Office of Communications

Contact: Amy Batheja

Communications Specialist

Office: (817) 531-7521

abatheja@txwes.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALUMNUS NOMINATED FOR TONY AWARDS

In the Heights, a production of Texas Wesleyan alumnus Michael Skipper, BA '78, has been nominated for 13 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Director. The thirteen nominations is the most for any one production. "I'm just jumpin' for joy," Skipper told The Fort Worth Business Press.

In the Heights played at Skipper's 37 ARTS before moving to the Richard Rogers Theatre at W. 46th St. While the musical was at 37 ARTS in the spring of 2007, many of Texas Wesleyan's theatre alumni were able to see the show during the Playmarket trip to New York City. “I thoroughly enjoyed In the Heights; the combination of salsa and hip hop completely rocked. I enjoyed every second of it,” student Cari Watson told Wesleyan magazine. Skipper and his wife Anne, chairman of the Texas Wesleyan Board of Trustees, live in Graham and New York City.

Click to read more about the Playmarket trip and Theatre Wesleyan. Click to read news coverage in the Fort Worth Business Press, New York Times, and the official Tony Awards site.