South Florida native receives Tony Award nomination for hit play "Giant"

The 79th Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday night, and among the nominees was a South Florida native behind the hit play, "Giant."

West Kendall native Josh Fiedler is one of the producers behind Giant, which stars John Lithgow.

Fiedler graduated from Miami Sunset Senior High School and the University of Miami before moving to New York in the early 2000s.

Giant focuses on children's author Roald Dahl, and a true scandal that impacted his legacy.

The play was nominated for four Tony's at Sunday's awards ceremony. It won three Olivier awards for its run in London last year.

Fiedler was up for his third Tony Award as one of the show's producers.

For Fiedler, his love of theater began in elementary school. But he didn't always want to be the power behind the play.

"I wanted to be an actor, and I did acting all leading up through Sunset, and I went to the University of Miami in their Frost School Music Musical Theater program," Fiedler told CBS News Miami.

Fiedler credits theater programs he had available to him as early as elementary school for helping fuel his passion, and his career.

"We always had, I mean, I was at Oliver Hoover, and then I was at Hammocks, and then I was at Sunset, and there was always some theater component that you could explore when you wanted to, which I think was so amazing," he said.

For Fiedler, it was the hit show Avenue Q that would change the course of his life.

"I saw the show Avenue Q, and when I saw it, I said to myself, 'Oh my God, that's everything I think theater should be. I want to be a part of the people who made that,'" he said.

And now he is.

Fiedler is a partner in Aged in Wood Productions. He started as an assistant to producer Robyn Goodman.

For more than two decades, the two have worked on some of the biggest hits on Broadway, including Angels in America and Company.

We asked Fiedler what makes Giant so special.

"I think the beauty of Giant is that it talks about tough and important things, but it shows you both sides of the argument and doesn't necessarily hammer you over the head like you should believe this," he said. "We always say it's a two-act play, but the third act of Giant is the conversation you have after the fact, based on what you saw."

He also credits the show for helping him feel a part of the storied Broadway community.

"Until this Giant experience," he said, "I've never truly felt a part of the theater community, and I am a part of it now, and it's a very nice thing."