From small liberal arts colleges to large state schools to performing arts conservatories, take a look at the institutes of higher learning where this year's Tony nominees honed their crafts in the breakdown below.
Out of 118 nominated artists, 28 are first-time nominees. Of that 28, 17 are making their Broadway debuts this season
TRENDS AND TALLIES: Playbill Breaks Down the 2019 Tony Nominations
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Best Play
Tarell Alvin McCraney (
Choir Boy):
DePaul University & Yale UniversityJez Butterworth (
The Ferryman):
St. John’s CollegeTaylor Mac (
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus):
American Academy of Dramatic ArtJames Graham (
Ink):
University of HullHeidi Schreck (
What the Constitution Means to Me):
University of Oregon
Best Revival of a Play
Mart Crowley (The Boys in the Band): The Catholic University of America
Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song): Pratt Institute
Kenneth Lonergan (The Waverly Gallery): Wesleyan University & New York University
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Paddy Considine (The Ferryman): University of Brighton
Bryan Cranston (Network): Los Angeles Valley College
Jeff Daniels (To Kill a Mockingbird): Central Michigan University
Adam Driver (Burn This): The Juilliard School
Jeremy Pope (Choir Boy): American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Annette Bening (All My Sons): San Francisco State University & American Conservatory Theater
Laura Donnelly (The Ferryman): Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Elaine May (The Waverly Gallery): Did not attend college.
Janet McTeer (Bernhardt/Hamlet): Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Laurie Metcalf (Hillary and Clinton): Illinois State University
Heidi Schreck (What the Constitution Means to Me): University of Oregon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas (The Prom): Bennington College
Derrick Baskin (Ain’t Too Proud): Hampton University
Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice): Did not attend college.
Damon Daunno (Oklahoma!): New York University
Santino Fontana (Tootsie): University of Minnesota
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show): Did not attend college.
Caitlin Kinnunen (The Prom): Did not attend college.
Beth Leavel (The Prom): Meredith College and University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Eva Noblezada (Hadestown): Did not attend college.
Kelli O’Hara (Kiss Me, Kate): Oklahoma City University
Best Book of a Musical
Dominique Morisseau (Ain’t Too Proud): University of Michigan
Scott Brown (Beetlejuice) and Anthony King (Beetlejuice): University of North Carolina
Anaïs Mitchell (Hadestown): Middlebury College
Bob Martin (The Prom): University of Toronto, Victoria College
Chad Beguelin (The Prom): New York University
Robert Horn (Tootsie): New York University
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Joe Iconis Be More Chill): New York University
Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice): Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Anaïs Mitchell (Hadestown): Middlebury College
Matthew Sklar (The Prom): New York University
Chad Beguelin (The Prom): New York University
Adam Guettel (To Kill a Mockingbird): Yale University
David Yazbek (Tootsie): Brown University
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown (Choir Boy): University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Warren Carlyle (Kiss Me, Kate): Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts
Denis Jones (Tootsie): New York University
David Neumann (Hadestown): SUNY Purchase
Sergio Trujillo (Ain't Too Proud): University of Toronto
Best Orchestrations
Michael Chorney (Hadestown): Did not attend college.
Todd Sickafoose (Hadestown): University of California, Los Angeles & California Institute of the Arts
Larry Hochman (Kiss Me, Kate): Manhattan School of Music, Eastman School of Music & Mannes College
Daniel Kluger (Oklahoma!): Yale University
Simon Hale (Tootsie): University of London
Harold Wheeler (Ain’t Too Proud): Howard University
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill (Ain’t Too Proud): University of California—San Diego
Peter Nigrini (Ain’t Too Proud): Dartmouth College & Central St. Martins
Peter England (King Kong): University of New South Wales and National Institute of Dramatic Art
Rachel Hauck (Hadestown): University of California, Los Angeles
Laura Jellinek (Oklahoma!): Brown University and New York University
David Korins (Beetlejuice): University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether (To Kill a Mockingbird): Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design
Bunny Christie (Ink): Central School of Art and Design
Rob Howell (The Ferryman): Birmingham City University
Santo Loquasto (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): King’s College & Yale University
Jan Versweyveld (Network): Sint Lucas Institute
Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell (The Ferryman): Birmingham City University
Toni-Leslie James (Bernhardt/Hamlet): Ohio State University
Clint Ramos (Torch Song): New York University
Ann Roth (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): Carnegie Mellon University
Ann Roth (To Kill a Mockingbird): Carnegie Mellon University
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Michael Krass (Hadestown): The College of William & Mary
William Ivey Long (Beetlejuice): The College of William and Mary, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, & Yale University
William Ivey Long (Tootsie): The College of William and Mary, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, & Yale University
Bob Mackie (The Cher Show): Pasadena City College & Chouinard Art Institute
Paul Tazewell (Ain’t Too Proud): University of North Carolina School of the Arts & New York University
Best Sound Design of a Play
Adam Cork (Ink): University of Cambridge
Scott Lehrer (To Kill a Mockingbird): Sarah Lawrence College
Fitz Patton (Choir Boy): Vassar College, Bard College, &Yale University
Nick Powell (The Ferryman): Bristol University
Eric Sleichim (Network): N/A
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski (Beetlejuice): Carnegie Mellon University
Peter Hylenski (King Kong): Carnegie Mellon University
Steve Canyon Kennedy (Ain’t Too Proud): Did not attend college.
Drew Levy (Oklahoma!): N/A
Nevin Steinberg (Hadestown): Harvard College & New York University
Jessica Paz (Hadestown): CUNY Medgar Evers College
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin (Ink): Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Jules Fisher (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): Carnegie Institute of Technology
Peggy Eisenhauer (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): Carnegie Mellon University
Peter Mumford (The Ferryman): Central School of Art and Design
Jennifer Tipton (To Kill a Mockingbird): Cornell University
Jan Versweyveld (Network): Sint Lucas Institute
Tal Yarden (Network): Bard College
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams (The Cher Show): University of Texas & California Institute for the Arts
Howell Blinkley (Ain’t Too Proud): East Carolina University
Bradley King (Hadestown): New York University
Peter Mumford (King Kong): Central School of Art and Design
Kenneth Posner (Beetlejuice): SUNY Purchase
Peter Nigrini (Beetlejuice): Dartmouth College & Central St. Martins
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold (Ink): Trinity College, Cambridge
Sam Mendes (The Ferryman): Peterhouse, Cambridge
Bartlett Sher (To Kill a Mockingbird): College of the Holy Cross
Ivo van Hove (Network): N/A
George C. Wolfe (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): Pomona College & New York University
Best Direction of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown): New York University & Columbia University
Scott Ellis (Tootsie): DePaul University
Daniel Fish (Oklahoma!): Northwestern University
Des McAnuff (Ain’t Too Proud): Ryerson University
Casey Nicholaw (The Prom): University of California, Los Angeles
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Bertie Carvel (Ink): University of Sussex & Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Robin De Jesús (The Boys in the Band): Did not attend college.
Gideon Glick (To Kill a Mockingbird): New York University
Brandon Uranowitz (Burn This): New York University
Benjamin Walker (All My Sons): The Juilliard School
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Fionnula Flanagan (The Ferryman): Abbey Theatre School
Celia Keenan-Bolger (To Kill a Mockingbird): University of Michigan
Kristine Nielsen (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): Northwestern University & Yale University
Julie White (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus): Southwest Texas State University & Fordham University
Ruth Wilson (King Lear): University of Nottingham & London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Lilli Cooper (Tootsie): Vassar College
Amber Gray (Hadestown): Boston University & New York University
Sarah Stiles (Tootsie): American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Ali Stroker (Oklahoma!): New York University
Mary Testa (Oklahoma!): University of Rhode Island
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Andre De Shields (Hadestown): University of Wisconsin–Madison & New York University
Andy Grotelueschen (Tootsie): Marquette University & Brown University
Patrick Page (Hadestown): Whitman College
Jeremy Pope (Ain’t Too Proud): American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud): Fordham University