Carnegie Mellon alumna snags Tony Award for best musical

A Carnegie Mellon University alumna won a Tony Award for her work on "Schmigadoon!," which took home best musical on Sunday night. 

Producer Jamie deRoy, who graduated from the School of Drama in 1967 and received an honorary doctorate of fine arts during May's commencement ceremony, is now the 67th Carnegie Mellon University alumna to win a Tony Award. A total of 10 alumni were nominated for this year's awards.  

"Schmigadoon!" came into the night with 12 nominations. It's about a couple who wanders into a magical town where every day is a musical. It was up against "The Lost Boys," "Titaníque" and "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) for best musical. 

Lighting designer and alumnus Jules Fisher also won a 2026 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. Other CMU graduates, including Josh Gad, Rory O'Malley and Leslie Odom Jr. appeared during the award show on Sunday night. 

Carnegie Mellon was the first university in the country to grant a degree in drama.   

"The Carnegie Mellon community is thrilled to see the extraordinary creativity and talents of our alumni recognized, once again, on Broadway's biggest stage," CMU President Farnam Jahanian said in a press release. "From performers and producers to writers, designers and educators, our alumni continue to shape and elevate the future of theatre arts in remarkable ways. We congratulate and celebrate all of this year's exceptional nominees and winners."   

Popstar P!nk hosted the Tony Awards at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, crowning the best in Broadway for the 2025-26 season.