What does it take to get nominated for a Tony Award? Hard work, talent, luck—all backed up by a good education. You have to supply the first three yourself, but PlaybillEDU™ can help you find the fourth.
Here is a rundown on where the nominees for the 2017 Tony Awards pursued their college studies. Visit PlaybillEDU.com to learn how you can follow in their footsteps. Individual school listings on the site are linked below.
Best Play
A Doll's House, Part 2 - Lucas Hnath (Playwright): New York University
Indecent - Paula Vogel (Playwright, Created by): Catholic University&Cornell University
Oslo - J.T. Rogers (Playwright): University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Sweat - Lynn Nottage (Playwright): Brown University & Yale University
Best Book of a Musical
Irene Sankoff (Come from Away): York University & New School for Drama
David Hein (Come from Away): York University
Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen): Brown University
Danny Rubin (Groundhog Day): Brown University & Northwestern University
Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812): University of Colorado at Boulder & Ohio University
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Irene Sankoff (Come from Away):York University & New School for Drama
David Hein (Come from Away): York University
Benj Pasek (Dear Evan Hansen): University of Michigan
Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen): University of Michigan
Tim Minchin (Groundhog Day): University of Western Australia
Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812): University of Colorado at Boulder & Ohio University
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt (Heisenberg): Did not attend college
Chris Cooper (A Doll's House, Part 2): University of Missouri-Columbia
Corey Hawkins (Six Degrees of Separation): The Juilliard School
Kevin Kline (Present Laughter): Indiana University & The Juilliard School
Jefferson Mays (Oslo): Yale University & University of California-San Diego
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett (The Present): National Institute of Dramatic Art
Jennifer Ehle (Oslo): University of North Carolina School of the Arts & Central School of Speech and Drama
Sally Field (The Glass Menagerie): Did not attend college
Laura Linney (Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes): The Juilliard School & Brown University
Laurie Metcalf (A Doll's House, Part 2): Illinois State University
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle (Falsettos): Carnegie Mellon University
Josh Groban (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): Carnegie Mellon University
Andy Karl (Groundhog Day The Musical): Towson University
David Hyde Pierce (Hello, Dolly!): Yale University
Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen): Columbia University
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): Carnegie Mellon University
Christine Ebersole (War Paint): MacMurray College & American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Patti LuPone (War Paint): The Juilliard School
Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!): University of Hawaii at Monoa
Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon): Did not attend college
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Michael Aronov (Oslo): New World School of the Arts & Southern Methodist University
Danny DeVito (Arthur Miller's The Price): American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Nathan Lane (The Front Page): Did not attend college
Richard Thomas (Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes): Columbia University
John Douglas Thompson (August Wilson's Jitney): Le Moyne College
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Johanna Day (Sweat): American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Jayne Houdyshell (A Doll's House, Part 2): Oakland University
Cynthia Nixon (Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes): Barnard College
Condola Rashad (A Doll's House, Part 2): California Institute of the Arts
Michelle Wilson (Sweat): University of Michigan
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!): University of Michigan
Mike Faist (Dear Evan Hansen): American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Andrew Rannells (Falsettos): Marymount Manhattan College
Lucas Steele (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): University of the Arts
Brandon Uranowitz (Falsettos): New York University
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, (Hello, Dolly!): Northwestern University
Stephanie J. Block (Falsettos): Did not attend college
Jenn Colella (Come From Away): University of California-Irvine
Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen): Did not attend college
Mary Beth Peil (Anastasia): Northwestern University
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Gallo (August Wilson's Jitney): n/a
Nigel Hook (The Play That Goes Wrong): Trinity College Carmarthen & Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Douglas W. Schmidt (The Front Page): n/a
Michael Yeargan (Oslo): Stetson University & Yale University
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell (Groundhog Day The Musical): Birmingham City University
David Korins (War Paint): University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Mimi Lien (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): Yale University & New York University
Santo Loquasto (Hello, Dolly!): King’s College
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood (Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes): Liverpool Art School & Central School of Arts & Crafts
Susan Hilferty (Present Laughter): Syracuse University
Toni-Leslie James (August Wilson's Jitney): The Ohio State University
David Zinn (A Doll's House, Part 2): New York University
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho (Anastasia): McGill University & Yale University
Santo Loquasto (Hello, Dolly!): King’s College
Paloma Young (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): University of California, San Diego
Catherine Zuber (War Paint): Yale University
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind (Indecent): Boston University & Yale University
Jane Cox (August Wilson's Jitney): New York University
Donald Holder (Oslo): University of Maine & Yale University
Jennifer Tipton (A Doll's House, Part 2): Cornell University
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley (Come From Away): East Carolina University
Natasha Katz (Hello, Dolly!): Oberlin College & Conservatory
Bradley King (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): New York University
Japhy Weideman (Dear Evan Hansen): University of New Mexico
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Gold (A Doll's House, Part 2): Cornell University &The Juilliard School
Ruben Santiago-Hudson (August Wilson's Jitney): Binghamton University & Wayne State University
Bartlett Sher (Oslo): College of the Holy Cross
Daniel Sullivan (Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes): San Francisco State University
Rebecca Taichman (Indecent): Yale University
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley (Come From Away): Yale University
Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): New York University & Columbia University
Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen): Northwestern University & University of California, San Diego
Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day The Musical): Bristol University
Jerry Zaks (Hello, Dolly!):Dartmouth College & Smith College
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler (Bandstand): Southern Methodist University
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane (Groundhog Day The Musical): Bristol University
Kelly Devine (Come From Away): Chapman University
Denis Jones (Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical): New York University
Sam Pinkleton (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): New York University
Best Orchestrations
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen (Bandstand): College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
Larry Hochman (Hello, Dolly!): Manhattan School of Music, Eastman School of Music & Mannes College
Alex Lacamoire (Dear Evan Hansen): Berklee College of Music
Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812): University of Colorado at Boulder & Ohio University
