Carnegie Mellon Congratulates Jamie deRoy on Tony Award Win

NEW YORK, June 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnegie Mellon University alumna Jamie deRoy (A'67) received a Tony Award on Sunday night at Radio City Music Hall, increasing the number of Carnegie Mellon alumni who have received Tonys to 32.

Celebrating its centennial in 2014, 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. This year, CMU had six alumni nominated for Tony Awards.

"Congratulations to Jamie on winning a 2014 Tony Award," said CMU President Subra Suresh. "It's always exciting to see Carnegie Mellon alumni be recognized for their outstanding contributions to Broadway and the American theater. This is another example of how, for 100 years, CMU's School of Drama has prepared and supported talented individuals, both on-stage and off, to reach the highest levels of their profession. The entire CMU community is very proud to celebrate with Jamie."

deRoy received the Tony as a producer for Best Musical, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder." Tonight's win makes it deRoy's second consecutive Tony, as she received the 2013 Tony as a producer for "Vanya, Sonia, Masha, and Spike." She has also won eight MAC Awards, four Back Stage
 Bistro Awards, 10 Telly Awards and CaB Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award for her extensive work on both stage and screen.

"Our alumni continue to do amazing things, both on the stage and behind the scenes," said Dan J. Martin, dean of CMU's College of Fine Arts. "Being recognized through a Tony Award is a wonderful accomplishment for Jamie, and it reinforces the strengths of our School of Drama program and training. We're especially pleased that this recognition comes during our school's centennial year and our inaugural partnership with The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing."

During the live broadcast on CBS, Carnegie Mellon alumni Zachary Quinto ("Star Trek," Broadway's "The Glass Menagerie") and Matt Bomer ("The Normal Heart," "White Collar") introduced the creation of the "Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre Education presented by Carnegie Mellon University," the first, national recognition program to honor kindergarten through high-school (K-12) theatre educators. This follows the university's announcement in April that it will collaborate with the Tony Awards as its first, exclusive higher education partner. Nominations for theatre educators will be accepted online this fall and the first recipient will be honored on stage at the 2015 Tony Awards.

Carnegie Mellon also aired its first network, primetime television commercial during the Tony Awards broadcast. The animated spot, which highlights CMU's success in the arts, business, sciences and technology, included the distinctive voiceover of CMU alumnus Billy Porter, the 2013 Tony Award-winning star of "Kinky Boots." 

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 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, Nick Scandalios is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is Executive Director. At the American Theatre Wing, William Ivey Long is Chairman and Heather Hitchens is Executive Director. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment are the Executive Producers of the 2014 Tony Awards. Mr. Weiss will also serve as Director of the 2014 Tony Awards.

IBM, the official information technology partner of the Tony Awards, develops, designs, and hosts the official Tony Awards website, www.TonyAwards.com across digital platforms.  Audemars Piguet is the presenting sponsor of the Tony Awards Red Carpet. United Airlines is the official airline of the Tony Awards. The New York Times is the official and exclusive print media partner of the Tony Awards. Nexxus Salon Hair Care is the official beauty partner of the Tony Awards. Paramount Hotel is the official hotel partner of the Tonys. PEOPLE is the official magazine partner of the Tony Awards. City National Bank is the official bank of the Tony Awards. Carnegie Mellon University is the first-ever, exclusive higher education partner of the Tony Awards.

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SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University