From Ohio State to Broadway: A Tony-winning journey
With three Tonys and a passion for transformative art, Rashad V. Chambers ’04 MBA, ’05 JD champions new work and uplifts future creators.
Rashad V. Chambers has produced plays that have won three Tonys and three Pulitzers. (Photo by Justin Clynes)
When Rashad V. Chambers attends the Tony Awards, the Broadway producer is not just there to celebrate his own shows. He’s just as excited to honor his friends, colleagues and fellow nominees who’ve worked as hard as he has to bring theatrical productions to life. “Being there to cheer them on is a dream come true,” says Chambers, an Ohio State graduate with dual degrees from the Fisher College of Business and the Moritz College of Law.
That supportive mindset is typical of Chambers, who earned his third Tony in June for “Purpose,” the Best Play honoree written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Phylicia Rashad. As a producer, Chambers is a behind-the-scenes force who spends years developing new works before they arrive on Broadway. It’s challenging, multifaceted work that requires patience, dedication and faith.
Over the past two decades, Chambers has built an impressive list of Broadway producing credits. They include “American Son,” “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Betrayal,” “Topdog/Underdog” (which earned Chambers his second Tony) and “Fat Ham,” which may be familiar to Columbus theatregoers from a 2025 production by The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio. In May, Chambers also took on a new leadership role when he became the executive director of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.
Here, Chambers answers questions about his life as an award-winning Broadway producer and how Ohio State set him on the path to theatrical success. “Without my education at Ohio State, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Chambers says.
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What made you fall in love with theatre?
I grew up in Pittsburgh and spent a lot of time in and around theatres. There was one particular production that I saw of “Dreamgirls” [Pittsburgh Playhouse, 1990] that was very transcendent for me. I got to see a cast of amazing performers, many of whom are still working on Broadway and in professional theatre, and that’s when I was bit by the bug and wanted to be involved in theatre in some capacity. The extraordinary level of talent really stuck with me and made me curious about what creating could be.
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How was your Ohio State experience meaningful for you?
I learned a lot, and most importantly, I learned about myself. I learned what type of person I wanted to be and how I could communicate with people to navigate different types of personalities and work ethics. There was so much camaraderie at both Fisher and at Moritz, resulting in lifelong friends and business collaborations. My educational experiences, including leadership roles such as student body president while in law school, were really paramount to my foundation for where I am in my career today.
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What drew you to “Purpose”?
I had the honor of being a producer on a revival of Suzan-Lori Parks’ play “Topdog/Underdog” in 2022, and the lead producer of that production invited me to be part of the team for “Purpose.” I had heard great things about the play in its pre-Broadway premiere production in Chicago. I believe playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins to be such a master of the craft, and he was coming off a Tony win [in 2024, for “Appropriate”]. And it was very exciting for me to see how Phylicia Rashad took all the tools of decades of acting to transition into directing. All of these things made me feel very excited to be asked to be a part of the “Purpose” team. When I was finally able to see the play with an audience, it was an electric experience, and I knew I was a part of something special with this production.
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What does it mean to you to uplift the next generation of artistic and theatre professionals?
I have always been very passionate about new work, and it feels very special to be able to shepherd new voices into the theatre canon. In my relatively short career on Broadway, I’ve produced nine plays, and three of them have been Pulitzer Prize-winning. I feel very honored to be able to be in the room and be a small part in making that happen.
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What future projects most excite you?
I’m excited by the endless possibilities. When I take on a project, I don’t often know what the end goal is. I always say I want to work on good projects and work with good people. I’m always inspired by narratives and shows that start a conversation, that can hold up a mirror and even change society. Throughout the run of “Purpose,” people would reach out to say they were still thinking about it days later, and that to me is transformative art. I want to see more of that in the work that I’m producing, and I hope I get more opportunities to do shows like “Purpose” that make a difference.
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Is there anything else you want to share with the Ohio State community?
When I graduated 20 years ago, I moved to New York with just blind ambition, and I had no idea I would be able to do all the things I get to do every day. That foundation was created at Ohio State, and everyone should just remember that anything is possible.
