Three Carnegie Mellon Alumni Nominated for Six Tony Awards

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Oct 15, 2020, 17:03 ET

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Three Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama alumni received a total of six Tony Award nominations today for their accomplishments on Broadway. This marks the 12^th consecutive year that at least one Carnegie Mellon graduate has received a nomination.

The nominees are:

Producer Jamie deRoy, a 1967 Carnegie Mellon alumna, received a total of four nominations in three categories: The Inheritance and Slave Play (Best Play); Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Best Revival of a Play); and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (Best Musical).

Sound designer Peter Hylenski, a 1997 alumnus, earned a nomination for Best Sound Design of a Musical for Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

Actor Blair Underwood, another 1997 alumnus, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for A Soldier's Play.

"Once again, talented individuals from our School of Drama have earned recognition for their work on Broadway. During this particularly challenging year for all of those working on the stage and behind the scenes, we have come to recognize more than ever how important our theater arts industry is, and we celebrate these achievements," said CMU President Farnam Jahanian. "We look forward to that day in the future when we can return to gathering and applauding great works like all those nominated this year."

Nominations were announced this afternoon. The 74th Annual Tony Awards will be broadcast virtually at a date to be announced. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Carnegie Mellon alumni have won 50 Tony Awards. CMU's School of Drama consistently ranks as one of the world's best drama schools and is the first degree-granting drama program in the United States. The school is recognized as an international leader in arts and technology. Year after year, the School of Drama produces graduates who go on to do award-winning work, both on stage and behind the scenes.

"It is my great pleasure to congratulate our alumni on behalf of the School of Drama faculty, staff and student body," said Megan Monaghan Rivas, interim head of the school. "The range of nominations shows the field-wide impact of the artists and managers who studied in the School of Drama, illuminating the truth that careers flourish in many areas of the entertainment industry. We are immeasurably proud of our alumni and their work."

CMU is the exclusive higher education partner of the Tony Awards. Since 2015, CMU and the Tonys have annually recognized a K-12 drama teacher within the United States, whose work has demonstrated monumental impact on the lives of students, while embodying the highest standards of the profession.

Tony Award Nominees

The following CMU College of Fine Arts alumni, presented in alphabetical order, have been nominated for Tony Awards this year.

Jamie deRoy, School of Drama, Class of 1967, Producer
Producer – The Inheritance (Best Play); Slave Play (Best Play); Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Best Revival of a Play); and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (Best Musical)

Jamie deRoy is the celebrated host and producer of the critically acclaimed variety show, "Jamie deRoy & friends," and a seven-time Tony Award-winning producer. In total, deRoy has worked on over 50 Broadway, and 40 Off-Broadway productions. An accomplished actress, record producer, comedian and talk show host, she has won eight MAC Awards, four Back Stage Bistro Awards, 11 Telly Awards and CaB Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award for her work on both stage and screen.

Peter Hylenski, School of Drama, Class of 1997, Sound Designer
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Peter Hylenski has provided sound designs for over 30 Broadway productions including Shrek the Musical, Cry-Baby, Motown the Musical, The Wedding Singer and Sweet Charity. He received his first Tony nomination in 2009 for his sound design for Rock of Ages. Hylenski has also been nominated for Olivier, Grammy, and Drama-Desk awards. He has designed for Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall and the Kennedy Center.

Blair Underwood, School of Drama, Class of 1997, Actor
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
A Soldier's Play

After eight years, Blair Underwood returned to Broadway in January, starring as Captain Richard Davenport in "A Soldier's Play." Acting was an integral part of his life while growing up in Warren, Mich., and Petersburg, Va. Underwood made his Broadway debut in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 2012. He has acted on stage, screen and TV; he has has received two Golden Globe Award nominations, five NAACP Image Awards, one Daytime Emmy Award and one Grammy Award. In addition to his stage work, Underwood serves as CEO of Intrepid Inc. in Studio City, Calif.

SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University