Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University Theatre Arts majors James Bolosh (BS91) and Michael Page (BS02) each had a role in the 2024 Tony Awards ceremony on June 16, and both scored significant professional wins.

Bolosh, a Livonia native and executive consultant for the entertainment industry, describes himself as a lifelong fan of the theatre. "Most kids in my high school went to Daytona Beach for spring break," Bolosh says. "I went to New York City to see shows."

That lifelong love culminated for Bolosh on June 16 when he won a Tony Award as co-producer of the year's best play, “Stereophonic.” The show is the most nominated play in Tony Award history, with 13 nominations, and in addition to Best Play, it won Best Direction of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Best Scenic Design, and Best Sound Design.

Between his boyhood treks to Broadway and winning theatre’s highest honor, Bolosh built a career as a producer and creative executive for networks including Lifetime, MTV, VH1 and HGTV. He was responsible for series such as “HGTV Design Star” and “House Hunters International,” and played a role in growing the on-camera career of David Bromstad among others.

Early this year, Bolosh took on something entirely new when he signed on to co-produce “Stereophonic.” "I can tell you anything about television and digital content after being in those worlds for over 25 years, but theatre is a different beast," Bolosh says. "What they do have in common is respecting and nurturing the creative process, which I excelled at in TV, and my fellow producers Greg Nobile, Sue Wagner and John Johnson do so well in the theatre. This experience has been life-changing."

Another Eastern alum involved with the Tony Awards project was Michael Page, general manager of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Page led efforts to move the awards ceremony venue to Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theatre. His team handles finance, production management and venue contracts for the 16-acre complex.

"Ultimately," he says, "my team is responsible for approximately $35 million in revenue and activity on campus every year."

Page reached out to the Tony Awards organizers early last year when they were looking for a new location. "We looked at dates and venues on Lincoln Center’s campus that would be appropriate, organized several sight visits, and ultimately it turned into an agreement to use multiple buildings," he explains. In addition to hosting the awards ceremony itself at David H. Koch Theatre, Lincoln Center provided venues for other event components like the red carpet area, press operations space and after-party locations.

As an EMU student majoring in Theatre Arts with an interest in directing performance arts projects behind-the-scenes experience prepared him well for his current role. Page highlights how flexible training opportunities within EMU's theatre department allowed him hands-on experiences both on stage and off while learning from inspiring faculty members.

"The department is flexible in a way that allows students to get as much out of it as they need or want," he says. "That training has served me well in my career."

Founded in 1849 Eastern Michigan University currently serves more than 13 thousand students pursuing degrees across various fields through its Colleges including Arts Sciences Business Education Engineering Technology Health Human Services Graduate School.