Interlochen alumni earn nominations for 78th annual Tony Awards
Director Michael Arden, set designer Dane Laffrey, and composer Benjamin Velez are among an exceptional cohort of nominees for Broadway’s most coveted prize.
Several Interlochen Arts Camp and Arts Academy alumni are among the nominees for the 78th annual Tony Awards.
Director Michael Arden (IAC 99, IAA 99-01, IAC St 01) received a nod for Best Direction of a Musical for his leadership of the Best New Musical-nominated production of Maybe Happy Ending. Arden’s fellow alumnus and frequent collaborator Dane Laffrey (IAA 99-01, IAC St 01) earned a nomination for Best Scenic Design of a Musical (with George Reeve) for his set and video design for the show.
Songwriter, bassist, and producer Michael Thurber (IAA 03-05, IAA 05-06) received a nomination for Best Orchestrations (with Andrew Resnick) for his work on Just in Time.
Real Women Have Curves composers Benjamin Velez (IAC 99-01) and Joy Huerta earned a nod for Best Original Score.
In addition to the alumni nominated for individual awards, several Interlochen alumni and faculty were among the casts and creative teams of Tony Award-nominated productions:
- Best New Musical
- Maybe Happy Ending | Michael Arden, Director; Dane Laffrey, Scenic and Additional Video Design
- Best New Play
- Oh, Mary! | Tony Macht (IAC 07-10, IAA 11-13), “Mary’s Husband’s Assistant”
- Best Musical Revival
- Floyd Collins | Adam Guettel (IAC 80), Music & Lyrics
- Gypsy | Majo Rivero (IAC 15-17), “Dolores”
- Pirates! The Penzance Musical | Rick Faugno (IAC Fac 22-24, IO Fac 23-), “Pirate/Policeman”
Actor and All-State alumna Celia Keenan-Bolger (AS 93-95) will receive the 2025 Isabelle Stevenson Award, an honor presented to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service, or charitable organizations. In a press release announcing the award, the Tony Awards Administration Committee cited Keenan-Bolger’s “unwavering dedication to advocacy work through the arts”—including her work as a member of the advisory board for Broadway Impact, her role as an artist-ambassador for the New York Civil Liberties Union, and leadership role in founding Broadway Feeds Bellevue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 78th Tony Awards will be presented at a live awards ceremony at Radio City Music Hall on June 8, 2025. Tony Award winner and Wicked star Cynthia Erivo will host the event. The ceremony, which begins at 8 p.m. ET, will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ in the United States.
Presented annually by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, the Tony Awards celebrate excellence in Broadway theatre and are widely regarded as one of the most coveted honors in the industry. Nominees are selected by the Nominating Committee, a rotating group of approximately 50 theatre professionals who are asked to see every new Broadway show. Since the awards were first presented in 1947, 18 Interlochen alumni have received a total of 34 Tony Awards.
