AMDA News

With the recent announcement of the 2016 Tony Award nominations, AMDA is pleased to report that ten of our numerous alumni on Broadway are performing in Tony-nominated productions! Spearheading the nominees is alum... [more]

Alexander Hamilton: 18th century politician, founding father, freestyle rapper. Wiping the dust off American history books, Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) created his new musical Hamilton, which transitioned from its sold-out Off-Broadway run to appear before Broadway audiences for the first time in August. The production stars AMDA alumni Christopher Jackson (George Washington) and Anthony Ramos (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), both of whom originated their roles in the world premiere at New York City’s Public Theater. [more]

AMDA is pleased to announce four outstanding alumni who have received nominations for the 2016 MAC Awards: Congratulations to Lennie Watts, Myriam Phiro, Jennifer Pace and William T.N. Hall! Hosted by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC), the MAC Awards pay tribute to artists, directors and producers who specialize in... [more]

“What was I going to do as a business major? I don’t even know. I had all these weird ideas of being an event planner.” [more]

AMDA offers heartfelt congratulations to alumnus Jesse Tyler Ferguson for his recent nomination by the 2016 People’s Choice Awards for Favorite Comedic TV Actor! This marks Jesse’s third nomination alongside... [more]

We recently caught up with AMDA acting professor Markus Potter, who in May received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for a John Gassner Playwriting Award for Stalking the Bogeyman. Below, you'll get the inside scoop on his many upcoming projects. But first he offered some terrific tips to actors on making monologue selections and on choosing a college acting program. [more]

On May 26, 2015, Q Lim, a recent Integrated Conservatory graduate, made her Broadway debut at the Lincoln Center Theater in The King and I. Less than two weeks later, the production earned four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical. Taking a few minutes between shows, Lim graciously told us a little bit about herself and her transformative path to Broadway. [more]

AMDA congratulates alumna Sarah Stiles on her 2015 Tony Award nomination for her performance in Broadway’s Hand to God. Stiles is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. [more]

Alumna Tyne Daly, Broadway and small-screen legend, has been nominated for a Distinguished Performance Award at the 81^st Annual Drama League Awards on May 15, 2015. One winner is selected in this category, and it can be won only once by a performer in his/her professional career. Previous recipients include Kathleen Chalfant, Stockard Channing, Glenn Close, Rosemary Harris, Hugh Jackman, Cherry Jones, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane and John Lithgow. [more]

For the past 11 years, the BroadwayWorld.com Regional Awards have honored productions and the artistic work of performers throughout the United States. Interest in the awards (which are reader-nominated and -voted) has grown steadily each year, and a combination of 50 cities and states now hold their own regional awards. For 2014 consideration, productions must have opened between October 2013 and September 2014. This year’s nominees include shows mounted in such cities as Chicago, Columbus, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Tampa, and Wichita, to name a few. [more]

Since reissuing his recent EP Tattoos as the phenomenal full-length album Talk Dirty, along with its title track of the same name, AMDA alumnus Jason Derulo is once again raking in the award nominations. Most recently, he received two MTV Video Music Award nominations for Best Pop Video (“Talk Dirty”) and Best Choreography (“Talk Dirty”). Previously, in 2010, Derulo was nominated for two MTV VMAs for his song “In My Head.” In addition to these VMA nods, Derulo received four nominations for the Teen Choice Awards that will air on August 10. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alumnus Jesse Tyler Ferguson on his Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for “Modern Family.” Since 2009, he has starred as Mitchell Pritchett on the award-winning comedy, and is no stranger to both nominations and awards. He received four prior Emmy Award nominations for his work on “Modern Family,” as well as a People’s Choice Award nomination in 2013 for Favorite Comedic TV Actor. [more]

Congratulations to alumna Tyne Daly nominated for a Best Actress Tony Award for her portrayal of Katherine Gerard in Terrance McNally's play Mothers and Sons on Broadway, and congratulations to all of our alumni who are in Tony nominated productions! [more]

AMDA congratulates all of our alumni nominated for Drama League Awards! Alumnus Christopher Sieber announced the award nominations alongside actress Judith Light. Alumnus Jesse Tyler Ferguson will host the ceremony in New York on May 16, 2014. The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical awards in America, chosen by thousands of audience members who attend Broadway and off-Broadway productions each year. [more]

AMDA congratulates alumna Sarah Stiles on her 2014 Lucille Lortel Award nomination for "Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play" for her role as Jessica in the off-Broadway play Hand To God. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alumnus Kyle Scatliffe who has been nominated for a 2014 Olivier Award for BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL for his portrayal of Haywood Patterson in the London West End production of The Scottsboro Boys! Kyle performed in The Scottsboro Boys throughout its West End run from October 18 to December 21, 2013. Directed by the multiple Tony Award winning Susan Stroman, the production is nominated for a total of 6 Awards. According to The London Evening Standard “the stand-out performance comes from the imposing Kyle Scatliffe as Haywood Patterson...," The Daily Mail called Kyle “charismatic” and says “Haywood’s songs Go Back Home and You Can’t Do Me are among the best of the numbers," and the Guardian UK proclaimed "The cast is dominated by the outstanding Kyle Scatliffe as Haywood Patterson – tall, commanding and with a hotline-to-heaven of a voice." [more]

AMDA New York is proud to announce Tony Award-winning actor Jim Dale as speaker for the upcoming AMDA graduation ceremony! [more]

Congratulations to alumnus Kyle Scatliffe who has been nominated by the British publication WhatsOn Stage for their "London Newcomer of the Year" award! Kyle has been receiving rave reviews for his performance as Haywood Patterson in The Scottsboro Boys on London's West End and he will soon be starring in his first Broadway production, as Enjolras, in next year's anticipated revival of Les Miserables. [more]

AMDA congratulates alumna Kelly McCormack an internationally nominated screenwriter opening one of the most prestigious music and film festivals on her first film out of the box! Kelly's new film PLAY will have its  World Premiere at the Williamsburg International Film Festival  selected as the Opening Night Gala Feature film on Sept 19th. The film will also screen at the TriBeCa Film Centre in the Bootleg Film Festival on Sept 20th. After that Kelly will fly to LA for two more festivals and then to London where the film is nominated for Best Feature Film, Best Soundtrack and Best Original Screenplay. [more]

Last year the Huffington Post named him one of the top five emerging composers to know and hear and Broadway World recently said, “In a period of two years on the New York scene, Davis's music has become lauded and sought after internationally." [more]

Congratulations to AMDA MTP Faculty Igor Goldin who recently took home the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival Award for Excellence in Directing for his work on the new musical Crossing Swords. [more]

AMDA Congratulates Alumnus Jesse Tyler Ferguson on his 4th Emmy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series! [more]

Congratulations to all of our AMDA alumni in award-winning shows this season! [more]

We were thrilled to catch up with our recent AMDA alumna Gabriela Garcia who has been a very busy lady since graduating with her BFA in Acting from AMDA in Fall 2012. Gabriela is currently the reigning Miss Tarzana (a city suburb of Los Angeles) and will soon be leaving to compete for the Miss California title. She will also be starting at USC this fall where she will be working toward her MFA degree. Gabriela grew up in Lancaster, California, which surprisingly enough was also Judy Garland’s hometown – a little fact that she likes to think of as good luck! [more]

AMDA is proud to announce the premiere issue of our revamped magazine, Spotlight. As "The Magazine of the AMDA Community," Spotlight features campus news and events, photo galleries, informative features and interviews, and updates on alumni and faculty. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alumnus Christopher Jackson who is nominated for his third Daytime Emmy Award nomination for “Outstanding Original Song–Children and Animation” for his work in composing the tune “Queen of Nacho Pichu” for Sesame Street on PBS! Christopher co-composed the song alongside Bill Sherman, with lyrics by Joey Mazzarino. [more]

AMDA Congratulates all of our alumni in nominated for Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and Drama Desk Awards! Check out the list of AMDA alumni in nominated productions. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alumnus Brett Davern on his People's Choice Award! His show "Awkward" took home the award for "Favorite Cable TV Comedy"! Brett stars as Jake Rosatti in the MTV show which is in its third season. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alumna Zoi Florosz  who recently received Independent Spirit Award at the Monaco International Film Festival for Brushstrokes, a film she directed,choreographed and produced. Brushstrokes also took home Best Independent Film at the Winter Film Awards in NYC in 2012 and was an official selection at Queens World Film Festival. Brushtrokes will screen at the TriBeca Film Center in NYC on October 17th. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA Faculty member Michael Zelniker and our AMDA alumni in Falling... for taking home the Best of Festival Award at Indie Fest USA International Film Festival! [more]

AMDA salutes alumna Jo Jo Graham who is the Founding Executive Director of Dancing Classrooms in Northeast Ohio. Jo Jo was hired by Dancing Classrooms in NYC during her 4^th semester at AMDA six years ago. She quickly found success within the non-profit organization which brings dance into elementary and middle school classrooms around the country. Jo Jo worked her way up to launch a new branch of Dancing Classrooms in Northeast Ohio (her hometown), now in its fourth year of success! In addition to her role as Executive Director for Dancing Classrooms Northeast Ohio, Jojo is also the Director of the Dancing Classrooms Weekend Academy and was also recognized as Teacher of the Year, for her work within the classroom. [more]

Nina Arianda took home her first Tony Award for "Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play" at the 2012 Tony Awards on Sunday night in NYC. Nina originated the award-winning role of Vanda in David Ives’ "Venus in Fur" off-Broadway in 2010, before taking it to Broadway in 2012. [more]

The 2012 Tony Award nominations are announced. AMDA salutes all of our outstanding alumni in Tony Award nominated shows! A special congratulations to alumna Nina Arianda who is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her portrayal of Vanda in Venus in Fur! This is Nina’s second Tony nomination in a row. She was nominated in 2011 for her performance as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday. Venus in Fur also received a Tony nomination for Best Play. [more]

The 2012 Drama Desk Award nominations have been announced. AMDA congratulates all of our alumni in nominated productions! The 57th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall in Manhattan. [more]

The 78^th Annual Drama League Award nominations have been announced. AMDA congratulates our two alumna nominated for the Distinguished Performance Award along with our six alumni in nominated productions! [more]

The 62^nd annual Outer Critics Circle Award nominations are in. AMDA is proud to announce that we have one alumna nominated for Outstanding Actress and nine alumni in six nominated productions! [more]

Congratulations to AMDA Alum Jesse Tyler Ferguson and the entire cast and crew of ABC's "Modern Family" for taking home the Best Comedy Series Emmy Award for the second year in a row! Overall "Modern Family" took home a total of five Emmy awards this year including... [more]

AMDA Congratulates Alum Kristin Towers Rowles for winning 4 Awards from StageSceneLA!!!

*Best Breakthrough Musical Theatre Performer for 2010-2011

*Best Leading Actress for Dot in Sunday in the Park with George

*TWO Outstanding Performances by a Lead Actress  - one for playing Lilli in Kiss Me Kate and one for playing Winifred in Once Upon a Mattress

[more]

Congratulations to AMDA alum Chris Jackson for taking home his first Emmy Award for “Outstanding Original Song” this weekend at the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards! Chris Jackson (lyricist) and Bill Sherman (composer) wrote the award-winning original song “What I Am” for the beloved children’s television program, Sesame Street. Black Eyed Peas' singer Will.i.am performed the tune, along with the muppets, in a segment that has now captured over 4 million views on youtube. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alum Chris Jackson on his two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Original Song. Chris is nominated as lyricist for "What I Am" and as composer and lyricist for "Rakhi Road," both from Sesame Street. The ever-popular children's show once again dominates the Daytime Emmys with 16 nominations. [more]

What a way to culminate your debut performance on Broadway—with a Drama League, a Drama Desk, an Outer Critics Circle and (biggest of all) a Tony nomination for her role as Billie Dawn in "Born Yesterday." New York Times theatre critic Charles Isherwood wrote of Nina Arianda’s performance, “With her luscious pout and sweep of peroxide curls, Ms. Arianda banishes Holliday’s pop-eyed, chirpy naïveté to evoke the surly molls of 1930s gangster flicks. Her Billie Dawn, streetwise and complacent in her illiteracy, is like a cross between Jean Harlow at her tough-blondest and the pop singer Cyndi Lauper, with her Queens-bred rasp.” [more]

Congratulations to AMDA LA alumni Maria Sciorillo who won Miss Philadelphia on the 90th anniversary of the pageant. Her voice and vision for better schools helped Sciorillo earn the title. The Miss Philadelphia Pageant has grown to be one of the most successful and largest scholarship providers of any local pageant in the Miss America system. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA alumni Tyne Daly for winning a Bistro Award! The 26th Annual Bistro Awards will be held April 26 at Gotham Comedy Club. Edie Cowan will direct the evening, which will be hosted by comedian and actor Jim David. [more]

Congratulations to AMDA 2004 Graduate Eric Shneider on his Craig Noel Award Nomination for his performance as Robbo in The Old Globe's production of Robin and the 7 Hoods. Check out the recent Playbill article featuring a Q&A with Eric. [more]

AMDA is proud to congratulate the following alumni and faculty for their outstanding achievements this season! Bravo! [more]