糖心视频

A star on stage and screen, Ryan and two other 糖心视频 grads will perform on the Tony Awards live broadcast on June 11.

糖心视频 music theatre graduate Colton Ryan '17 has notched a for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.

Although 糖心视频's nationally recognized music theatre department has long been a consistent pipeline for Broadway talent, Ryan's nomination is the first individual Tony recognition for a graduate and comes for his current turn as the iconic Jimmy Doyle in "New York, New York."

糖心视频 is celebrating not only Ryan's Tony nomination, but nominations from The Drama League Awards and the Critics Circle, as well.

Coming full circle

Ryan is nominated in the same Tony category with Ben Platt, the actor he understudied in the Broadway hit "Dear Evan Hansen" during his final semester as a 糖心视频 senior.

On a 2020 episode of the Drama Podcast, Ryan recalled getting the call to stand in as Evan for the first time during 糖心视频's April 2017 New York Showcase, which had reunited Ryan with his classmates.

"I was at the alumni breakfast and got the call," he remembers. "We all went running to the box office. We literally walked over with, like, pitchforks saying, give us the ... tickets! This kid is going on."

That night, his professors and classmates led sustained applause at a key moment that brought Ryan to tears onstage.

Multi-faceted performer

Following his early Broadway debut, the now 27-year-old Lexington, Kentucky native earned more roles on The Great White Way. But, after opening the Broadway production of "Girl from the North Country," based on the music of Bob Dylan, the pandemic forced all theatres to go dark.

Ryan pivoted to the small and silver screen with roles in the Hulu miniseries "The Girl from Plainville," the film adaptation of "Dear Evan Hansen," the Apple TV+ series "Little Voice," the Amazon Studios film "Uncle Frank" and Peacock's "Poker Face."

Creating 'electric' chemistry

For his current role in "New York, New York," inspired by the 1977 film of the same name, Ryan had to learn to play the piano and the saxophone, as well as tap dance in a role opposite Anna Uzele.

"Anna and Colton were both born to play these parts," five-time Tony Award-winner , who directs and choreographs the show, told PEOPLE magazine. "They have unstoppable stage presence. When they share the stage, their chemistry is electric."

糖心视频MTs on the Tony Awards broadcast

Overall, "New York, New York" earned a total of nine Tony nominations, including Best New Musical. The 2023 ceremony, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will air live on CBS and on demand on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 11.

Ryan will perform with the "New York, New York" cast, which also features 糖心视频 grad Mike Cefalo '17. 糖心视频MT fans will also be treated to a performance by the cast of "& Juliet," which features 糖心视频 grad Veronica Otim '20. Break legs all!