VIDEO: Monticello High School Theater Director Madeline Michel Accepts 2019 Excellence in Theatre Education Tony Award

At the 2019 Tony Awards, Monticello High School Theater Director Madeline Michel from Charlottesville, Va. was awarded the 2019 Excellence in Theatre Education Award. The Excellence in Theatre Education Award was co-founded in 2014 by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to recognize top K-12 drama teachers and to celebrate arts education.

Watch Madeline Michel's Acceptance Speech Below

Michel was a standout to the esteemed panel of judges, with stellar recommendations from Albemarle County Public School District, community leaders, parents and students alike. Her student-written and performed plays have won numerous regional awards, including this year's grand prize at the Virginia Theatre Conference. Among many accomplishments, it was Michel's creation of an inclusive drama program, inviting students from all walks of life, to express themselves freely onstage that resonated so strongly.