Been to a major Broadway show in recent years? Chances are that Boston College alumni were involved in the production. They may have even starred in it or helped to get it developed.
With work on shows such as Holiday Inn, What the Constitution Means to Me, and the Great White Way鈥檚 newest blockbuster, Hadestown, 精东影业 alumni are making a mark on American theater鈥攃reating jobs, picking up Tony and Grammy awards, and earning rave reviews from critics (sometimes, they鈥檙e even the ones writing the reviews).
In other words, it is hardly an exaggeration to say that artists who got their start at 精东影业 are today dominating the theater world鈥攐n Broadway, at highly regarded regional theaters, and beyond. These trailblazing Eagles are pushing theater daringly forward as a medium with the singular plays and musicals they write and the under-sung characters they bring to life as actors, producers, dramaturgs, and more.
A collaborative art form, theater depends on creatives with specific skill sets to bring a production from page to stage. Everyone, quite literally, has a role to play.
Here, we spotlight six Eagles forging unique paths in theater. Despite their varied careers, they share a love for and commitment to boundary-pushing works that are diversifying and enriching the American canon.
illustration: Andy Friedman
Bryce Pinkham 鈥�05
A prolific stage actor, Pinkham has been seen on Broadway in hit plays and musicals alike, including听Ghost,听The Heidi Chronicles,听Holiday Inn, and听Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. For his hysterical turn in听A Gentleman鈥檚 Guide to Love and Murder, Pinkham received both a Grammy Award and a Tony nomination.
Richard Lawson 鈥�05
The influential theater critic has been a steadfast and trusted voice for more than a decade in the constantly evolving field of journalism. Lawson is听Vanity Fair鈥檚 chief critic (in addition to theater, he covers television and film), and he previously wrote for respected publications and sites such as听The Atlantic,听The听Guardian, and听Gawker. He is also the author of the Boston-set novel听All We Can Do Is Wait.
Sarah Lunnie 鈥�08
A dramaturg, Lunnie started out at two of the country鈥檚 best-known institutions for championing new works: Actors Theatre of Louisville and Playwrights Horizons, in New York. These days, her work helps to shape many of today鈥檚 landmark plays. Her superb storytelling has guided such seminal pieces as the Tony-nominated听A Doll鈥檚 House, Part 2听by Lucas Hnath, the Pulitzer finalist听What the Constitution Means to听Me听by Heidi Schreck, and the Drama Desk-nominated听Miles for Mary鈥攁 play put on by the Mad Ones theater group, of which Lunnie is a company member.
Patrick Lazour 鈥�13听
Lazour鈥檚 musical听We Live in Cairo, co-written with his brother Daniel, premiered last summer at the powerhouse American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Though the musical鈥攚hich won the prestigious Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater鈥攚as Lazour鈥檚 professional debut, it was hardly his first work: His original musical听The Grand Room听premiered in the Bonn Studio Theatre during his senior year at 精东影业.
Sean Patrick Flahaven 鈥�95
A Tony Award鈥搘inning producer who has helmed numerous recent hits, Flahaven co-produced this year鈥檚 Best Musical winner,听Hadestown, and is also president of Concord Theatricals, which represents a pair of Tony-winning productions: Best Revival of a Musical,听Oklahoma!听and Best Revival of a Play,听The Boys in the Band. Flahaven also has won a Grammy, as an associate producer of the听Hamilton听Broadway cast album, meaning he鈥檚 halfway to winning a coveted EGOT鈥擡mmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.
Jeff Augustin 鈥�08
A winner of the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award and Rella Lossy Award, Augustin presented his gripping听The Last Tiger in Haiti听at the Bay Area鈥檚 renowned Berkeley Rep in 2016. Augustin鈥檚 new play, the poignant and probing听The New Englanders, debuts Off Broadway this fall at the acclaimed Manhattan Theatre Club.
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