UE Theatre Alumni celebrate history-making Tony Award Nominations
MAY 2, 2024
EVANSVILLE, IND. (05/01/2024) The American Theatre Wing announced nominations for the 77th Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards on Tues., April 30. The hit new Broadway play, STEREOPHONIC, by David Adjmi, garnered a historic 13 Tony Award nominations and became the most Tony-nominated play in Broadway’s history with four University of Evansville Theatre alumni attached. The production, which is nominated for “Best Play” among other awards, includes producing credits for two 2003 classmates, Nick Mills, a lead producer, and UE Assistant Professor Wes Grantom, both of whom became Tony nominees with the announcement. The production also includes Miriam Cortes ’21, Assistant to the Costume Designer, and Benjamin Anderson ’15, an understudy actor for the roles of “Charlie” and “Peter.”
“We’re all very proud of this show. But I certainly wouldn’t imagine that we would make history today as the most Tony-nominated play of all time. The work of this cast and creative team is amazing, and everyone should do their best to see it,” said Grantom.
Other nominations for STEREOPHONIC include: “Best Original Score (Will Butler),” “Best Scenic Design of a Play (David Zinn),” “Best Costume Design of a Play (Enver Chakartash),” “Best Lighting Design of a Play (Jiyoun Chang),” “Best Sound Design of a Play (Ryan Rumery),” “Best Direction of a Play (Daniel Aukin),” “Best Orchestrations (Will Butler & Justin Craig),” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Will Brill),” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Eli Gelb),” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tom Peckina),” “Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Juliana Canfield),” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Sarah Pidgeon).”
Loosely based on Fleetwood Mac and their seminal album “Rumours,” STEREOPHONIC mines the agony and the ecstasy of creation as it zooms in on a music studio in 1976. Here, an up-and-coming rock band recording a new album finds itself suddenly on the cusp of superstardom. The ensuing pressures could spark their breakup or their breakthrough. Written by David Adjmi, directed by Daniel Aukin, and featuring original music by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, STEREOPHONIC invites the audience to immerse themselves with fly-on-the-wall intimacy in the powder keg process of a band on the brink of blowing up.
After a hugely successful Off-Broadway run at Playwrights Horizons, STEREOPHONIC transferred to Broadway’s Golden Theatre on April 19 and recently announced an extension through Aug. 18. The 77th Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards, airs live from the David H. Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City on Sun., June 16, at 7:00 p.m. CT, on CBS and Paramount+.
