Schmigadoon! It’s another Tony!

Visiting Professor Sam Biondolillo collected his second Tony at the 79th annual Tony Awards.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater Sam Biondolillo collected his second Tony at the 79th annual Tony Awards on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall.

Biondolillo, who joined Conn’s faculty in 2023, is a co-producer for Schmigadoon!, which won the top distinction of Best Musical. Through their production company, SAMS Entertainment, Biondolillo and his business partner, Sam Houlihan, previously won the 2024 Tony for Best Revival of a Musical for the Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along.

In his role as co-producer, Biondolillo assisted Schmigadoon! lead producers Lorne Michaels and Christine Schwarzman with crucial funding tasks that included finding investors, marketing the show and selling tickets.

“The production team is responsible for the financial health of the show,” he explained, adding that many people are involved in its ultimate success. “We have a screen above the marquee that rotates through every person involved in Schmigadoon!, including the people working the box office, the people sweeping the seats, the cast, the crew, the producers and the marketing people. I think that it’s very easy for the producers to say, ‘Yeah, we did it!’ But what we’ve actually done is create the environment for it to be able to happen.”

Biondolillo hardly had time to revel in his big win. His work for CBS as a lighting designer took him to Washington, D.C., to cover Fourth of July festivals on the National Mall. He then headed to London for two theater projects. Allegra, which ran at the Harold Pinter Theatre from July 8 to Aug. 8, marked his West End producing and lighting design debut, and he provided lighting design for the off-West End production of The Jonathan Larson Project. His involvement in the latter show was made possible by an award from Conn’s R.F. Johnson Faculty Development Fund, which supports conference travel, research and supplies for tenured and tenure-track faculty, teaching professors and continuing part-time faculty members.

Biondolillo says he’s thrilled to share his experiences with his students. “For me to be able to travel and bring it back here to them is a big win. I really try to integrate students into the work that I’m doing. I’ve brought them to work on off-Broadway productions, and I’ve helped get them internships with different general managers. I like the merger between the academic world and the professional world, and how those things can work together.”

And Conn is grateful for his talent. Associate Professor of Theater Sabrina Notarfrancisco, who is also the department chair, said, “Sam brings great energy to the theater department as a professor, lighting designer and production manager, and our students are so lucky to have him.”