Four CCM alumni nominated in 2024 Tony Awards
Shoshana Bean, Isabella Byrd, Dorian Harewood and Leslie Kritzer received Tony Award nominations
Four UC College-Conservatory of Music alumni are named nominees in the 77th annual Tony Awards, recognizing the excellent work shared in Broadway productions during the 2023-24 season.
The nominees, announced Tuesday, April 30, include Shoshana Bean (BFA Musical Theatre, '99), Isabella Byrd (BFA Lighting Design and Technology, ’09), Dorian Harewood and Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (BFA Musical Theatre, '99). Read more about the alums via coverage from the Cincinnati Enquirer and Playbill.
Bean received a nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Jersey in Hell's Kitchen. Byrd received two Tony Award Nominations — Best Lighting Design of a Play for An Enemy of the People and Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Harewood received a nomination for his performance as Older Noah in The Notebook, which is produced by Kevin McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre, ’84; HonDoc, '05) and Bradley Reynolds (BFA Musical Theatre, '84). Kritzer received a nomination for Best Performance By An Actress In A Featured Role In A Musical for her performance as the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot.
CCM is consistently recognized by Playbill as one of the most represented colleges on Broadway — and has alumni not only performing on stage, but also alumni working as designers, technicians, musicians, composers, administrators and producers. In addition to the alumni named in the Tony nominations, there are also alumni performing and working behind the scenes throughout Broadway.
Alex Brock (MFA Sound Design, '22) recently made her Broadway debut as the assistant sound designer for Stereophonic, which received a Tony Award nominaton for Best Sound Design of a Play (Ryan Rumery, Sound Designer). Phillip Johnson Richardson (BFA Musical Theatre, '18) plays Tinman in Broadway's The Wiz, which Playbill named as one of the shows "overlooked" by the Tony Awards this year. Additionally, Josh Breckenridge (BFA Musical Theatre, ’07) plays Wyatt, Billy Harrigan Tighe (BFA Musical Theatre, ’07) plays Tucker, Joe Moeller (BFA Musical Theatre, '11) has a Swing role and Geoff Packard (BFA Musical Theatre, '04) is Associate Director for The Heart of Rock and Roll, which Playbill also included in its list of overlooked shows.
The Tony Awards, hosted by Ariana DeBose, will air live on Sunday, June 16, 2024 from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The awards broadcast from 8-11 p.m. ET and 5-8 p.m. PT on the CBS Television Network, and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Learn more about the Tony Awards.
& JULIET
- Betsy Wolfe (BFA Musical Theatre, '04), Anne Hathaway (nominated for 2023 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical)
- Andrew Chappelle (BFA Musical Theatre, ’09), Lord Capulet, Sly, Bouncer, understudy for Shakespere and Lance
- Aaron J. Albano (CCM Musical Theatre, 2001-03), Henchman/Ensemble
BACK TO THE FUTURE
- Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson (BFA Musical Theatre, '21), Swing
- Blakely Slaybaugh (BFA Musical Theatre, '09), Swing
BOOK OF MORMON
- Paul Schwensen (BFA Musical Theatre, 2017), Standby Elder Price
CABARET AT THE KIT KAT CLUB
- Isabella Byrd (BFA Lighting Design and Technology, ’09), Lighting Designer
- Christian Kidd (BFA Musical Theatre, '22), Swing
CHICAGO
- Max Clayton (BFA Musical Theatre, '14), Fred Casely
- Angel Reda (BFA Musical Theatre, '03), Annie
- Mikayla Renfrow (BFA Musical Theatre, '20), Liz, Velma understudy
HAMILTON
- Stephanie Jae Park (BFA Musical Theatre, 2014), Eliza Hamilton
HELL’S KITCHEN
- Shoshana Bean (BFA Musical Theatre, '99), Jersey (nominated for 2024 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical)
LEMPICKA
- Kyle Brown (BFA Musical Theatre, '08), Ensemble, u/s Tadeusz Lempicki
SIX
- Jenny Molet (BFA Musical Theatre, '19), Alternate
- Kevin McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre, ’84; HonDoc, '05), Producer
SPAMALOT (Closed April 7)
- Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (BFA Musical Theatre, '99), Lady of the Lake (nominated for Tony Award Nominated Role for Best Performance By An Actress In A Featured Role In A Musical)
STEREOPHONIC
- Alex Brock (MFA Sound Design, '22), Assistant Sound Designer
THE GREAT GATSBY
- Noah J. Ricketts (BFA Musical Theatre, ’14), Nick Carraway
- Samantha Pollino (BFA Musical Theatre, '16), Swing
THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL
- Josh Breckenridge (BFA Musical Theatre, ’07), Wyatt
- Billy Harrigan Tighe (BFA Musical Theatre, ’07), Tucker
- Joe Moeller (BFA Musical Theatre, '11), Swing
- Geoff Packard (BFA Musical Theatre, '04), Associate Director
THE NOTEBOOK
- Dorian Harewood (CCM Musical Theatre '69-'72), Older Noah (nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role In A Musical)
- Kevin McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre, ’84; HonDoc, '05), Producer
- Bradley Reynolds (BFA Musical Theatre, '84), Producer
THE WIZ
- Phillip Johnson Richardson (BFA Musical Theatre, '18), Tinman
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
- Sara Gettelfiner (BFA Musical Theatre, '99), Barbara
You Can't Make Theatre Alone
There is a giant team of performers, producers, designers, technicians, administrators, composers, musicians and more working behind the scenes to bring Broadway’s shows to life. In addition to the alums working on Broadway, CCM celebrates the all of the creatives who work on productions in touring companies and theaters around the country!
Do you want to make theatre? Learn more about our programs in Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration: Acting, Arts Admin, Dance, Musical Theatre, Opera, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Make-Up and Wig Design, Sound Design, Stage Design, Stage Management, Technical Production.
Featured image at the top: CCM alumnus Dorian Harewood in The Notebook on Broadway. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
Additional Contacts
Curt Whitacre | Director of Marketing/Communications | UC College-Conservatory of Music
whitaccp@ucmail.uc.edu | 513-556-2683
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