The spotlight will shine brightly on several Carnegie Mellon University alumni at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York at The 77th Annual Tony Awards® on Sunday, June 16.

Carnegie Mellon Alumna and Tony Award Winner Renée Elise Goldsberry (BFA, 1993) and Tony Award Winner Jesse Tyler Ferguson announced the 2024 Tony Award nominations on “CBS Mornings” on April 30. Goldsberry also will receive an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree(opens in new window) at CMU's 126th Commencement on May 12.

Six Carnegie Mellon alumni were nominated for 11 Tony Awards. This year marks 15 consecutive years in which Carnegie Mellon alumni have earned Tony nominations. 

2024 Carnegie Mellon University Tony Awards Nominees

• Actor Will Brill, 2009 School of Drama alumnus, was nominated for his role as Reg in “Stereophonic” (Best Featured Actor in a Play).
• Producer Jamie deRoy, 1967 Carnegie Mellon alumna, received a total of five nominations in two categories: “Cabaret,” “Gutenberg! The Musical!,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “The Who’s Tommy” (Best Revival of a Musical) and “Stereophonic” (Best Play).
• Playwright Joshua Harmon, 2010 School of Drama alumnus, was nominated for “Prayer for the French Republic” (Best Play).
• Actor and Producer Leslie Odom, Jr., 2003 School of Drama alumnus, was nominated for his role as Purlie Victorious Judson and his work as a producer on “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch” (Best Revival of a Play).
• Actress Sarah Pidgeon, 2018 School of Drama alumna, was nominated for her role as Diana in “Stereophonic” (Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role).
• Director Leigh Silverman, 1996 School of Drama alumna, was nominated for “Suffs” (Best Director).

“Carnegie Mellon University congratulates all of the 2024 Tony Award nominees, with a special nod to our Tartans,” said CMU President Farnam Jahanian(opens in new window). “Our community takes immense pride in the creativity and unwavering commitment to excellence demonstrated by our accomplished alumni. We eagerly await the momentous evening for theater in June and look forward to celebrating their achievements.”

Carnegie Mellon alumni have won 60 Tony Awards to date. CMU’s School of Drama(opens in new window) is the first degree-granting drama program in the United States and celebrates its 110th anniversary in 2024.  

Ariana DeBose Hosts The 77th Annual Tony Awards 

Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ariana DeBose returns to host The 77th Annual Tony Award for the third time, from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City on Sunday, June 16 (8:00-11:00 PM, LIVE ET/5:00-8:00 PM, LIVE PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs). DeBose will also serve as producer and choreograph the opening number for this year’s show. DeBose hosted the 76th and 75th Annual Tony Awards, the former for which she earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Variety Special.

The 77th Tonys celebration will recognize all the award categories and honor the incredible artistry of the 2023-24 season. The Tony Awards, which honor theater professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway, is presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League and has been broadcast on CBS since 1978.

Teachers Take Center Stage

During the June 16 ceremony, CMU and The Tony Awards will present the 2024 Excellence in Theatre Education Award(opens in new window). One of theater’s unsung heroes — a performing arts teacher from somewhere in the U.S. — will be celebrated with all of the evening’s industry stars. 

In partnership with the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, CMU and the Tonys annually recognize an exemplary K-12 theater teacher selected from a nationwide search. The Excellence in Theatre Education Award winner’s work has demonstrated a monumental impact on the lives of students while embodying the highest standards of the profession. 

Carnegie Mellon is the exclusive higher education partner of The Tony Awards. The annual Excellence in Theatre Education Award was co-created by the Tonys and CMU and has been presented since 2015.

The winner of the 2024 Excellence in Theatre Education Award will be announced later this spring, ahead of the 77th Annual Tony Awards.