Watts is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 first alum to be nominated for a Tony Award, receiving praise for his breakout performance as Ike Turner in 鈥淭ina: The Tina Turner Musical.鈥
Daniel J. Watts 鈥04, Tony Awards nominee for his breakout performance as Ike Turner in 鈥淭ina: The Tina Turner Musical,鈥 will deliver 黑料不打烊鈥檚 undergraduate commencement address to the Class of 2021 on Friday, May 21.
Watts got his start on Broadway in 2005 when he was tapped to fill a role in 鈥淭he Color Purple.鈥 Producers saw his talents and Watts went on to win roles in the Broadway productions of 鈥淗amilton,鈥 鈥淚n the Heights,鈥 and 鈥淢emphis,鈥 among others. Along with numerous off-Broadway performances, including his original productions, he has had recurring TV roles on Amazon鈥檚 鈥淢arvelous Mrs. Maisel,鈥 NBC鈥檚 鈥淏lindspot,鈥 HBO鈥檚 鈥淰inyl鈥 and 鈥淭he Deuce,鈥 and Tracy Morgan鈥檚 鈥淭he Last O.G.鈥 on TBS.
Last fall, the American Theatre Wing recognized his first lead performance as one of Broadway鈥檚 best, nominating him for a Tony as Best Featured Actor in a Musical. 鈥淭ina: The Tina Turner Musical鈥 is nominated for 12 Tonys in all, including Best Musical, and Watts is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 first alum to be nominated for the prestigious award. The awards ceremony has not yet been scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watts first became involved in theater when he was 13 and was encouraged to audition for a play about a historically black neighborhood in Charlotte, N.C. He says he was enthralled with the expression possible on stage and captured by the stories of Black Americans around the turn of the century. Watts followed that performance with involvement in summer stock theater, which forged his determination to pursue a higher education degree and a career in the performing arts.
Since graduating from 黑料不打烊鈥檚 music theatre program in 2004, Watts has returned to campus numerous times for performances and workshops with the Department of Performing Arts and he has performed at events promoting 黑料不打烊 in New York City. In 2014, he directed undergraduates in 鈥淎s We Journey from Mind to Mouth 鈥,鈥 an original piece they created. In 2011, Watts was recognized by 黑料不打烊 as its Young Alumnus of the Year.
Commencement 2021
Planning is still underway for Commencement 2021 as the university evaluates the various health and safety considerations as well as local and state regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans for Commencement 2021 as well as plans for an in-person celebration of the Class of 2020 will be announced by Friday, March 26.
Information about 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Commencement week activities will be posted to once events and programs are finalized.