Tony Spotlight Shines On Bed-Stuy’s Star Educator

BED-STUY, NY — A Bed-Stuy teacher made history on Broadway this weekend, earning national recognition for nurturing tomorrow’s theatre stars from a Brooklyn classroom.

Gary Edwin Robinson, head of the Theatre Arts Program at Boys and Girls High School in Bed-Stuy, has been named the 2025 winner of the Excellence in Theatre Education Award — the first educator from New York to receive this honor.

“I get up and go to work, but it’s theatre to me,” Robinson said. “It’s very special when you see talent in young people, and they go on to colleges and universities to major in theatre arts. I knew from an early age this is what I wanted to do, and I want to help others find their way.”

The prestigious national honor, presented annually by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University, recognizes a K-12 theatre educator who embodies the highest standards of the profession and demonstrates a positive impact on students’ lives, the advancement of theatre, and a commitment to excellence.

Robinson will receive $10,000 for the Theatre Arts Program at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, along with tickets to The Tony Awards and Gala. Additionally, his students will benefit from a visiting Master Class led by Carnegie Mellon University Drama professors.

“Edwin’s dedication to empowering the next generation of artists, both on and off the stage, is both profound and inspiring,” said CMU President Farnam Jahanian. “Carnegie Mellon University is thrilled to help recognize his impact in arts education and to celebrate his record of equipping students with the skills, confidence and community needed for lifelong success.”

Robinson grew up in Queens and went to P.S. 147 Elementary School before graduating from Andrew Jackson High School, where he really got into music and art. He played the flute and sang as a second baritone in the choir. After high school, he trained at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and then went on to Howard University, where he earned his BFA in theatre education.

“Edwin not only delivers a powerful arts curriculum in the classroom, but he also brings students to meet the arts where they live onstage, backstage, in the community and in the world,” said Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing.

Created in 2014, this award is decided by a committee made up of members from the American Theatre Wing, the Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon University, and other key figures in the theatre world. While winners have come from many parts of the country, none have previously represented New York — the heart of Broadway.

The award was presented to Robinson during Sunday’s 78th Annual Tony Awards ceremony.

"I am so honored to receive this. I was shocked — you know, I’m getting an award for going to work and enjoying what I do. I love it," Robinson said.