URI Theater Grad Nominated For Tony Award

KINGSTON, RI — A University of Rhode Island graduate has been nominated for the theater world's highest award. Mary Testa has been nominated for the Best Actress In a Featured Role In a Musical for her portrayal of Aunt Eller in the revival of "Oklahoma!"

The vocal powerhouse has had 19 Broadway roles over the course of her two-decade career and has been nominated for two other Tonys for "42nd Street" in 2001 and "On The Town" in 1999.

"It’s truly wonderful and gratifying to be recognized for my work," Testa told URI Today. "URI really set me on my path and gave me experiences, friendships and a great foundation in acting, which has helped me achieve so much."

Testa's first singing role was in URI's production of "Scrambled Eggs," which began her relationship with writer and composer William Finn.

The 2019 "Oklahoma!" revival opened on April 7 at the Circle in the Square Theatre, nearly three-quarters of a century after first opening in 1947. This is the fourth revival of the beloved show, which the Tony Awards website calls "one of the most influential shows ever written."