Jhett Tolentino

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Jhett Tolentino
Jhett Tolentino.jpg
Jhett Tolentino at Malacañan Palace in December 2016
Background information
Birth nameJhett Dizon Tolentino
Born (1976-12-28) December 28, 1976 (age 47)
Origin Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippines
Occupation(s)Film and theatre producer, director
Years active2011–present

Jhett Tolentino (born December 28, 1976) is a Filipino film and theatre producer. He is known for being the second Philippine-born awardee of the Tony Award, behind Lea Salonga. Having won three Tony Awards for his producing work between 2013 and 2015 and received his first Grammy Award in February 2017, he holds the record for the most wins of any naturalized Filipinos. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

In 2018, Tolentino was honored the Pamana ng Pilipino Award by the President of the Philippines for his non-profit work. [5]

Early life

According to his self-produced biographical documentary Life Is What You Make It , Tolentino is the youngest child of Gloria Dizon, a native of Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon and Arthur Tolentino, a native of Iloilo whose roots come from Bataan. Tolentino grew up in a severely impoverished area of Barangay Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City, [6] which was a few meters across the shore of the Iloilo Strait.

Tolentino attended Calumpang Elementary School (since renamed as Esteban Juntado, Sr. Elementary School) from 1983 to 1989. He entered the Basic Education Unit of University of Iloilo as a high school freshman and took up his secondary education from 1989 to 1993.

His high school education was enabled by a scholarship program promoted by the Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Parish. The scholarship grant is funded by the Meguko Society, a student organization operating at the Jesuit-run Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. [6] The Meguko Society caters to educational needs of indigenous children from India and the Philippines. Tolentino was awarded scholarship grants from high school to college by the organization.

He wanted to pursue a tourism degree but decided to study accounting at the University of Iloilo due to the lack of course offerings in the region. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Accountancy degree from the university in March 1997.

Career

After graduation, Tolentino worked in Iloilo City at Mercantile Credit Resource Corporation as a general bookkeeper and later, corporate secretary. He worked at Mercantile Credit Resource Corporation from 1997 to 2002. He moonlighted in multinational Hong Kong-based companies from 1999 to 2001: as internal auditor for JP Capital Partners Ltd., and as sales and marketing executive for Inside Fashion.

In 2002, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for a sales and marketing job at The Good Guys, while moonlighting as a waiter for Continental Caterers and as a babysitter. [6] In 2004, he moved to the New York tri-state area for a mortgage and finance job, where he learned about the theatre industry. Tolentino received a certificate in Nursing Assistance from the American Medical Career Training Center in Jamaica, New York in December 2005. [7] He worked as a nursing assistant in 2006, and when the market crashed as part of the 2008 recession, he worked in the healthcare industry full-time.

Tolentino during a meeting with investor James Richman Jhett Tolentino - James Richman.jpg
Tolentino during a meeting with investor James Richman

While in New York and working in finance and healthcare, he started writing reviews of theatre shows on his blog.

In February 2016, Tolentino was given recognition by the government of the Philippines through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-Ani ng Dangal for giving international recognition to the Philippines; and was among The Outstanding Young Men and Women of the Philippines who were awarded the same year by President Rodrigo Duterte at Malacañang Palace in December of the same year. In 2019 Tolentino won Best Short Documentary at the NVIFF Awards in Amsterdam. [8] [9] In 2021, Blogtalk with MJ Racadio named him one of the "75 Most Influential Filipino-Americans". [10]

Affiliations

Organizations
OrganizationPositionStint
The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards)Voting Member2016–present
The Broadway League (Tony Awards)Voting Member2015–2017
The Order of the Knights of Rizal-New York ChapterDeputy Chapter Commander2015–2018

Music credits

Recordings
YearAlbumCreditsLabelNotes
2016 The Color Purple: New Broadway Cast Recording Producer Broadway Records 59th Annual Grammy Awards winner
2015 Side Show: Added Attractions Live at Feinstein's/54 Below
2014 Side Show: Original 2014 Broadway Cast Recording
Leslie Odom Jr. Associate Producer CD Baby Re-recorded in 2016
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder: Original Broadway Cast Recording Co-Executive Producer Sh-K-Boom Records 57th Annual Grammy Awards nominee
2013 Matilda the Musical: Original Broadway Cast Recording Associate Producer Broadway Records 56th Annual Grammy Awards nominee

Theatre credits

Production
YearTitleRoleTheatre
2019 M. Butterfly ProducerPhilippine National Tour
2018 Maybank Theatre
Children of a Lesser God Studio 54
2016 Tuck Everlasting Broadhurst Theatre
Hand to God Vaudeville Theatre
Hughie Booth Theatre
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder National Tour
2015 Sylvia Cort Theatre
Clever Little Lies Westside Theatre
Hand to God Booth Theatre
Buyer and Cellar National Tour
2014 A Raisin in the Sun Ethel Barrymore Theatre
A Delicate Balance John Golden Theatre
Side Show St. James Theatre
This is Our Youth Cort Theatre
The Velocity of Autumn Booth Theatre
Here Lies Love The Public Theatre (LuEsther Hall)
2013 Buyer and Cellar Barrow Street Theatre
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Walter Kerr Theatre
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike John Golden Theatre
Macbeth Associate Producer Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Bedlam's Hamlet and Saint Joan Co-Producer Lynn Redgrave Theatre
2012 My Name is Asher Lev Producer Westside Theatre

Filmography

Film Credits
YearTitleRole
2019 Lingua Franca [11] Producer
2018Confession
2017 Life Is What You Make It Writer
Producer
Director

Notable awards and nominations

Awards and Nominations
YearAwardProductionRoleResults
2018 Aliw Award for Best Play M. Butterfly ProducerWon
2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album The Color Purple [12] [2] Won
2016 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play Hand to God Nominated
2015 Tony Award for Best Play Nominated
Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play This is Our Youth Nominated
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical Side Show Nominated
2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play A Raisin in the Sun [3] Won
Tony Award for Best Musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder [3] Won
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding MusicalWon
Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a MusicalWon
Outer Critics Circle Award Best New Broadway MusicalWon
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical Here Lies Love Nominated
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show Buyer & Cellar Won
Off Broadway Alliance Award Best Revival Bedlam's Hamlet and Saint Joan [13] Co-ProducerWon
2013 Tony Award for Best Play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike [3] ProducerWon
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding PlayWon
Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a PlayWon
Outer Critics Circle Award Best New Broadway PlayWon
Outer Critics Circle Award Best New Off-Broadway Play My Name is Asher Lev Won
Off Broadway Alliance Award Best New Play Nominated

Special citations

Special Citations
YearTitleAward-giving BodyVenue
2018Pamana ng Pilipino Award Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas Malacañan Palace, Manila
2016Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women of the Philippines Junior Chamber International-Philippines
Philippine Immersion Program Delegate Filipino Young Leaders Program Philippine Embassy, Washington, D.C.
Ani ng Dangal National Commission for Culture and the Arts SMX Aura Convention Center, Taguig
2014The Outstanding Filipino American for EntertainmentThe Outstanding Filipino American-New York Carnegie Hall, New York City

Notes

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    References

    1. ↑ Quadra-Balibay, Aurora (October 15, 2019). "Broadway's Jhett Tolentino wins 9th award for bio-docu "Life Is What You Make It"". Good News Pilipinas. GNP. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
    2. 1 2 "Pinoy producer Jhett Tolentino wins first Grammy". Rappler. Rappler Media. February 13, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
    3. 1 2 3 4 Sorilla, Franz IV (September 27, 2021). "8 Filipino Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards Winners And Nominees". Philippine Tatler. Philippine Tatler. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
    4. ↑ Diaz, Rasmin (October 13, 2020). "Jon Jon Briones to headline TOFA100 online show". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
    5. ↑ "Jhett Tolentino Profile". TFINY.org. Tribeca Film Institute.
    6. 1 2 3 Tagala, Don (July 31, 2015). "How this former OFW in HK became successful in Broadway". ABS-CBN News.
    7. ↑ Abunda, Boy. "Jhett recalls his humble beginnings". YouTube. ABS-CBN. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
    8. ↑ "Jhett Tolentino, Kira Reed Lorsch and Jamila Awad Win at NVIFF!". New Vision International Film Festival. October 12, 2019.
    9. ↑ Encila-Celdran, Robert. "BWW Interview: Broadway Producer Jhett Tolentino Talks M. BUTTERFLY Philippine Tour, LINGUA FRANCA & HERE LIES LOVE on Broadway". Broadway World Philippines. Broadway World Philippines. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
    10. ↑ "Comedian Jo Koy leads 75 Most Influential Filipino Americans list". goodnewspilipinas.com. October 22, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
    11. ↑ Macnab, Geoffrey (October 5, 2019). "'Lingua Franca' director Isabel Sandoval lines up next project 'Park Avenue' (exclusive)". Screen Daily . Retrieved September 9, 2023.
    12. ↑ "The Color Purple Cast Recording, Featuring Cynthia Erivo & Jennifer Hudson, Wins 2017 Grammy Award". Broadway.com.
    13. ↑ "Bedlam". Bedlam.org. Bedlam Incorporated. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
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