CCM ranks in top 10 most represented colleges on Broadway
Playbill names CCM as one of Broadway's "Big 10" for the current crop of actors
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music has once again been named as one of Playbill’s “Big 10.” Ranked as one of the top star-producing institutions in the nation, CCM was represented by at least 37 alumni performing on Broadway stages during the 2023-24 season according to Playbill's coverage.
Playbill looked at every actor who performed in a Broadway show from April 28, 2023 to April 25, 2024, which coincides with the Tony eligibility for this season. CCM alumni named on Playbill's list of Broadway actors include:
- Aaron J. Albano (CCM Musical Theatre, 2001-03) in Here Lies Love, Aladdin, Hamilton
- Ezekiel Andrew (CCM Voice 2012-14) in The Lion King
- Shoshana Bean (BFA Musical Theatre, '99 in Hell’s Kitchen *2024 Tony Nomination
- Giovanni Bonaventura (BFA Musical Theatre, '11) in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, New York, New York
- Josh Breckenridge (BFA Musical Theatre, ’07) in The Heart of Rock and Roll
- Kyle Brown (BFA Musical Theatre, '08) in Lempicka
- Andrew Chappelle (BFA Musical Theatre, ’09) in & Juliet
- Max Chernin (BFA Musical Theatre, ’12) in Parade
- Max Clayton (BFA Musical Theatre, ’14) in Chicago
- Gary Cooper (BFA Musical Theatre, ’17) in Aladdin, Bad Cinderella
- Alysha Deslorieux (BFA Musical Theatre, '12) in Hamilton
- Bailee Endebrock (BFA Musical Theatre, ’20) in Parade
- Sara Gettelfinger (BFA Musical Theatre, ’99) in Water For Elephants
- Dorian Harewood (BFA Musical Theatre, '24) in The Notebook *2024 Tony Nomination
- Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson (BFA Musical Theatre, '21) in Back To The Future
- Christian Kidd (BFA Musical Theatre, '22) in Cabaret
- Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (BFA Musical Theatre, '99) in Spamalot *2024 Tony Nomination
- Denis Lambert (BFA Musical Theatre, '05) in Spamalot
- Joe Moeller (BFA Musical Theatre, '11) in The Heart of Rock and Roll, & Juliet
- Jenny Mollet (BFA Musical Theatre, '19) in SIX: The Musical
- Stephanie Jae Park (BFA Musical Theatre, 2014) in Hamilton
- Michele Pawk (BFA Musical Theatre, ’85) in Wicked
- Samantha Pollino (BFA Musical Theatre, ’16) in The Great Gatsby, Sweeney Todd
- Angel Reda (BFA Musical Theatre, ’03) in Chicago
- Mikayla Renfrow (BFA Musical Theatre, ’21) in Aladdin, Chicago
- Phillip Johnson Richardson (BFA Musical Theatre, '18) in The Wiz
- Noah J. Ricketts (BFA Musical Theatre, ’14) in The Great Gatsby
- Paul Schwensen (BFA Musical Theatre, '17) in The Book of Mormon
- Brian Sears (BFA Musical Theatre, '05) in Merrily We Roll Along
- Christine Cornish Smith (BFA Musical Theatre, '13) in Chicago
- Blakely Slaybaugh (BFA Musical Theatre, '09) in Back To The Future
- Kimber Elayne Sprawl (BFA Musical Theatre, ’14) in Wicked
- Billy Harrigan Tighe (BFA Musical Theatre, ’07) in The Heart of Rock and Roll
- Josh Tolle (BFA Musical Theatre, '13) in Once Upon A One More Time
- Daniel Torres (BFA Musical Theatre, '01) in Sweeney Todd
- Kate Wesler (BFA Musical Theatre, '14) in Harmony
- Betsy Wolfe (BFA Musical Theatre, '04) in & Juliet
In addition to Playbill's Broadway rankings, CCM alumni were also featured in Playbill's story about 25 Broadway professionals who shared their training. This story included Kristen Blodgette (BM Piano, '76) who served as music director and conductor on Broadway's Sweeney Todd; Isabella Byrd (BFA Lighting Design and Technology, ’09), who received two 2024 Tony Award Nominations for 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; and Dorian Harewood (BFA Musical Theatre, '24), who received a 2024 Tony Award Nomination for his performance as Older Noah in The Notebook.
Although Playbill's ranking story only spotlights the actors on stage, CCM alumni are working throughout Broadway on stage and behind the scenes. Our Broadway alumni also include:
- Alex Brock (MFA Sound Design, '22) is the Assistant Sound Designer on Stereophonic
- Sunny (Sun Hee) Kil (MFA Sound Design, '09) is the Associate Sound Designer for Left on Tenth, which opens Sept. 26, 2024
- Leah Loukas (BFA Make-Up & Wig Design, '04) is the Wig Designer for Oh, Mary! and the Hair and Wig Designer for Lempicka.
- Kevin McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre, ’84; HonDoc, '05) is a Producer of Six, The Notebook
- Kate Munchrath (BFA Sound Design, '10) is the Assistant Audio Engineer for SIX: The Musical
- Geoff Packard (BFA Musical Theatre, '04) is the Associate Director for The Heart of Rock and Roll
- Bradley Reynolds (BFA Musical Theatre, '84) is a Producer of The Notebook
- Megan Vaughn (BFA Costume Design and Technology, '22) is the Wardrobe Dresser for A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical
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.
Additional Contacts
Curt Whitacre | Director of Marketing/Communications | UC College-Conservatory of Music
whitaccp@ucmail.uc.edu | 513-556-2683
Related Stories
CCM shares fall 2022 schedule of performances and public events
August 12, 2022
Audiences are invited to return to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s (CCM) concert halls and theaters to experience world-class performances and presentations by the next generation of performing and media artists! The college’s fall 2022 schedule of free and ticketed events is now available. Tickets go on sale beginning on Monday, Aug. 22, through the CCM Box Office website.
VOTE: BroadwayWorld Awards highlight CCM excellence
December 5, 2023
Each year, the BroadwayWorld Awards honor excellence in the city’s performing arts scene. This year, the faculty and students of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are nominated 20 times in 11 categories—including Best Musical, Best Opera, Best Choreography, Best Sound Design, and more!
CCM ranks in top 10 most represented colleges on Broadway
September 9, 2024
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music has once again been named as one of Playbill’s “Big 10.” Ranked as one of the top star-producing institutions in the nation, CCM was represented by at least 24 alumni performing on Broadway stages during the 2023-24 season according to Playbill's coverage.