# Jhett Tolentino

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

## 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, 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. 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. 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. 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.
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. In 2021, Blogtalk with MJ Racadio named him one of the "75 Most Influential Filipino-Americans".

## Affiliations

Organizations :
| Organization | Position | Stint |
| The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards) | Voting Member | 2016–present |
| The Broadway League (Tony Awards) | Voting Member | 2015–2017 |
| The Order of the Knights of Rizal-New York Chapter | Deputy Chapter Commander | 2015–2018 |

## Music credits

Recordings :
| Year | Album | Credits | Label | Notes |
| 2016 | The Color Purple: New Broadway Cast Recording | Producer | Broadway Records | 59th Annual Grammy Awards winner |
| 2015 | Side Show: Added Attractions | Producer | Broadway Records | Live at Feinstein's/54 Below |
| 2014 | Side Show: Original 2014 Broadway Cast Recording | Producer | Broadway Records | |
| 2014 | Leslie Odom Jr. | Associate Producer | CD Baby | Re-recorded in 2016 |
| 2014 | 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 :
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
| 2019 | M. Butterfly | Producer | Philippine National Tour |
| 2018 | M. Butterfly | Producer | Maybank Theatre |
| 2018 | Children of a Lesser God | Producer | Studio 54 |
| 2016 | Tuck Everlasting | Producer | Broadhurst Theatre |
| 2016 | Hand to God | Producer | Vaudeville Theatre |
| 2016 | Hughie | Producer | Booth Theatre |
| 2016 | A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | Producer | National Tour |
| 2015 | Sylvia | Producer | Cort Theatre |
| 2015 | Clever Little Lies | Producer | Westside Theatre |
| 2015 | Hand to God | Producer | Booth Theatre |
| 2015 | Buyer and Cellar | Producer | National Tour |
| 2014 | A Raisin in the Sun | Producer | Ethel Barrymore Theatre |
| 2014 | A Delicate Balance | Producer | John Golden Theatre |
| 2014 | Side Show | Producer | St. James Theatre |
| 2014 | This is Our Youth | Producer | Cort Theatre |
| 2014 | The Velocity of Autumn | Producer | Booth Theatre |
| 2014 | Here Lies Love | Producer | The Public Theatre (LuEsther Hall) |
| 2013 | Buyer and Cellar | Producer | Barrow Street Theatre |
| 2013 | A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | Producer | Walter Kerr Theatre |
| 2013 | Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike | Producer | John Golden Theatre |
| 2013 | Macbeth | Associate Producer | Ethel Barrymore Theatre |
| 2013 | Bedlam's Hamlet and Saint Joan | Co-Producer | Lynn Redgrave Theatre |
| 2012 | My Name is Asher Lev | Producer | Westside Theatre |

## Filmography

Film Credits :
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2019 | Lingua Franca | Producer |
| 2018 | Confession | Producer |
| 2017 | Life Is What You Make It | Writer |
| 2017 | Life Is What You Make It | Producer |
| 2017 | Life Is What You Make It | Director |

## Notable awards and nominations

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

## Special citations

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