Tony Award for educators won by a Georgia teacher who stresses self-empowerment and storytelling

NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� At this year’s Tony Awards, sound designer Justin Ellington and performer-producer Kandi Burruss have gotten nominations to A man who helped both get there is also being highlighted.

Freddie Hendricks, a middle school theater teacher at Utopian Academy for the Arts in Ellenwood, Georgia, and who founded the is getting the

鈥淚t feels really great to know that they鈥檙e succeeding on that level and that I had a little to do with it,鈥� he told The Associated Press ahead of the announcement on Monday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a beautiful thing.鈥�

Hendricks has been an arts educator for more than 30 years and was an honorable mention for the special Tony in 2023 and 2024. He estimates between 20 and 30 of his students have gone on to Broadway, including Tony-nominated Saycon Sengbloh, and one, who is a household star on 鈥淪aturday Night Live.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e always had a passion for theater. I鈥檓 an actor myself and when I got into teaching years and years and years and years ago, it became my passion,” he says.

Ellington, who has earned his third Tony nomination for 鈥淛oe Turner鈥檚 Come and Gone,鈥� credits Hendricks as 鈥渢he first person to show me the importance of storytelling in theater.鈥� Ellington watched as shy kids who started quiet at the beginning of Hendricks’ class were by the end the featured singer or performer.

Hendricks graduated from Lincoln Memorial University in 1976, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication arts. He created 鈥淪oweto, Soweto, Soweto: A Township is Calling!鈥� and has also taught in Europe and South Africa.

He is artistic director, writer and teacher for the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, which is comprised of students ranging from 11-20. At Utopian, Hendricks trains students in a 鈥渞igorous, ensemble-based program of acting, movement and storytelling.鈥�

鈥淎 lot of kids these days, they don鈥檛 love themselves,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 know who they are, for one thing. And I just kind of start with that and then go with loving themselves for who they are and letting them know up front, 鈥業n here, this is a safe space. You鈥檙e loved in here. You鈥檙e accepted in here. This is your home.鈥欌€�

Hendricks is known for encouraging his students to come up with topics they care about 鈥� poverty, gun violence, teen pregnancy, apartheid or AIDS 鈥� and building performances around their ideas from their perspective.

鈥淭hat just empowered these kids so much,鈥� says Ellington. 鈥淣ot only empowered them from an internal place of owning who you are, but empowering them as storytellers and showing the importance of storytellers.鈥�

The annual Excellence in Theatre Education Award bestowed by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University recognizes U.S. educators who have 鈥渄emonstrated exemplary impact on the lives of students and who embodies the highest standards of the profession.鈥�

The award includes a $10,000 prize for Utopian Academy and a pair of tickets to the June 7 Tony ceremony and gala in New York City. Hendricks’ students will also receive a visiting master class taught by Carnegie Mellon drama professors.

A panel of judges comprised of the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon and other leaders from the theater industry selects the winner, from candidates submitted by the public.

Hendricks imparts the importance of theater skills 鈥� like collaborating, listening, interpreting, storytelling, checking your ego, taking criticism 鈥� even if his pupils go on to careers outside the arts.

鈥淚 just want to let them know that life is great out there and the key to success is to never stop the pursuit of it. Whatever you want, keep going. It鈥檚 not going to happen tomorrow. It鈥檚 not going to happen next year. Or if it does, you may lose it, but it will come again if you continue to pursue whatever it is that you desire.鈥�

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