Alum and Former Theatre Faculty Member David Cromer Wins Tony Award for "The Band’s Visit"

News Office Staff / Jun 11, 2018

David Cromer HDR '17 (left) stands with President and CEO Dr. Kwang-Wu Kim (right) during the 2017 Columbia College Chicago Commencement. Photo: Robert Kusel
Alum and former Theatre faculty member David Cromer HDR ’17 directs the musical that has won ten Tony Awards.

Congratulations to Columbia alum David Cromer, winner of the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his work on The Band’s Visit at the 72nd Tony Awards on June 10, his first-ever nomination and win. Cromer is a former Theatre student, faculty member, and 2017 Columbia College Chicago honorary degree recipient.

The Band’s Visit, based on a 2007 film about a group of Egyptian musicians who accidentally find themselves lost in a small Israeli town, was nominated for 11 awards and won ten, including Best Musical, Original Score, and several acting and technical awards.

Cromer previously won a 2017 Obie Award for his work directing The Band’s Visit in its original off-Broadway production. A longtime Chicago theatre director and producer, Cromer previously won Joseph Jefferson Awards for his work directing the Chicago productions of Angels in America, The Price, The Cider House Rules, and Our Town.

With Cromer's Tony win, Columbia can now boast two Tony Award-winning Broadway directors as alumni. Theatre alum Anna D. Shapiro '90, HDR '15, won the Tony for directing August: Osage County in 2008.

In 2017, Cromer was awarded an honorary degree from Columbia in recognition of his many achievements and great contributions to the Columbia community.

A video of his speech from the 72nd Annual Tony Awards is below:

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