Carnegie Mellon Drama Alumni Nominated for 2017 Tony Awards

Third Annual Education Award Winner to be Recognized During CBS Broadcast

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May 02, 2017, 11:35 ET

PITTSBURGH, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three Carnegie Mellon University alumni garnered Tony Award nominations this morning during a live segment on "CBS This Morning" and a webcast on TonyAwards.com. Denée Benton, Christian Borle and Josh Groban were nominated for their leading roles in Broadway musicals. The Tony Awards, hosted by actor and Tony Award-winner Kevin Spacey, will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 11, from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Carnegie Mellon will present the third annual "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" at the Tonys. The award is the first, national honor to recognize K-12 theatre educators.

"We are tremendously proud of our Carnegie Mellon University alumni nominees who, through their hard work and success, serve as role models for students everywhere," said CMU President Subra Suresh. "We also are proud to partner with the Tony Awards to recognize other important role models — our nation's teachers — who provide arts education to young people. Through our Excellence in Theatre Education Award, we honor their hard work and dedication."

2017 Carnegie Mellon Tony Award Nominees

Denée Benton
"Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
2014 graduate of CMU's School of Drama

Christian Borle
"Falsettos"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
1995 graduate of CMU's School of Drama

Josh Groban
"Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812"
Best Performance By an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Attended CMU's School of Drama 1999-2000

The Excellence in Theatre Education Award continues to gain significant attention, generating hundreds of nominations from across the country again this year. This annual honor recognizes theatre educators in the U.S. who demonstrate monumental impact on the lives of students and who embody the highest standards of the profession. A panel of judges comprising representatives of the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, CMU and other leaders from the theatre industry recently selected the finalists and a winner, who will be recognized at the 71^st Annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 11.

For more information about the nominees and the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, visit http://cmu.li/isAh30bmmTS.

SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University