Broadway’s biggest night had a special connection to Florida’s capital city as two Tony Award-winning performers with ties to the Young Actors Theatre movie musical “Joni & The Whale” celebrated victories at the 2026 Tony Awards on June 7.
Caissie Levy won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her acclaimed portrayal of Mother in the revival of “Ragtime.” During her acceptance speech, Levy thanked her husband, David Reiser, and their children, Izaiah, 10, and Talulah, 5.
Reiser, a Young Actors Theatre alumnus from the Class of 1998, is the writer and composer of “Joni & The Whale,” an independent movie musical filmed in Tallahassee and currently in post-production with the support of Broadway artists, Young Actors Theatre alumni, and local student performers.
Also taking home Broadway’s highest honor was Shoshana Bean, who earned her first Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for her portrayal of Lucy Emerson in “The Lost Boys.”
A story of friendship
The two victories are connected by a remarkable story of friendship and artistic generosity.
Earlier this season, Levy had been expected to continue her involvement with “The Lost Boys.” However, as the critically acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater revival of “Ragtime” continued to extend its run, Levy made the decision to remain with the production, citing the needs of her family and the realities of balancing two major theatrical commitments.
The role ultimately went to Bean, who reflected on the moment during her Tony Awards press room interview. “My dear friend, who’s like a sister, would make a decision that on a soul level was handing me a gift like this,” Bean said. “I’ve only marveled at what is.”
Their respective Tony victories — Levy for “Ragtime” and Bean for “The Lost Boys” — became a testament to the power of friendship, support, and artists championing one another’s success.
Winners involved in YAT production
That spirit of collaboration, mentorship, and belief in the next generation is also at the heart of “Joni & The Whale.”
Both Levy and Bean serve as executive producers of the film and have personally traveled to Tallahassee to support the project through benefit concerts at Young Actors Theatre. Levy performed a special concert at YAT in January 2023, helping launch community support for the film. Bean followed with a sold-out fundraising concert in January 2024, lending her voice and platform to the project’s continued development.
Created by Reiser and brought to life by a team of Young Actors Theatre alumni and Broadway collaborators, “Joni & The Whale” is a contemporary musical adaptation of the biblical story of Jonah.
Filmed in Tallahassee during the summers of 2023 and 2025, the production features Young Actors Theatre students and alumni alongside professional performers and artists whose careers have taken them to Broadway, the West End, film, and television.
The project represents a homecoming for a generation of YAT alumni, including director Jordan Reeves, producer Emily Hammond Cook, cinematographers Matt Reeves and Colette Krogol, and writer-composer David Reiser, all of whom returned to Tallahassee over the last several years to invest their professional expertise in the next generation of talent.
The film is currently in post-production, with Young Actors Theatre students continuing to contribute to the final product. Cast members have recorded vocals both locally with Pete Winter at Winterstone Productions and in professional Broadway album recording studios in New York City.
Young Actors Theatre expands summer programs
The Broadway connections do not end with “Joni & The Whale.” Young Actors Theatre is currently in the midst of its most expansive summer season yet, featuring expanded programming at its Glenview Drive campus and a new partnership bringing YAT teaching artists to all six City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Affairs summer camp sites.
This summer’s flagship production, “Les Misérables School Edition” (July 17–Aug. 2), is being directed by Jillian Stoelker, a current member of the Broadway National Tour of “Les Misérables” and a featured performer in Walt Disney World’s “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” Together, these initiatives demonstrate YAT’s commitment to connecting Tallahassee students with working Broadway professionals while expanding access to high-quality arts education throughout the community.
For Young Actors Theatre, the success of Levy and Bean is more than a Broadway headline. It reflects the powerful artistic network surrounding a film born from Tallahassee roots and demonstrates what can happen when accomplished professionals invest in the next generation of performers.
As “Joni & The Whale” moves toward completion, two of its executive producers now carry Tony Awards into the film’s next chapter—an inspiring reminder that the path from a local stage to Broadway’s brightest spotlight often comes full circle.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Two Tony Award winners have special Tallahassee connections
Reporting by Special to the Tallahassee Democrat, USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA / Tallahassee Democrat
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By Special to the Tallahassee Democrat, USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA | USA TODAY Network
