CJay Philip’s students sat on stage in a circle at the Cahill Performing Arts Center in Baltimore, speaking and singing gratitude in a call and response led by their teacher. It was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and they had just finished a full day of master class workshops taught by Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama faculty.

Philip is the 2024 recipient of the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented each year at the Tony Awards by Carnegie Mellon University in partnership with the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. The master class is offered as part of the award. Philip’s company, Dance & Bmore, is a multidisciplinary, Baltimore-based ensemble presenting a unique fusion of movement, music, theatrics and spoken word through socially conscious and interactive works. Her programs engage grade school students to senior citizens and everyone in between.