The Excellence in Theater Education in Theater Award of The 78th Tonys

On June 8th, 2025, the 78th Tonys took place at Radio City Music Hall, New York City with Gary Edwin Robinson winning the Excellence in Theater Education Award.

Robinson is head of Theatre Arts Program at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, and he shares his love for theatre with his students. He has also earned his first Excellence in Theatre Education Award this year. He expresses his appreciation for getting to win a prize while doing something he loves to do at the same time.

Robinson says, “I get up and go to work, but it’s theatre to me.”

The theater program that Robinson manages readies students for the industry by giving out internships so that they can get experience working with professionals. He says that he is there to give his students a career. One of his former students can certify it. Malcolm Smith was a student of Ronald Edmonds Learning Center where Robinson spent 17 years teaching middle school theatre. He now works as an events manager at Apollo Theater. Smith responds that seeing Robinson work with students feels like going back to October of 2004 when he was still under Robinson’s guidance.

Robinson was hired by the assistant principal of supervision of the arts at Boys and Girls High School, Kimberly Henry-Rerrrie, 10 years ago. Although she acknowledges that she is more of a math or science person, she is fully supportive of arts education.

“I’ve seen how transformative it is for students,” Henry-Rerrie said. “It is incredible to give students opportunities to look beyond the Black Box Theatre here and see themselves in other spaces.” *

Another of his friends, Suzanne Chong adds that his commitment and tenacity are exemplary when it comes to education.

Aside from the award, the American Theater Wing also gave him $10,000 for the theater program.

Robinson has been teaching theatre for 35 years, and he is not planning on stopping anytime soon.

*Wigley, Pam. “Gary Edwin Robinson Selected as 2025 Excellence in Theatre Education Award Winner.” Carnegie Mellon University News, 29 May 2025, www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2025/may/gary-edwin-robinson-selected-as-2025-excellence-in-theatre-education-award-winner. Accessed 12 June 2025.