CCM alumni win big at the 2026 Tony Awards
Shoshana Bean and Stephen Flaherty both received Tonys during the June 7 ceremony
UC College-Conservatory of Music alumni took center stage during a star-studded evening on Sunday, June 7, when music superstar P!NK hosted the American Theatre Wing’s prestigious Tony Awards. Two of CCM's most accomplished alumni took home top honors during this year's ceremony.
Shoshana Bean (BFA Musical Theatre, '99) won "Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical" for her role as Lucy Emerson in The Lost Boys. Described as a "Broadway icon" by People Magazine, the evening marked Bean's first Tony Award win after previous nominations in 2024 and 2022. The cast of The Lost Boys also includes current BFA Musical Theatre students Ryan Behan and Grace Capeless. Watch Bean's acceptance speech below. Please note: this video contains adult language.
Stephen Flaherty (BM Composition, ’82) also took home his latest Tony for Ragtime, which won "Best Revival of a Musical." Flaherty composed the music for Ragtime with longtime collaborator and lyricist Lynn Ahrens, with a book by Terrence McNally. That musical originally won the Tony for "Best Original Score" in 1998. Flaherty and Ahrens previously won the Tony for "Best Original Score" for Once on This Island in 1991. The revival of Ragtime features a variety of other CCM connections, including alumni Kerry Conte (BFA Musical Theatre, '06) and Jenny Mollet (BFA Musical Theatre, '19) in the cast and Danny Percefull (BFA Musical Theatre, '05) in the pit orchestra. Watch Flaherty's acceptance speech below.
Schmigadoon!, which won this year's "Best Musical" category at the Tony's, also has a CCM connection: it features alumnus Max Clayton (BFA Musical Theatre, '14) in the role of Danny Bailey. Watch Clayton perform with the cast of Schmigadoon! below.
This year's Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and CCM alumni were featured throughout the evening. In addition to the Tony Award winners mentioned above, several alumni were nominated in 2026, including:
- Isabella Byrd (BFA Lighting Design and Technology, '09), nominated for Best Lighting Design of a Play as the Lighting Designer on Dog Day Afternoon
- Kevin McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre, ’84; HonDoc, '05), is a producer for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), nominated for Best Musical
- Marla Mindelle (BFA Musical Theatre, '09), nominated for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical" for her role as Céline Dion in Titaníque, and also nominated for the categories of "Best Musical" and "Best Book of a Musical" as a co-author and producer for Titaníque
The following CCM alumni also worked on 2026 Tony Award-nominated productions:
- Samantha Pollino (BFA Musical Theatre, '16) in Chess
- John Riddle (BFA Musical Theatre, '12) in Titaníque
- Jess Zylstra (BFA Musical Theatre, '23) as an Associate Producer with AF Creative Media, which is a lead producer for the Tony nominated play Giant
The 2026 Tony Awards' performances also featured CCM alumna Dylan Mulvaney (BFA Musical Theatre, '19), who appeared in the ceremony's opening rendition of "Lady Marmalade" alongside CCM alumnae Bean and Mindelle, as well as artists like P!NK, Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Thee Stallion and more. Watch the performance below.
CCM-educated talent was also present behind the scenes at the 2026 Tony Awards: Emmy Award-winning sound designer Matt Kraus (BFA Sound Design, 2001), who has extensive Broadway and Off-Broadway credits of his own, was an audio assistant at this year's ceremony.
CCM is consistently recognized by Playbill as one of the most represented colleges on Broadway — and has alumni not only performing on stage, but also alumni working as designers, technicians, musicians, composers, administrators and producers. In addition to the alumni named in the Tony Award wins and nominations listed here, there are also alumni performing and working behind the scenes throughout Broadway.
About the Tony Awards
The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards got their start in 1947 when the Wing established an awards program to celebrate excellence in the theatre.
Named for Antoinette Perry, an actress, director, producer and the dynamic wartime leader of the American Theatre Wing who had recently passed away, the Tony Awards made their official debut at a dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria hotel on Easter Sunday, April 6, 1947. Vera Allen, Perry’s successor as chairwoman of the Wing, presided over an evening that included dining, dancing and a program of entertainment. The dress code was black tie optional, and the performers who took to the stage included Mickey Rooney, Herb Shriner, Ethel Waters and David Wayne. Thirteen winners were presented in ten categories, and there were six special awards, including one for Vincent Sardi, proprietor of the eponymous eatery on West 44th Street. Big winners that night included José Ferrer, Arthur Miller, Helen Hayes, Ingrid Bergman, Patricia Neal, Elia Kazan and Agnes de Mille.
Learn more by visiting tonyawards.com.
You Can't Make Theatre Alone
There is a giant team of performers, producers, designers, technicians, administrators, composers, musicians and more working behind the scenes to bring Broadway’s shows to life. In addition to the alums working on Broadway, CCM celebrates all of the creatives who work on productions in touring companies and theaters around the country!
Do you want to make theatre? Learn more about our programs in Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration: Acting, Arts Admin, Dance, Musical Theatre, Opera, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Make-Up and Wig Design, Sound Design, Stage Design, Stage Management, Technical Production.
Featured images at the top: CCM alumni Stephen Flaherty, Dylan Mulvaney and Shoshana Bean appear onstage during The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2026, in New York City. Photos supplied by Theo Wargo via Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
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