麻豆村

Gary Edwin Robinson, who goes by Edwin, was 8 years old when he tap-danced his way onto the stage as part of dance teacher Gloria Jackson鈥檚 annual recital. The excitement of the show was thrilling for a young boy, and his gaze turned up to the spotlights that illuminated the stage. He stopped, mesmerized, and remained still under the lights. He knew he had found his home, and he鈥檚 never looked back.

Robinson, a St. Albans (Queens), New York native, now heads the Theatre Arts Program at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn and passes along his passion for theatre. He is the winner of the 2025 Excellence in Theatre Education Award(opens in new window) (EITEA), presented jointly by 麻豆村 and The Tony Awards. Robinson will receive his award at The Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8, at Radio City Music Hall.听 听

鈥淚 get up and go to work, but it鈥檚 theatre to me,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very special when you see talent in young people, and they go on to colleges and universities to major in theatre arts. I knew from an early age this is what I wanted to do, and I want to help others find their way.鈥�

Perhaps it was destined for Robinson to become involved in the arts.听St. Albans was home to many great artists, including James Brown (who danced with the neighborhood children in his backyard), Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and Brook Benton, to name a few. Robinson鈥檚 introduction to jazz came courtesy of Count Basie, who played his music with the windows open during nice weather; Robinson and his sister soaked it in.听

Robinson attended P.S. 147 Elementary School, Intermediate School 59 and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in Queens. He focused his studies on music in middle and high school. He played the flute and was a second baritone in the school鈥檚 choir.

Robinson went on to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem chorus, where he found inspiration in his teacher, Arthur Mitchell. He said Mitchell influenced his focus on performance and professionalism. Robinson could have gone in two directions: vocalist/theatre performance or dance. He chose the former, knowing that he wanted 鈥渢he whole experience of talking, dancing and emoting鈥� through the arts versus being a dancer whose expression was done primarily through bodily movement.听

His journey continued at Howard University, where he earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in theatre education. There, he worked under the tutelage of the late Carol Waters Singleton, who quickly made sure her new student always referred to her as 鈥淒r.鈥� and not 鈥淐arol.鈥� She taught him that 鈥測ou are being trained to train others for careers in the theatre 鈥� and all that goes along with that.

鈥淚t is a career-centered path,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to help my students gain a career.鈥�

One alumnus of Robinson鈥檚 can attest to that process. Malcolm Smith was a student at Ronald Edmonds Learning Center in Brooklyn, where Robinson spent 17 years teaching middle school theatre. Smith, who now serves as events manager at The Apollo Theater in Harlem, said it鈥檚 an understatement that Robinson made a great impression on him.

鈥淕oing to his class was a joy, a highlight,鈥� said Smith, who submitted Robinson鈥檚 name for the EITEA this year. 鈥淪eeing him work with students now is like stepping back to October 2004 for me. I am incredibly grateful to have been in his class and honored to be part of the community of young artists he continues to foster.鈥�

Robinson does, indeed, foster special relationships with students. Longtime friend Suzanne Chong noted that his dedication to education is exemplary.听

鈥淓dwin Robinson makes sure that the children in his care have the utmost opportunity to grow, to thrive and to be seen,鈥� Chong said. 鈥淗e introduces his students to experiences that they have not had in their lives; things they did not know were available to them. He is there for the children that need more than theatrical coaching. He does the things that nobody hears about.鈥�

Robinson鈥檚 vision for his students also is shared by Kimberly Henry-Rerrie, assistant principal of supervision of the arts at Boys and Girls High School. She hired Robinson 10 years ago and, although she admits she鈥檚 more of a 鈥渟cience and math person,鈥� she fully supports arts education.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen how transformative it is for students,鈥� Henry-Rerrie said. 鈥淚t is incredible to give students opportunities to look beyond the Black Box Theatre here and see themselves in other spaces.鈥澨�

The Black Box Theatre is where Robinson feels at home and where he believes he is making a difference. To him, it鈥檚 about going to the theatre every day.

鈥淭his is where it all happens 鈥� in this space,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is where careers are started. Where futures are born. When you鈥檙e finished with Robinson, you are going on to be the events manager at the Apollo 鈥� and whatever else you dream you can be.鈥�