alumni join the ranks of Broadway’s best as Tony Award nominees, and we couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments,” says CMU President Farnam Jahanian.

“We are particularly pleased that members of the Carnegie Mellon community are consistently recognized for their work, illustrating our commitment to educating the next generation of entertainment industry talent across a wide array of professions within the field,” he adds.

Carnegie Mellon alumni have won a total of 47 Tony Awards.

The 73rd Annual Tony Awards will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. June 9 on CBS from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

During the show, Carnegie Mellon will present the fifth annual Excellence in Theatre Education Award, the first national honor to recognize K-12 theatre educators. The award recognizes a teacher who demonstrates monumental impact on the lives of drama students, while also embodying the highest standards of the profession.