Playbill included the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater & Music Theater in its “Big 10” feature listing the top ten colleges and universities with the most alumni working on Broadway creative teams as directors, designers, writers, or composers during the most recent season.

“I’ve always thought of theater at Princeton as the best kept secret of theater education—but I guess the cat is out of the bag now.”
— Jane Cox, theater program director

During the Broadway season dating May 5, 2022, through April 27, 2023, six Princeton alumni either worked on Broadway creative teams or had their plays presented on stage:

• David Bengali ’04 (Projection Design: 1776, The Thanksgiving Play)
• Lileana Blain-Cruz ’06, director, past theater faculty member at Princeton, and winner of an OBIE Award (Director: The Skin of Our Teeth)
• Richard Greenberg ’80, playwright and winner of Tony, Drama Desk, and New York Drama Critics’ Circle awards (Playwright: Take Me Out, Take Me Out)
• Noah Haidle ’01, playwright and screenwriter (Playwright: Birthday Candles)
• Winnie Holzman ’76, screenwriter and dramatist, winner of a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical (Book: Wicked)
• Thornton Wilder GS ’26, novelist, playwright and winner of three Pulitzer Prizes (Playwright: The Skin of Our Teeth)

Ahead of Princeton on the list are New York University, Yale University, Columbia University and The Julliard School (tied), Brown University, Harvard University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts (tied), and Northwestern University. Tied with Princeton are Boston University, SUNY Purchase, Oberlin College and University of California San Diego.

Among the colleges and universities listed, the Program in Theater & Music Theater at Princeton stands out as the only theater program that does not offer a major in theater or a graduate program of study.

“I’ve always thought of theater at Princeton as the best kept secret of theater education—but I guess the cat is out of the bag now,” said Jane Cox, Director of the Program in Theater & Music Theater. “We also had multiple faculty working on Broadway creative teams last season, as well as Princeton alumni and faculty represented in producing roles.”