Excellence in Theatre Education Award to Return for the 2022 Tony Ceremony

The Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have announced that the Excellence in Theatre Education Award will return to the Tony Awards in 2022. The national call for submissions opens on November 8. The Excellence in Theatre Education Award was co-founded by The Tony Awards and CMU in 2014 to recognize extraordinary K-12 arts and theater educators.

Students, parents, faculty, staff, friends and families are encouraged to submit local, notable drama instructors for this prestigious honor. Now through January 31, 2022, submissions will be accepted online for K-12 theater educators at an accredited institution or recognized community theater organization. Anyone can submit a worthy teacher for consideration. They must be a teacher whose position is dedicated to and/or includes aspects of theater education.

A panel of judges comprised of the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, CMU and other leaders from the theater industry annually select the winner and honorable mentions. The winner will receive a cash grant for their school and other recognition. In addition, the winning teacher’s theater arts students will receive a masterclass presentation from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama, as well as two scholarships for students of their choosing to attend the School of Drama Summer Pre-College Program in summer 2022.

The most recent Excellence in Theatre Education Award was presented in 2019 to Madeline Michel of Monticello High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her award was introduced during the 73rd annual Tony Awards ceremony by CMU alums Billy Porter and John Clay III.

“The Broadway community has demonstrated extraordinary resilience over the past two years,” said Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing, and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League, in a joint statement. “That spirit of commitment and collaboration has been upheld across the county in classrooms, high school auditoriums and video conferences. Theater teachers have continued to engage and educate, much to their great credit, and we’re eager to celebrate them.”