Brooklyn teacher nabs Tony for theatre education excellence
A Bed-Stuy theater teacher won a special Tony award last Sunday for helping bring the joy of Broadway to generations of students — becoming the first in New York to nab the prestigious title.
Gary Edwin Robinson took home the 2025 Excellence in Theatre Education Award at last weekend's Tony ceremony for expanding theater access to thousands of students at Boys and Girls High School.
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5 Gary Edwin Robinson became the first teacher from New York State to nab the Tony for Excellence in Theatre Education Award.
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'What a lift. What joy it is. Oh, it's like riding on a carpet — the magic carpet!' Robinson, of Fort Greene, told The Post about receiving the honor and rubbing elbows with the theater's elite.
Robinson was nothing short of 'shocked' when he heard the news that he would be this year's recipient — and even three days after the ceremony, the excitement was still settling in.
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'I always said as a kid, 'One day I'm going to go to the Tony Awards. I'm going to get a Tony Award.' And to receive this recognition award is just the tops.'
The head of the school's theater program was cast as this year's winner because of his unwavering dedication to his high school students — he developed programming that allows teens to shadow Broadway professionals.
He has also leaned on the Arthur Miller Foundation Fellows Program and Broadway Bridges Program to pack the academic year with on- and off-Braodway shows — this year, they've seen 'Hell's Kitchen,' 'Gypsy,' 'A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical' and 'John Proctor Is the Villain.'
5 Robinson has been leading the theater program at the Boys and Girls High School for a decade.
Gabriella Bass
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5 Robinson teaches five drama classes a day and leads a three-year program that explores acting, playwriting, producing, directing and more.
Gabriella Bass
Robinson lives and breathes theater: he teaches five drama classes a day and leads a three-year program that explores acting, playwriting, producing, directing and more.
Many of his students have gone on to illustrious careers in the arts — one is on tour in 'Moulin Rouge,' another is a manager at the famed Apollo Theater and another just finished a TV show.
His major emphasis, however, is how theater can enhance his students' lives even if they choose to explore career paths beyond the stage.
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'I tell [athletes], 'You're going to be selected for a team and with sports figures, you have to do endorsements. That's theater right there; you've got to sell the product and that's where the theater comes in and that's why you're taking this class,' Robinson explained.
5 'Dreams do come true,' Robinson said of the honor.
Gabriella Bass
'I have a student who wants to be a nurse . . . You have patients. You might have to sing for the patients and might have to do a little performance with the kids to make people feel better and to heal them. That's where theater comes in,' he continued.
'Theater really can help you in any walk of life. And I say, 'I am that bridge to help you get to where you want to be in your career path.''
Robinson, who has taught at Boys and Girls High School for a decade, was bestowed the award at the 78th annual Tonys on Sunday by Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian.
It marked the first time an educator from the Empire State was chosen for the honor — despite the Big Apple being considered the 'theater capital.'
5 The award was presented at the Tonys by Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian.
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'I get up and I go to work, and I go in to do theater with my students. To receive an award for what you truly love and enjoy doing — okay, I accept!' Robinson said.
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The prize also comes with a $10,000 grant for the school's theater arts program, which Robinson is still mulling over what exactly to put it towards. His students will also receive a visiting master class taught by Carnegie Mellon drama professors.
Robinson hopes his success can be another learning moment for his students, telling them to 'find your dream and stick with it.'
'Do all that you can, put your energy into it, and make that a living reality,' he said. 'Dreams do come true. Just stick with it and follow through.'
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