The venerable performing arts publication listed Elon as one of the 10 most represented colleges on Broadway during the 2017-18 season.
Heading to catch a show on Broadway during the coming year? Chances are good you’ll find an Elon alum in the cast.
Elon University was listed among the top 10 most represented colleges and universities on Broadway during the 2017-18 season by Playbill, the top U.S. monthly magazine for theatregoers. Elon was listed among other top performing arts institutions from around the country including The Julliard School, the Boston Conservatory, the UNC School of the Arts, the University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon University.
Here’s a look at the Elon alumni recognized in the listing, along with the shows in which they are performing:
- Johnny Stellard ’10 (Anastasia)
- Rob Marnell ’06 (Beautiful)
- JJ Niemann ’17 (Book of Mormon)
- Gerald Caesar ’16 (Bronx Tale)
- Tanner Ray Wilson ’13 (Cats)
- Kennedy Caughell ’12 (The Great Comet)
- Ashley Pérez Flanagan ’10 (The Great Comet)
- Taylor Trensch ’11 (Hello Dolly!)
- Barrett Weed ’11 (Mean Girls)
- Paul HeeSang Miller ’10 (Miss Saigon)
- Lindsay K. Northen ’03 (Wicked)
Elon made the list for the second straight year thanks to the hard work of the graduates of its Department of Performing Arts. The recognition is part of Playbill’s Back to School week, and pulls from actor bios within Playbill Magazine and “Schools of the Stars” feature at the beginning of the season.
Playbill has recognized multiple Elon alums during the current year in its “Schools of the Stars” features, which take a look at where many of the top performers on Broadway attended college or university, as well as in the piece, “36 of Broadway’s Newest Faces Share Their Reactions to Making Their Broadway Debuts,” which highlighted alum Gerald Caesar ’16.
One of those featured in the Playbill list, JJ Niemann, landed a spot in the cast of The Book of Mormon just three days after walking across the stage and being handed his diploma in May. “It all happened incredibly fast, which showed me that all of this was 100 percent fate and what was meant to be,” Niemann said earlier this year.