Disaster the Musical opens on Broadway tonight. Here’s where the cast and production team went to college (according to Playbill):
Cast List:
Roger Bart: Rutgers University
Kerry Butler: Ithaca College
Kevin Chamberlin: Rutgers University
Adam Pascal: New York Institute of Technology
Faith Prince: College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
Seth Rudetsky: Oberlin College and Conservatory
Jennifer Simard: Boston Conservatory & Hunter College
Max Crumm: American Academy of Dramatic Art
Lacretta Nicole: University of Missouri – Columbia
Manoel Felciano: Yale University & New York University
Casey Garvin: Montclair Kimberly Academy
Travis Kent: New York University
Maggie McDowell: Belmont University
Olivia Phillip: Phil Winston’s Theatreworks
Catherine Ricafort: University of Southern California
Alysa Alan Louis: New York University
Production Credits:
Jack Plotnick (Director & Book): Carnegie Mellon University
Seth Rudetsky (Book, Concept Created by & Music Supervisor): Oberlin College and Conservatory
Steve Marzullo (Music Director): Manhattan School of Music
Tobin Ost (Scenic Design): Yale University
William Ivey Long (Costume Design): College of William & Mary
Jeff Croiter (Lighting Design): SUNY Purchase
She Loves Me opens on Broadway tonight. Here’s where the cast and production team went to college (according to Playbill):
Cast List:
Jane Krakowski: Rutgers University
Gavin Creel: University of Michigan
Bryon Jennings: Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts
Michael McGrath: Boston Conservatory
Nicholas Barasch: Professional Children’s School
Justin Bowen: Florida State University
Alison Cimmet: Brown University
Benjamin Eakeley: Yale University
Michael Fatica: Florida State University
Gina Ferrall: ACT Conservatory
Jenifer Foote: University of California-Irvine
Andrew Kober: Carnegie Mellon University
Laura Shoop: The Juilliard School
Jim Walton: College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
Preston Truman Boyd: College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
Sara Edwards: Oklahoma City University
Production Credits:
Joe Masteroff (Book): Temple University
Jerry Bock (Music): University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sheldon Harnick (Lyrics): Northwestern University
Scott Ellis (Director): Chicago Goodman School of Drama
Paul Gemignani (Music Director/Conductor): San Francisco State College
Warren Carlyle (Choreographer): Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts
David Rockwell (Set Design): Syracuse University
Jeff Mahshie (Costume Design): Parsons School of Design
Donald Holder (Lighting Design): University of Maine-Orono & Yale School of Drama
Jon Weston (Sound Design): University High School
Scott Taylor Rollison (Production State Manager): Millikin University
David Krane (Dance Arrangements and Incidental Music): The Juilliard School, Hunter College & Curtis Institute of Music
Bright Star (the new musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell) opens on Broadway tonight. Here’s where the cast and production team studied (according to Playbill):
Cast List:
Carmen Cusack: University of North Texas
Paul Alexander Nolan: Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts
A.J. Shively: University of Michigan
Hannah Elless: Western Michigan University
Stephen Bogardus: Princeton University
Dee Hoty: Otterbein College
Stephen Lee Anderson: National Theatre Conservatory & San Diego State University
Emily Padgett: American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Jeff Blumenkrantz: Northwestern University
Max Chernin: College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
Patrick Cummings: Carnegie Mellon University
Sandra DeNise: New York University
Michael X. Martin: Pacific Conservatory Theatre
Tony Roach: Harvard University & Columbia University
Sarah Jane Shanks: College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
William Youmans: SUNY Purchase
Maddie Shea Baldwin: Indiana University
Richard Gatta: University at Buffalo & Empire State College
Lizzie Klemperer: University of Michigan
Production Credits:
Steve Martin (Book, Music, Story): University of California, Los Angeles
Edie Brickell (Book, Music, Story): Southern Methodist University
Walter Bobbie (Director): University of Scranton & The Catholic University of America
Josh Rhodes (Choreographer): University of Michigan
Eugene Lee (Scenic Design): Art Institute of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University & Yale School of Drama
Jane Greenwood (Costume Design): Liverpool Art School & Central School of Arts and Crafts
Japhy Weideman (Lighting Design): University of New Mexico
Nevin Steinberg (Sound Design): Harvard University
Michael J. Passaro (Production Stage Manager): New York University
American Psycho opens tonight! Here’s where the cast/creative team studied (if you know more info, please feel free to add:
Cast:
Benjamin Walker—Juilliard
Alice Ripley—Kent State BFA MT
Helene York
Jennifer Damiano
Drew Moerlein—Syracuse University BFA Acting
Krystina Alabado
Dave Thomas Brown—UNCSA
Jordan Dean—CMU BFA
Anna Eilinsfeld—Northwestern University
Jason Hite
Ericka Hunter
Holly James—The Urdang Academy
Keith Randolph Smith—American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Theo Stockman—NYU Tisch
Alex Michael Stoll—Wichita State MT
Morgan Weed—Northwestern University
Brandon Kalm—Pace University BFA MT
Sydney Morton—University of Michigan, RADA
Anthony Sagaria—Baldwin-Wallace
Neka Zang—AMDA
Creative:
Duncan Sheik (Music & Lyrics)—Brown University
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Book)—Georgetown University, Yale School of Drama
Rupert Goold (Director)—Trinity College, Cambridge
Lynne Page (Choreographer)—
Katrina Lindsay (Costume Design)—Central Saint Martins
Justin Townsend (Lighting Design)—UMass Amherst BA, California Institute for the Arts MFA
Dan Moses Schreier (Sound Design)—NYU Gallatin BA, Juilliard
Finn Ross (Video Design)—Central School of Speech and Drama
Helene York got a BFA at University of Michigan.
Jason Hite did not go to college.
I do not THINK Jennifer Damiano, Krystina Alabado, or Ericka Hunter went to college.
Thank you @soozievt --I also don’t think that Jennifer Damiano went to college–I saw her in Next to Normal and Venice during the time that she’d have been college-aged.
I like posting these, not only to see the variety of colleges represented, but also to see that college isn’t always a piece of the puzzle. Many paths.
The Fantasticks - longest running musical, currently off-Broadway. Some of those listed are seasoned actors with many years of professional credits.
Shavey Brown - Wright State
MacIntyre Dixon
William Thomas Evans
Dale Hensley
Michael Nostrand
Madison Clare Parks
Andrew Plec - Brown/Trinity MFA Acting
Drew Seigla - Julliard BM VP
Tom Flagg (Standby)
Kimberly Immanuel (Standby) - NYU Tisch New Studio on Broadway
Dave Schoonover (Standby) - U of Wisconsin Stevens Point BFA
Musicians
Robert Felstein (Piano/Musical Director) - Faculty member Hartt School
Maria Banks (Harp)
My S just turned down acceptances to BoCo and NYU Tisch New School on Broadway because he’s decided he wants to attend a university on a traditional college campus (and not a conservatory or university in the city). I look at these lists and my anxiety increases about whether he’s making the right decision for his future even though I logically know that the two universities he’s deciding between have great MT programs and will give him the training he needs along with a great college experience and that the name of the college doesn’t matter as much as it always seems like it does when you see these lists.
I guess we will all read these lists through whatever “colored” glasses we choose to wear, but I like to see them more as “mosaics” of ALL the possible ways to a professional stage career - “big name” school or “no name” school; college or no college; BFA or BA or BM or BS or MFA; degree in MT or Acting or VP or Dance or Philosophy or Linguistics; born to a “Theater” family or an “Engineering” family. I think the one over-riding commonality is hard work and perseverance.
Based on “basic statistics” of the make up of any typical musical cast, I’m guessing that the majority of the names on these lists are ensemble and the majority of ensemble is generally “recently” out of college. I think it might be much more “telling” to find out what came “before” all those professional credits listed after the names of the more “mature” actors. They had “something” that made them successful. I’m betting more than any particular “named” training, it’s hard work, perseverance, willingness to learn and being able to “make nice” with colleagues.
Anyway, that’s what my glasses let me see.
@MTMom98 - kids should go to the type of college they want. Heck, U Michigan could be the poster child for an ideal college campus (as opposed to urban conservatory) - and they seem to do ok. The best choice is where your kid is going to be happy, grow, and thrive. I will freely admit that one of the things I don’t like about my kid at NYU is the lack of the traditional campus- because I loved that at my own college. She didn’t care (b/c it wasn’t important to her) and loves the urban vibe. To each their own 
@mom4bwayboy that’s exactly how I feel too. These lists have so many different schools listed on them that it’s refreshing to me that it’s not always the top five or so that we stress about our kids getting in to.
You don’t have to attend a renown school to make it in theater! As you can see in any Playbill, cast members and the creative team hail from all sorts of colleges, degree programs, and no college at all. You may see many listed (among others) from so called “top programs,” but keep in mind that such programs may have a high concentration of talented graduates because of the selection process to be admitted in the first place. They may be having success in their professional careers, not so much because of the name of their college but because they are very talented and have other qualities that have gotten them where they are now.
My younger daughter attended a masterclass with a couple of ‘Matilda’ tour cast members this week. One was a Point Park grad, the other had no college. Both were fabulously talented & both had many credits.
Waitress opens on Broadway tonight and here’s where the cast and creative team trained (according to Playbill):
Cast List:
Jessie Mueller: Syracuse University
Keala Settle: Southern Utah University
Kimiko Glenn: Boston Conservatory
Drew Gehling: Carnegie Mellon University
Nick Cordero: Ryerson University
Dakin Matthews: New York University
Christopher Fitzgerald: Rollins College & American Conservatory Theatre
Charity Angél Dawson: American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Thay Floyd: New York University
Molly Hager: New York University
Aisha Jackson: University of Northern Colorado
Jeremy Morse: New York University
Stephanie Torns: American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Ryan Vasquez: University of Michigan
Henry Gottfried: Yale University
Max Kumangai: University of Michigan
Ragan Pharris: Pace University
Production Credits:
Sara Bareilles (Music, Lyrics & Orchestrations): University of California, Los Angles
Diane Paulus (Director): Harvard University/Radcliffe College & Columbia University
Jessie Nelson (Book): University of California, Santa Cruz
Nadia DiGiallonardo (Musical Supervisor & Arrangements): Vassar College
Lorin Latarro (Choreographer): The Juilliard School
Scott Pask (Scenic Design): University of Arizona & Yale University
Suttirat Larlarb (Costume Design): Yale School of Drama
Christopher Akerlind (Lighting Design): Boston University & Yale School of Drama
Thomas J. Gates (Production Stage Manager): Niagara University
Fully Committed opens tonight
The cast is just one guy
Jessie Tyler Ferguson - AMDA
Tuck Everlasting opens on Broadway tonight–here’s where the cast and creative studied (according to Playbill):
Cast List:
Carolee Carmello: University of Albany, SUNY
Andrew Keenan-Bolger: University of Michigan
Michael Park: Nazareth College
Robert Lenzi: Carnegie Mellon University
Michael Wartella: Circle In The Square Theatre School
Pippa Pearthree: New York University
Fred Applegate: Northwestern University
Terrence Mann: University of North Carolina - School of the Arts
Timothy J. Alex: Sheridan College
Deanna Doyle: School of American Ballet
Brandon Espinoza: New York University
Jessica Lee Goldyn: Professional Performing Arts School
Neil Haskell: Point Park University
Justin Patterson: College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati)
Jennifer Smith: Texas Tech University
Kathy Voytko: Shenandoah University
Christopher Gurr: Webster University
Matt Meigs: Elon University
Heather Parcells: Florida State University
Production Credits:
Casey Nicholaw (Director & Choreographer): University of California, Los Angeles
Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Music Director): Furman University
Claudia Shear (Book): City University of New York
Chris Miller (Music): Elon University & New York University
Nathan Tysen (Lyrics): Missouri State University & New York University
Walt Spangler (Scenic Design): University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill & Yale School of Drama
Gregg Barnes (Costume Design): San Diego State University & New York University
Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design): SUNY Purchase & Boston University
Brian Ronan (Sound Design): SUNY Oswego
Holly R. Coombs (Production Stage Manager): University of Puget Sound
Here is a rundown on where the cast and production team of the Broadway musical Shuffle Along pursued their college studies.
Cast List:
Audra McDonald: The Juilliard School
Brian Stokes Mitchell: Did not attend college
Billy Porter: Carnegie Mellon University
Brandon Victor Dixon: Columbia University
Joshua Henry: University of Miami
Adrienne Warren: Marymount Manhattan College
Amber Iman: Howard University
Brooks Ashmanskas: Bennington College
Phillip Attmore: Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry
Darius de Haas: Columbia College Chicago
Afra Hines: Professional Performing Arts School
Adrienne Howard: Indiana University - Bloomington
Kendrick Jones: New York University
J.C. Montgomery: Georgetown College
Erin N. Moore: Ailey/Fordham University
Arbender J. Robinson: Viterbo University
Karissa Royster: New York University
Christian Dante White: Circle in the Square Theatre School
Joseph Wiggan: The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
Richard Riaz Yoder: Oklahoma City University
Alexandria Bradley: Marymount Manhattan College
C.K. Edwards: University of Oklahoma
Jason Holley: Debbie Allen Dance Academy
Alicia Lundgren: Ailey/Fordham University
Britton Smith: Pace University
Zurin Villanueva: Howard University
Leo Ash Evens: Carnegie Mellon University
Production Credits:
George C. Wolfe (Book, Director): Pomona College & New York University
Savion Glover (Choreographer): Did not attend college
Noble Sissle (Music): DePauw University & Butler University
Aubrey Lyles (Original Book): Fisk University
Shelton Becton (Music Director): Howard University
Daryl Waters (Arrangements, Orchestrations, Musical Supervisor): Livingstone College
Santo Loquasto (Scenic Design): King’s College
Ann Roth (Costume Design): Carnegie Mellon University
Jules Fisher (Lighting Design): Carnegie Institute of Technology
Peggy Eisenhauer (Lighting Design): Carnegie Mellon University
Scott Lehrer (Sound Design): Sarah Lawrence College
Thank you for adding Shuffle Along to the list!
@lovetoact Just happened to see the playbill post pop up on my facebook feed yesterday while I was also on CC.