BOWIE, Md. — UPDATE: Myles Frost can now put "Tony Award-winning actor" next to his name - he captured the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical on Sunday night.
A student from Bowie State University is nominated for one of Broadway's highest honors.
Myles Frost, a music technology major at Bowie State, has been performing in the lead role of Michael Jackson in MJ: The Musical since last year, when he made his debut at the Neil Simon Theatre.
Since then, Frost has been dazzling Broadway audiences in New York with his acting, dancing and singing. Now he's nominated for a Tony award.
Frost is competing in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category.
Frost said he was blown away to be nominated for the award. He was watching the nominations with his mom and sister via FaceTime.
"When my name came up on that screen, my mom started yelling, I started jumping and yelling, my sister started screaming," Frost said. "It was such a beautiful moment."
"I'm feeling so many different emotions right now it's unbelievable, it's crazy," Frost said. "But I think the two main things that come to my mind are blessed and humble. I always try to keep those at the forefront of anything I do. It's such a ... gumbo of feelings."
Professor Tewodross W. Williams, chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department at Bowie State, says he is overcome with joy at the news of the nomination.
"When I saw him perform on Broadway in March, I knew he was a special talent,” Williams said in a press release.
As a D.C. native, Frost said he's appreciative of his humble beginnings that took him all the way to Broadway.
"I'm truly appreciative of where I came from and the support system that I've had, from my family to my friends growing up who always believed in my ability to do what I'm doing today," he said. "Chocolate City, baby! It brings so much joy to my heart to say that. There are a lot of people repping the DMV in this show and I'm so blessed to be a part of that."
Including Frost's nomination, MJ: The Musical was nominated for 10 Tonys in total, including best musical. That's the second-most nominations for one production, behind A Strange Loop.
Winners will be announced on CBS and Paramount+ on June 12.