Carnegie Mellon Congratulates Christian Borle on Tony Award Win

NEW YORK, June 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Carnegie Mellon University alumnus Christian Borle (A'95) received a Tony Award on Sunday night at Radio City Music Hall, increasing the number of Tonys received by Carnegie Mellon alumni to 41.

Borle received the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for "Something Rotten!" It marks his second Tony win, following his Tony Award in 2012 for "Peter and the Starcatcher." He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Emmet Forrest in 2007's "Legally Blonde." He has numerous film and TV credits to his name, most notably his role in the NBC musical television program "Smash," and his roles in the NBC live productions of "The Sound of Music" and "Peter Pan."

"This is terrific recognition for Christian's hard work and dedication to his role in 'Something Rotten.' It is just one of his many truly transformational and remarkable performances in film, television and on stage," said Dan Martin, dean of CMU's College of Fine Arts. "We are very proud of Christian, as a CMU alumnus. He is an exemplary graduate and deserves this recognition."

During the broadcast on CBS, Carnegie Mellon and the Tony Awards announced Corey Mitchell, theater arts teacher at the Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, N.C., as the winner of the inaugural Excellence in Theatre Education Award. He was recognized during the show by another CMU alumnus, Joe Manganiello (A'04), who introduced Mitchell from the audience. The award is the first, national recognition program to honor kindergarten through high-school (K-12) theatre educators who demonstrate a monumental impact on the lives of students and who embody the highest standards of the profession. More than 4,000 nominations were received from across the United States for the award.

Reared in rural North Carolina and educated at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Mitchell is now completing 20 years in the classroom and his 14th year at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte. He teaches acting and leads a dynamic musical theatre program.

Mitchell does not shy away from material that challenges his students, the audience or his own skills. Some of the most notable of his 70-plus productions include "For Colored Girls," "Pippin," "Edges," "Aida," "Rent" and "Hair." During his career, Mitchell has garnered recognition as a director, performer and teacher. He was named the North Carolina Outstanding Theatre Arts Educator in 2007.

The Tony Awards also recognized CMU alumnus Stephen Schwartz (A'68), who was named this year's recipient for the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award. Schwartz is best known for his music and lyrics for such shows as Godspell, Pippin and Wicked. The Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award is presented annually to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.

CMU's School of Drama is the oldest drama degree-granting program in the United States. Recognized as an international leader in the arts and technology, CMU's drama school consistently ranks as one of the world's best and has produced hundreds of Tony nominees.

About Carnegie Mellon University: Carnegie Mellon (www.cmu.edu) is a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the arts. More than 12,000 students in the university's seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university, Carnegie Mellon has campuses in Pittsburgh, Pa., California's Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Mexico.

About Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama: Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama is the oldest degree-granting drama school in the United States, celebrating its centennial in 2014. The school offers conservatory training that champions rigorous education, scholarship, research and innovative cross-disciplinary interaction; it is recognized as an international leader in the arts and technology. During the past 100 years, the School of Drama has trained innovators and leaders in the theatre, film and television industries. Carnegie Mellon alumni have received 99 Emmy Awards, 31 Tony Awards and six Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars.

About the Tony Awards: The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Robert E. Wankel is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is Executive Director. At the American Theatre Wing, William Ivey Long is Chairman and Heather Hitchens is President. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment are the Executive Producers of the 2015 Tony Awards. Mr. Weiss will also serve as Director of the 2015 Tony Awards.

IBM, the official information technology partner of the Tony Awards, develops, designs, and hosts the official Tony Awards digital experience across platforms, including www.TonyAwards.com. Carnegie Mellon University is the first-ever, exclusive higher education partner of the Tony Awards. United Airlines is the official airline of the Tony Awards. Paramount Hotel is the official hotel partner of the Tonys.  City National Bank is the official bank of the Tony Awards. Porsche Cars North America, Inc., manufacturer of exclusive sports cars, is celebrating dynamic performance as the official sports car of the Tony Awards.  La Crema, known for elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, is the official wine of the Tony Awards. USA TODAY is the official media partner of the Tony Awards. PEOPLE is the official magazine partner of the Tony Awards. Clear Channel Spectacolor is an official media partner of the Tony Awards and co-producer of the Tonys Simulcast in Times Square. The Hollywood Reporter is an official media partner of The Tony Awards.

SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University

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