Rachel Stevens, an MFA directing alum, assistant directed "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812," the Broadway musical which garnered the most Tony Award nominations of any play this season. Stevens assisted director Rachel Chavkin during the production of the hit musical, which is an adaptation of Tolstoy’s novel, "War and Peace." Billed as “one of the best musicals of the decade” by Time Out New York, the production took home two Tony Awards this year.
Irene Sankoff, an MFA acting graduate, penned one of the Best New Musicals this season, "Come From Away." Working with her husband, David Hein, she wrote the book, music and lyrics which tell the story of Gander, Newfoundland, a small town which took in over 7,000 travelers when planes were grounded due to the September 11 attacks. The production received a Tony for Best Direction of a Musical.
Danny Gorman, another MFA directing alum, assisted Emmy Award-winning director Lonny Price during the revival of "Sunset Boulevard," which stars original cast member Glenn Close. Close, who won the Tony Award for the same role in 1995, revives her iconic character in the newest production. According to Ben Brantley of the New York Times, Close's portrayal of Norma Desmond is “one of the great stage performances of this century.”
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