An Astonishing New Musical Collaboration!

Astounding!
A brand new Lin-Manuel Miranda and John Kander creation. A great, ebullient anthem for New York!

On, Under, Along The Sea - Two Fables

Just a few blocks from one another on Broadway, two musicals are doing boffo box office business this summer.
One is a revival, the other is a newcomer. One is irrepressibly silly and the other is poignant.
But both shows are tuneful fables, both use innovative staging to get their point across, both involve real or impending natural disasters, both feature multi-cultural casts and both tell tales about life along, on or under the sea.
No, we're not talking about The Little Mermaid or Mutiny on the Bounty.
We're talking about the Tony award-winning Best Musical revival and the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award-winning Best Musical.


The revival, Once On This Island is a one-act musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Based on the 1985 novel My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy, it is set on a French island in the Caribbean Sea. The show includes elements of the Romeo and Juliet story and elements of a fairy tale. It concerns a peasant girl on a tropical island who uses the power of love to bring together people of different social classes. The original Broadway production opened in 1990 and ran for 488 performances.
The new production at the Circle in the Square Theater opened last December and features a gritty in-the-round staging, a sandy surface, real water elements, a live goat, suggestions of voodoo and a decidedly pared-down version of the tropics. This is the island life that you don't see when you stay at once of those fancy Caribbean resorts or visit while on a luxury cruise. In fact, the set is so rusty and grainy and rag-tagged that you might think you ventured into the wrong show. And the story sort of unfolds all around you.

One stormy night on the island, thunder booms, making a small girl cry in fear. To comfort her, the village storytellers tell her the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl who falls in love with a grand homme, Daniel Beauxhomme – a story of life, pain, love, grief, faith, and hope. In this story, four gods (consisting of Asaka: Mother of the Earth, Agwé: god of Water, Erzulie: goddess of Love, and Papa Ge: demon of Death) rule an island known as the Jewel of the Antilles where poor peasants worship them (Prologue/"We Dance"). The peasants, "black as night", live on one side of the island, and the grands hommes, lighter-skinned descendants of the original French planters and their slaves, live on the other. One day, Agwe unleashes a terrible storm upon the island, which in turn causes a disastrous flood, wiping out many villages. However, the gods save the life of a little orphan named Ti Moune by placing her in a tree above the flood's waves. She is found and subsequently adopted by the peasants Mama Euralie and Tonton Julian ("One Small Girl").

There's lots more to the story but from this you can get the general idea. Conflict and understanding between and across races, religions and socio-economic classes play a strong role in the narrative. Among the hauntingly beautiful numbers in the show are One Small Girl, Ti Moune, Forever Yours and  Why We Tell The Story. And the cast is uniformly excellent, especially Phillip Boykin and Kenita R. Miller as Ti Moune's adopted parents, Isaac Powell as Daniel and Loren Lott as Ti Moune.

But this show is, above all, an acquired taste. 

And we have to admit that we are not great fans of theater in-the-round. So much is happening at so many different places and with so much sound bouncing here and there, that the whole thing can be difficult to follow. And while it carries a powerful message of hope, this is not a cheerful show. Still, it has its following and is enjoying a healthy run.

By contrast, SpongeBob Square Pants, the new musical is a sheer, irrepressible, giddy delight. And, it's turned the legendary Palace Theater into a happy, dazzling, deliriously crowd-pleasing neon funhouse. Indeed, the show aptly bills itself as "the Broadway musical for everyone" and that could not be more true just as long as still retain at least an ounce of youthful frivolousness. 

The staging of this show is like nothing we've ever seen before and the whole thing works like a finely-tuned piece of machinery. And yet, it unfolds in such a seemingly spontaneous manner that it envelops you in cheerfulness. 

Director Tina Landau, whose distinct style and unconventional use of performance spaces are a trademark of her ambitious, ensemble-driven works, is really the driving force behind SpongeBob on Broadway and her hand shows in every element of the production. 

Ethan Slater gives one of the best performances ever as SpongeBob and he has deservedly garnered Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Theater World awards. His portrayal is so consistently appealing that it's nothing less than breathtaking. As Squidward, Gavin Lee gives us a classic Broadway sendup in the tradition of Charles Nelson Reilly and Paul Lynde. His big ten o'clock number, I'm Not A Loser, positively stops the show. As Patrick, Danny Skinner is a pure delight and he also has his moment in Super Star Sea Savior. And Wesley Taylor is so fiendishly menacing as Plankton that he becomes the culprit you love to hate. But in truth, this is an extraordinary cast throughout -- a huge group of more than 27 with a majority of the actors playing more than one role. And then there's the 19-piece band and so many wondrous special effects and gizmos that the whole thing is nothing less than an ongoing treat for the eyes and ears.

This is a $20 million show with top-notch production values and music by Sara Bareilles, Steven Tyler, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, The Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants and Panic! at the Disco, so you're bound to walk out humming the tunes. 

Oh, about the story -- well, it really doesn't matter, but here goes: It's all about the Best Day Ever gone wrong, and then in the course of the show, it's all righted again just in the nick of time, and we do mean with literally seconds to spare. You see, life on Bikini Bottom is threatened by a volcanic eruption. Of course, Sponge Bob is absolutely certain that he can save the day even though he has no idea how to go about it. And Patrick is ever ready to help Sponge Bob but he's clueless as well, and lazy. Then there's Plankton who delights in disaster and seeks to benefit from it all and Squidward, who just wants to be a star. Yes, there are various other characters as well, including a shifty mayor and a group of cultish  sardines. And the costumes for all of these under-the-sea creatures will blow you away. The show's got so much dayglow that you'll need a visor.

But don't think this is all fun 'n games. If you pay attention, there's ample social commentary here, a dash of satire and helpful lessons to be learned. 

Sponge Bob must close on September 16 to make way for construction at the Palace Theater but it will launch a national tour next fall. Still, we urge you to see the original Broadway production and take the whole family. You won't be disappointed!

Postscript: We knew nothing about Sponge Bob before we saw the show. We only knew that it was a TV cartoon show. We were somewhat familiar with the principal character but that was it. It didn't matter. In fact, it was almost better this way. We're instant fans. We love the show!

Oh, You CAN Quibble With It, However . .

Tale as old as time . . . 
Well, no -- we're not talking about Beauty and the Beast. No quite, anyway.
But we are talking about a story of transformation -- one that does involve a mismatched pair. But this is a story with an ending that is neither happily-ever-after nor obviously definitive.
Still, it is an old an enduring tale -- one that has its roots in Greek mythology.
It's George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, the story of that endlessly captivating pair, Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins. She, the common, oafish, poorly-educated mangler of the English language and he, the erudite, sophisticated, condescending defender of the Mother Tongue.
When composer Frederick (Fritz) Loewe and lyricist Alan Jay Lerner set out to turn Shaw's play into a Broadway musical, they found themselves facing a puzzle they almost could not solve. How do you convert such a loquacious piece of theater into a pop operetta? They wrestled with this dilemma for a very long time. And then Lerner (who also wrote the libretto for the show) got out of the weeds and discovered a solution that was right in front of them: wherever possible, turn Shaw's words into songs and integrate them seamlessly into the story.
The result is My Fair Lady, one of the most endlessly chatty and enormously successful musicals in Broadway history -- so successful, in fact, that it's been called Broadway's "most beloved musical".
But for all of its appeal, My Fair Lady doesn't deliver a classic Broadway sound. To begin with, it remains veddy British. And, the music veers between an English music hall sound and the mannered patter of a proper drawing room. It's sort of a mash up of Lionel Bart, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Anthony Newly with a bit of Noel Coward thrown in. Yet, it remains distinctly its own property.
From the bombastic I'm Getting Married in the Morning to the lush I Could Have Danced All Night; from the rigid and repetitive Rain in Spain to the rapturous On The Street Where You Live, My Fair Lady covers all the bases and in the process plays on both our sensibilities and our heartstrings.

In its new Broadway production at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater, this captivating musical gets a full, glorious treatment with a cast of 37 and an orchestra almost as large. Under the able direction of Bartlett Sher, the entire production moves along like a well-oiled and very precise British timepiece.
What we're treated to is a bit more adept Eliza in Lauren Ambrose (she's certainly got her wits about her) and a younger, perhaps less brittle Higgins in Harry Haddon-Patton. To be sure, they're quite a match and they do go at one another along a choppy road dotted with malapropisms, brickbats and an ample dose of verbal daggers. Of course, it's still hard not to think of Rex Harrison (we saw a revival with Harrison years ago) and Julie Andrews in the lead roles. But this is an updated edition with an Eliza who's more of a peppered redhead and a Higgins who is lithe and stylishly handsome.
And, the supporting cast is so adroit that the big show stoppers like I'm Getting Married are not only intact but they're actually better and more energetic than we remember them. Here, the credit must go to  Christopher Gatelli's fine choreography and the standout performance of Norbert Leo Butz as Eliza's father, Alfred P. Doolittle. Butz is an absolute Broadway treasure -- a performer who radiates such energy and who so completely inhabits a role that he takes your breath away. The joy that he takes in his performance is palpable and it is a highlight of the show. And what a special treat it is to see Diana Rigg as Mrs. Higgins, the wise an imperious materfamilias who still holds sway over her smug and irascible son. Rigg doesn't overplay the role but rather sets just the right tone. And Michael Yeargan's design of Higgin's stately abode is simply a three-dimensional treasure.
Do we have any quibbles with this grand production? Well, yes. Jordan Donica as Freddy is a bit too giddy and somewhat too operatic in his deliver of On The Street Where You Live. It's all up here when it should be more nuanced. The song needs to be acted rather than belted. And Allan Corduner is a tad too fey as Colonel Pickering. On top of all that, Catherine Zuber's costumes are not terribly memorable. But than again, who could possibly top Cecil Beaton?
To be sure, these are minor objections since, overall this is as fine a production as you are likely to currently see.

And now comes the spoiler alert: We all know that the final scene of My Fair Lady can be wonderfully touching and romantic for some (Eliza returns!) or maddeningly inconclusive for others (well, does she really?). In this production, no dialogue has been changed but there is an alteration in the staging of the final scene. We won't give the ending away completely but we will tell you this: we didn't like it! You, on the other hand, may have a completely different reaction.

RAPTUROUS! This Is One For The Ages!

Justin Peck received the 2018 Tony Award for his choreography of Carousel. Here's why!

The story is told of an impressionable young teenage music student who sat enthralled at the opening night performance of a new musical at the Majestic Theater on Broadway in 1945. At one point, he looked across the aisle at a friend who was seated nearby and they both had tears in their eyes.
The student was Stephen Sondheim, then mentored by Oscar Hammerstein. The friend was Mary Rodgers, the daughter of Richard Rodgers. And the show was Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, now considered a seminal work of the American musical theater.
Anyone who's ever witnessed a credible performance of Carousel knows why Sondheim and Rodgers and millions of others have been moved to tears. This story of carnival barker Billy Bigelow and mill worker Julie Jordan is so filled with yearning, struggle, passion and desire that it can't help but tug at your heart. From the moment the lead characters sing the haunting If I Loved You, you know they are star-crossed and you also know that there is nothing you can do to help them. As a later balled reminds you: What's The Use of Wond'rin? the troubled tale of Billy and Julie will have to unfold and ultimately reach its fated conclusion.
Carousel has been called a story of young love, a parable and a tale of redemption. But at its core this is a show about the American Dream -- the dream of a better, simpler, happier, more fulfilling life. That's really what every character in the show (set at the dawn of the twentieth century) seeks. And this dream is expressed in its most intense form within the story of Julie and Billy. Remember: this was an era of big, new, audacious dreams. And these dreams even touched the residents of a small fishing village in New England.
Broadway's newest production of Carousel (now at the Imperial Theater) is the first full-scale mounting of this landmark musical on the Great White Way since 1994. And this rendering of Carousel is grand and glorious in every imaginable way.
With a cast of 40 and a 28-piece orchestra this is a richly rewarding production that remains true to the original but also allows us to think about the topics and issues that Carousel raises in up-to-the-minute terms. And, along the way, the show loses none of its intimacy, none of its sweet moments, none of its heartfelt sentimentality.
Much of the credit for all this must go to the director (Jack O'Brien), the choreographer (Justin Peck) and the outstanding cast. The one bow to modern sensibilities is the casting of an African-American (Joshua Henry) in the role of Billy Bigelow. Inasmuch as Rodgers and Hammerstein's shows are all about tolerance and understanding (South Pacific itself featured interracial love stories) this would seem to be a natural progression.
Lindsay Mendez won the 2018 Tony Award for her portrayal of the irrepressible Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel and she is astonishing. She reminds us of a young Ethel Merman. And Mendez is paired with the appealing Alexander Gemignani as Enoch Snow. When the two of them duet in When The Children Are Asleep, it's one of the sweetest moments in all of musical theater.
To hear Joshua Henry perform the Soliloquy (My Boy Bill) is to experience this full-throated marathon as you've never heard it before. It's truly acted in song and is so beautifully nuanced and well-paced that it takes your breath away. When the Metropolitan's Opera's RenéeFleming sings You'll Never Walk Alone, you're sure to put "hope in your heart" once again. And Jessie Mueller is perfectly cast as Julie Jordan. What's more, Margaret Colin is both menacing and comedic as Mrs. Mullin, Amar Ramsar literally and figuratively takes flight as Jigger Craig and John Douglas Thompson is full of gravitas as The Starkeeper.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's music is so robust, rich and melodic that it makes you wish that every Broadway musical could sound like this. Bravo to Jonathan Tunick for his orchestrations in this his 111th production and 50th year  in the business. And the dancing! OMG! The movements tell the story with zest one minute and glorious ballet moves the next.
The opening of Carousel is a joy unto itself. Technically, the show has no overture because Richard Rodgers tired of having his music compete with the audience's tardy arrivals and chattering. So, instead, we get the lushly memorable Carousel Waltz, described as follows by author Ethan Mordden:

Other characters catch our notice—Mr. Bascombe, the pompous mill owner, Mrs. Mullin, the widow who runs the carousel and, apparently, Billy; a dancing bear; an acrobat. But what draws us in is the intensity with which Julie regards Billy—the way she stands frozen, staring at him, while everyone else at the fair is swaying to the rhythm of Billy's spiel. And as Julie and Billy ride together on the swirling carousel, and the stage picture surges with the excitement of the crowd, and the orchestra storms to a climax,  . . . we realize that R & H have not only skipped the overture and the opening number but the exposition as well. They have plunged into the story, right into the middle of it, in the most intense first scene any musical ever had . . . 

Yes, Carousel is a true original. And now it's also a classic American pop opera. It is beautiful to watch, thrilling to experience and ravishing in every sense of the word.
Don't miss it!

Now THIS Is Really A GREAT Lineup!

This Truly WILL Be Bigger Than Big! WOW!

Here's Who Will Win The Tony Awards Tonight!

Here are the odds-on favorites to win this year's Tony Awards tonight.
NOTE: Our correct picks are shown in green. We scored a 76% accuracy rate.

Best Musical
The Band's Visit

Best Play
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Best Musical Revival
My Fair Lady

Best Play Revival
Angels in America

Best Actress (musical)
Katrina Lenk, The Ban's Visit

Best Actor (musical)
Joshua Henry, Carousel

Best Actress (play)
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women

Best Actor (play)
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America

Best Featured Actress (musical)
Lindsay Mendez, Carousel

Best Featured Actor (musical)
Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady

Best Featured Actress (play)
Denise Gough, Angels in America

Best Featured Actor (play)
Nathan Lane, Angels in America

Best Director (musical)
The Band's Visit

Best Director (play)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Best Musical Score
The Band's Visit

Best Musical Book
Mean Girls

Best Orchestration
The Band's Visit

Best Choreography
Carousel

Scenic Design (play)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Scenic Design (musical)
My Fair Lady

Costume Design (play)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Costume Design (musical)
My Fair Lady

Lighting Design (play)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Lighting Design (musical)
Sponge Bob Square Pants

Sound Design (play)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Sound Design (musical)
Sponge Bob Square Pants

WOW! The BIG GUY is Coming To Broadway . . .

New York Drama Critics Announce Awards

The New York Drama Critics’ Circle met on May 3, 2018 to determine the winners of its 83nd annual awards. The results were as follows:

Best Play: Mary Jane (Amy Herzog)

Best Foreign Play: Hangmen (Martin McDonagh)
Best Musical: no award

Special Citations: Park Avenue Armory for adventurous theatrical programming; Transport Group; the staging, design and illusions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

2018 Tony Nominees: Girls, Carousel, Sponge Bob, Band's Visit Set Pace!

Broadway's Tony nominations are out!

The 72nd annual Tony Awards will be broadcast June 10 on CBS, live from Radio City Music Hall.

Carousel, Harry Potter, Sponge Bob, Mean Girls and The Band's Visit (considered the critical favorite) top the nominees.

Here is the list of 2018 nominees:

Best Play:
“The Children”
“Farinelli and The King”
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
“Junk”
“Latin History for Morons”

Best Musical:
“The Band’s Visit”
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Revival of a Play:
“Angels in America”
“Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
“Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
“Lobby Hero”
“Travesties”

Best Revival of a Musical:
“My Fair Lady”
“Once On This Island”
“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Book of a Musical:
“The Band’s Visit,” Itamar Moses
“Frozen,” Jennifer Lee
“Mean Girls,” Tina Fey
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical,” Kyle Jarrow

Best Original Score:
“Angels in America”
“The Band’s Visit”
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play:
Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”
Tom Hollander, “Travesties”
Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and The King”
Denzel Washington, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play:
Glenda Jackson, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”
Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”
Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”
Joshua Henry, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”
Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”
Hailey Kilgore, “Once On This Island”
LaChanze, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”
Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”
Jessie Mueller, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play”
Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”
Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”
David Morse, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:
Susan Brown, “Angels in America”
Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Deborah Findlay, “The Children”
Denise Gough, “Angels in America”
Laurie Metcalf, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”
Alexander Gemignani, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”
Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Ariana DeBose, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Renée Fleming, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Lindsay Mendez, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Ashley Park, “Mean Girls”
Diana Rigg, “My Fair Lady”

Best Scenic Design of a Play:
Miriam Buether, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Santo Loquasto, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce, “Angels in America”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
Dane Laffrey, “Once On This Island”
Scott Pask, “The Band’s Visit”
Scott Pask, Finn Ross & Adam Young, “Mean Girls”
Michael Yeargan, “My Fair Lady”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Costume Design of a Play:
Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and The King”
Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”
Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Ann Roth, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Ann Roth, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”
Clint Ramos, “Once On This Island”
Ann Roth, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”

Best Lighting Design of a Play:
Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Paule Constable, “Angels in America”
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”
Paul Russell, “Farinelli and The King”
Ben Stanton, “Junk”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once On This Island”
Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”
Brian MacDevitt, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Adam Cork, “Travesties”
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”
Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Tom Gibbons, “1984”
Dan Moses Schreier, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”
Peter Hylenski, “Once On This Island”
Scott Lehrer, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”
Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Direction of a Play:
Marianne Elliott, “Angels in America”
Joe Mantello, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Patrick Marber, “Travesties”
John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
George C. Wolfe, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Direction of a Musical:
Michael Arden, “Once On This Island”
David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”
Tina Landau, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Bartlett Sher, “My Fair Lady”

Best Choreography:
Christopher Gattelli, “My Fair Lady”
Christopher Gattelli, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Steven Hoggett, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”
Justin Peck, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Orchestrations:
John Clancy, “Mean Girls”
Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Annmarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin, “Once On This Island”
Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”
Jonathan Tunick, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories

Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:
Chita Rivera
Andrew Lloyd Webber

Special Tony Awards:
John Leguizamo
Bruce Springsteen

2018 Drama League Award Nominees Announced

The Drama League has announced the 2018 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the Distinguished Performance Award.

The 84th Annual Drama League Awards will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on Friday, May 18, at 11:30am. 

As previously announced, the 2018 Special Recognition Award Recipients are as follows: Tony Award winner Idina Menzel will receive the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater Award; director Casey Nicholaw, currently represented on Broadway with Mean Girls, Aladdin, and The Book of Mormon, will receive the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing; and the National Endowment for the Arts (represented by Chairman Jane Chu) will receive the Unique Contribution to the Theater Award.

Look below for the list of 2018 Drama League Award nominees.

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

Animal, produced by Atlantic Theater Company
Hangmen, produced by Atlantic Theater Company, Royal Court Theater
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
In the Body of the World, produced by Manhattan Theatre Club, American Repertory Theatre
Is God Is, produced by Soho Repertory
Meteor Shower
Oedipus El Rey, produced by the Public Theater
School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play, produced by MCC Theater
Until the Flood, produced by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY

Angels in America
Children of a Lesser God
Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Hamlet, produced by the Public Theater
The Iceman Cometh
Lobby Hero
Saint Joan
Three Tall Women
Torch Song
Travesties
Yerma

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

The Band's Visit
Bella: An American Tall Tale
Frozen
Hundred Days
KPOP
Mean Girls
SpongeBob SquarePants
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL

Carousel
My Fair Lady
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures

NOMINEES FOR THE DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD

Jelani Alladin, Frozen
Lauren Ambrose, My Fair Lady
Annaleigh Ashford, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Laura Benanti, Meteor Shower
MaameYaa Boafo, School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
Juan Castano, Oedipus El Rey
Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke
Eisa Davis, Kings
Ariana DeBose, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Noma Dumenzweni, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
Deanna Dunagan, The Treasurer
Eve Ensler, In The Body of the World
Chris Evans, Lobby Hero
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen
Alfie Fuller, Is God Is
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Rebecca Hall, Animal
Harriet Harris, The Low Road
Brian-Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Tom Hollander, Travesties
Oscar Isaac, Hamlet
Chukwudi Iwuji, The Low Road
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Joshua Jackson, Children of a Lesser God
Hailey Kilgore, Once on This Island
LaChanze, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Katrina Lenk, The Band's Visit
Robert Sean Leonard, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Taylor Louderman, Mean Girls
Elizabeth Marvel, Julius Caesar
James McArdle, Angels in America
Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
Jessie Mueller, Carousel
Patti Murin, Frozen
Alex Newell, Once on This Island
Sahr Ngaujah, Mlima's Tale
Seth Numrich, Travesties
Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center
Ashley Park, Mean Girls and KPOP
Billie Piper, Yerma
Karen Pittman, Pipeline
Condola Rashad, Saint Joan
Lauren Ridloff, Children of a Lesser God
Roslynn Ruff, X: or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation
Amy Schumer, Meteor Shower
Tony Shalhoub, The Band's Visit
Paul Sparks, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living
John Douglas Thompson, Julius Caesar
Michael Urie, Torch Song and The Government Inspector
Denzel Washington, The Iceman Cometh
Dianne Wiest, Happy Days

The Drama League also wishes to acknowledge the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or off-Broadway productions this season. As the Award can only be won once in a performer's lifetime, they are ineligible to be nominated; however, their exemplary work is recognized and applauded.

Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady and The Whirligig
Kathleen Chalfant, For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday
Nathan Lane, Angels in America
John Lithgow, John Lithgow: Stories by Heart
Bernadette Peters, Hello, Dolly! Mark Rylance, Farinelli and the King

SpongeBob, Potter, Lady Lead Outer Critics Nominees!

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators covering New York theater for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway, announced (April its nominees for the 2017-18 season.

Please Note: “The Band’s Visit” was nominated for and received multiple awards from the Outer Critics Circle last season and therefore was not considered again for this year.
Celebrating its 68th season of bestowing awards of excellence in the field of theatre, the Outer Critics Circle is an association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, internet, and theatre publications in America and abroad.

The winners will be announced on Monday, May 7th. The annual Gala Awards Dinner and presentation of awards to the winners will be held on Thursday, May 24th (3PM) at the legendary Sardi’s Restaurant.

– Nominations follow-

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Children
Farinelli and the King
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Junk

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
Escape to Margaritaville
Frozen
Mean Girls
Prince of Broadway
SpongeBob SquarePants

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Admissions
Cost of Living
Hangmen
The Low Road
Mlima’s Tale

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Cruel Intentions
Desperate Measures
Jerry Springer- The Opera
Miss You Like Hell
Woody Sez

OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Tina Fey Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes Miss You Like Hell
Kyle Jarrow SpongeBob SquarePants
Peter Kellogg Desperate Measures

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, SpongeBob SquarePants
Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips,
Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman,
John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s,
They Might Be Giants, T.I., Domani & Lil’C,
Jonathan Coulton, Tom Kitt
David Friedman & Peter Kellogg Desperate Measures
Imogen Heap Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Erin McKeown and Quiara Alegría Hudes Miss You Like Hell
Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez Frozen

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Angels in America
Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train
Lobby Hero
Three Tall Women
Travesties

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Carousel
My Fair Lady
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Jo Bonney Cost of Living
Marianne Elliott Angels in America
Patrick Marber Travesties
Joe Mantello Three Tall Women
John Tiffany Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Michael Arden Once on This Island
Bill Castellino Desperate Measures
Tina Landau SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw Mean Girls
Bartlett Sher My Fair Lady

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Camille A. Brown Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli My Fair Lady
Christopher Gattelli SpongeBob SquarePants
Steven Hoggett Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Justin Peck Carousel

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Miriam Buether Three Tall Women
Myung Hee Cho In the Body of the World
Christine Jones Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Michael Yeargan My Fair Lady
David Zinn SpongeBob SquarePants

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Katrina Lindsay Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Clint Ramos Once on This Island
Paloma Young Time and the Conways
David Zinn SpongeBob SquarePants
Catherine Zuber My Fair Lady

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Kevin Adams SpongeBob SquarePants
Neil Austin Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Paule Constable Angels in America
Paul Russell Farinelli and the King
Lap Chi Chu Mlima’s Tale

OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Tim Reid 1984
Finn Ross Frozen
Finn Ross In the Body of the World
Finn Ross & Adam Young Mean Girls
Finn Ross & Ash Woodward Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
(Play or Musical)
Gareth Fry Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Kate Marvin [Porto]
Fitz Patton Napoli, Brooklyn
Marc Salzberg My Fair Lady
Darron L. West Mlima’s Tale

OUTSTANDING ORCHESTRATIONS
Jason Robert Brown Prince of Broadway
Tom Kitt SpongeBob SquarePants
AnnMarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin Once on This Island
Jonathan Tunick Carousel
Claire Van Kampen Farinelli and the King

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Sean Carvajal Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train
Andrew Garfield Angels in America
Tom Hollander Travesties
Gregg Mozgala Cost of Living
Michael Urie The Government Inspector

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
MaameYaa Boafo School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play
Jessica Hecht Admissions
Glenda Jackson Three Tall Women
Lauren Ridloff Children of a Lesser God
Katy Sullivan Cost of Living

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Harry Hadden-Paton My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry Carousel
David M. Lutken Woody Sez
Conor Ryan Desperate Measures
Ethan Slater SpongeBob SquarePants

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lauren Ambrose My Fair Lady
Erika Henningsen Mean Girls
Hailey Kilgore Once On This Island
Taylor Louderman Mean Girls
Patti Murin Frozen

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Anthony Boyle Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Johnny Flynn Hangmen
Nathan Lane Angels in America
David Morse The Iceman Cometh
Paul Sparks At Home at the Zoo

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jamie Brewer Amy and the Orphans
Denise Gough Angels in America
Harriet Harris The Low Road
Laurie Metcalf Three Tall Women
Mary Testa The Government Inspector

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Norbert Leo Butz My Fair Lady
Alexander Gemignani Carousel
Gavin Lee SpongeBob SquarePants
Nick Wyman Desperate Measures
Tony Yazbeck Prince of Broadway

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kerry Butler Mean Girls
Lindsay Mendez Carousel
Lauren Molina Desperate Measures
Ashley Park Mean Girls
Emily Skinner Prince of Broadway

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Billy Crudup Harry Clarke
Eve Ensler In the Body of the World
Alison Fraser Squeamish
John Lithgow Stories By Heart
Sharon Washington Feeding the Dragon

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Kate Benson [Porto]
Jocelyn Bioh School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play
Lindsey Ferrentino Amy and the Orphans
Meghan Kennedy Napoli, Brooklyn
Dominique Morisseau Pipeline

2017-18 Outer Critics Circle Nominating Committee
Simon Saltzman, Stanley L. Cohen, Patrick Hoffman, Joseph Cervelli,
Aubrey Reuben, David Gordon & Harry Haun

Nominations Talley for 3 or more:

SpongeBob SquarePants – 11; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – 10; My Fair Lady –9; Mean Girls – 8; Desperate Measures – 7; Angels in America – 6; Carousel – 6; Once On This Island – 6; Three Tall Women – 5; Cost of Living – 4; Frozen – 4; Prince of Broadway – 4; Farinelli and the King- 3; In the Body of the World- 3; Mlima’s Tale – 3; Miss You Like Hell – 3; Travesties – 3.

2018 Drama Desk Nominations Announced!

Broadway's awards season has begun.
Here are the 2018 Drama Desk Award nominees:

Outstanding Play
Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater
Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop
Miles for Mary, by The Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons
People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater

Outstanding Musical
Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theatre Company/Woodshed Collective
Mean Girls
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Angels in America
Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company
In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company
Three Tall Women
Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Amerike-The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Carousel
My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre/Atlantic Theater Company
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company
James McArdle, Angels in America
Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop
Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Jelani Alladin, Frozen
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell
Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
LaChanze, Summer
Jessie Mueller, Carousel
Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater
Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage
Nathan Lane, Angels in America
David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre
Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground
Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Deirdre O’Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club
Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova
Alexander Gemignani, Carousel
Grey Henson, Mean Girls
Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants
Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Lindsay Mendez, Carousel
Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island
Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady
Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls

Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women
Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons
Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Jack O’Brien, Carousel
Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants
Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady

The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
Justin Peck, Carousel
Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company

Outstanding Music
The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova/Piece by Piece Productions/Z Space
Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
David Friedman, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Lyrics
Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes/Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theatre
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Tina Fey, Mean Girls
Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob Squarepants
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, York Theatre Company
Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre/59E59

Outstanding Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants
Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design) Once on This Island
Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theater
Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company
Jonathan Tunick, Carousel

Outstanding Music in a Play
Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Justin Hicks, Mlima’s Tale, Public Theatre
Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company
Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Public Theater
Adrian Sutton, Angels in America

The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women
Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann’s Warehouse/National Theatre/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club
Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island
Santo Loquasto, Carousel
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King
Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ann Roth, Three Tall Women
Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls
Clint Ramos, Once on This Island
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants
Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Natasha Chivers, 1984
Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women
Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre Company/59E59
Amith Chandrashaker, The Lucky Ones
Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island
Brian MacDevitt, Carousel
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Projection Design
David Bengali, Van Gogh’s Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century
Andrezj Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants
Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls
Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company/Stages Repertory Theatre/59E59
Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Tom Gibbons, 1984
Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann’s Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Palmer Hefferan, Today is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Kai Harada, The Band’s Visit
Scott Lehrer, Carousel
Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Woodshed Collective
Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company

Outstanding Wig and Hair
Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King
Cookie Jordan, School Girls;, or The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants
Josh Marquette, Mean Girls

Outstanding Solo Performance
Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre
David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group
Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder
Lesli Margherita, Who’s Holiday!
Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59

The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience
Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company
Master, Foundry Theatre
Say Something Bunny!

Outstanding Fight Choreography
J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep
Steve Rankin, Carousel
Unkle Dave’s Fight House, Oedipus El Rey, The Public Theater/The Sol Project

Outstanding Puppet Design
Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America
Michael Curry, Frozen
Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolan, and Jonathan Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder
Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers

SPECIAL AWARDS
To Sean Carvajal and Edi Gathegi of Jesus Hopped the A Train whose last-minute entrances into the Signature production of this powerful play ensured it had a happy real-life ending

Ensemble Award: To Nabiyah Be, MaameYaa Boafo, Paige Gilbert, Zainab Jah, Nike Kadri, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, and Myra Lucretia Taylor of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, whose characters learn the facts of life but whose portrayers taught us all a thing or two about the way things are.

Sam Norkin Award: To Juan Castano, whose varied performances this season in Oedipus El Rey, A Parallelogram, and Transfers not only make a complex statement about American life but also indicate great things to come for this talented performer.

Are THESE Broadway's Most Romantic Love Songs?

Broadway is rich in romance -- and rich in lushly romantic love songs.
The very best of this genre invoke powerful images, cast a strong spell of seduction, create feelings of longing, arouse our senses, unmask desires and haunt us long after the show has ended.
So many of these songs become classics precisely for the reasons we've just listed. But inexplicably, others remain in the background and, if they're lucky, reach the status of cult favorites.
While this is hardly meant to be a definitive list (and is largely representational) here are, in no particularly order, 25 that come to mind:

Some Enchanted Evening, Rodgers & Hammerstein for South Pacific
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber considers this possibly the most beautiful and near-perfect song ever written. It creates an unforgettable allure. It's pure magic!

So In Love, Cole Porter for Kiss Me, Kate
The top pick of Lin-Manuel Miranda, it casts a classic spell and proves that Porter, who was a master of patter songs and comedic ditties, could also write a great love song.

If Ever I Should Leave You, Lerner & Loewe for Camelot
The song teases about bidding adieu to a one and only love but it's message is nonetheless clear in a mostly sad musical about a fatal love triangle.

My Heart Is So Full Of You, Frank Loesser for The Most Happy Fella
Majestic and just-this-side of operatic, this soaring duet is overwhelming in its power and its sense of fully realized love.

I Got Love, Peter Udell for Purlie
Exuberant beyond belief, it joyously evokes first love. It's an absolute winner from its subtle beginning to its rousing conclusion.

The Music Of The Night, Andrew Lloyd Webber for The Phantom Of The Opera
One of the most seductive songs ever written, it's full of imagery and unabashedly proclaims its intent to release untapped desires. A sizzler!

Make Believe, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein for Show Boat
Yes, they're just playing at love -- thinking about what it might be like. With this trick, Kern and Hammerstein  draw you in. And by the end of the song (which is delivered early in the show) the granddaddy of all musicals has already won your heart.

I Love My Wife, Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart for I Love My Wife
Sure, it's a big, hokey and some may consider it outdated. But, it's beautiful, heartfelt and honest in its own way. And Sinatra, of all people, had a hit with it. The song works,

Joanna, Stephen Sondheim for Sweeney Todd
A young man's heart aches with desire. The song weaves a web of longing tinged with pathos. Here, Sondheim turns melodic. Overwhelming!

Fifty Percent, Billy Goldenberg, Alan and Marilyn Bergman for Ballroom
Late-in-life love. She's the other woman. She doesn't possess or know all of him -- nor does she want to, apparently. Fifty percent is enough -- and also enough to call it "love".

One Hand, One Heart, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim for West Side Story
Star-crossed young lovers, fused and about to face their destiny. Need we say more?

They Say It's Wonderful, Irving Berlin for Annie Get Your Gun
Imagined love in all its many hues comes to life during the course of this sweet, evocative duet. One of Berlin's very best!

It Only Takes A Moment, Jerry Herman for Hello, Dolly!
Perhaps the ultimate in romanticized love songs, it unabashedly declares the instantaneousness and illogic of love. Egged on by Dolly herself, it blossoms into an irresistible love duet.

Miracle Of Miracles, Joseph Stein and Sheldon Harnick for Fiddler On The Roof
A short paean to the miracle of love, it remains vibrant, whimsical and thoroughly delightful! The song itself is a little miracle.

The Music That Makes Me Dance, Bob Merrill and June Stein for Funny Girl
It borders on love as obsession. Of course it became a staple of Streisand's repertoire -- and how could it not with lyrics like: In every way, everyday I need less of myself. I need more him.

If I Loved You and People Will Say We're In Love by Rodgers and Hammerstein for Carousel and Oklahoma, respectively.
In the same league as Make Believe, the lovers are visualizing what might be when it's clear to everyone that what might be really is. For R&H, this proved to be a surefire romantic device.

Till There Was You, Meredith Willson for The Music Man
The song celebrates the transformative power of love and shows us how love changes the look, the sound and the feeling of everything around us.

Helpless, Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton
A catchy rap declaration of love at first sight where the gal takes one look at the guy and declares: "This one is mine!" And here it is in the musical that reinvented musicals -- again!

Love And Love Alone, Kander and Ebb for The Visit
While it seems to disavow love, it's actually a love song to love itself -- love, with all its disappointments, all its pain, all its shortcomings. What's left after all that? Love, and love alone.

Once Upon A Time, Lee Adams and Charles Strouse for All American
Young love remembered, and maybe (just maybe) awakened in this haunting ballad for two stars (Ray Bolger and Eileen Herlie) who pulled it off with the smoothness and vibrancy of a fine wine. Of course it became a standard.

Only Us, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for Dear Evan Hansen
The updated love duet. A chatty, busy love song that captures the longing and the moment, millennial style. It brings Broadway right into the digital age with admirable tenderness and aplomb.

Hopelessly Devoted To You, Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey for Grease
Teenage crush love with all its capriciousness and heartache.  My head is saying, 'Fool, forget him' my heart is saying, 'Don't let go. Hold on till the end.' and that's what I intend to do. 

Whoever You Are, Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Promises, Promises
A deeply moving and enchanting plea for more than just a hookup kind of love, it captures a time and place and yet remains timeless in the inimitable Bacharach/David style.

Love Has Come Of Age, Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn for Jekyll & Hyde
It could just as easily have been titled Until Tonight because it celebrates the night and the moment when love blossoms in this chilling tale that showcases the struggle between good and evil. Neil Patrick Harris says this is Broadway's most romantic love song.

But one more now, just for good measure. Since we began with Rodgers & Hammerstein, let's end with them and Broadway's most lushly romantic moment ever -- Shall We Dance, from The King and I.

A True Broadway Milestone Moment!

You owe it to yourself to experience this!

Lin-Manuel Miranda & Ben Platt Found/Tonight 

Words and Music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul 

Published by 5000 Broadway Music (ASCAP) administered by WB Music Corp. / Pick in a Pinch Music (ASCAP) and breathelike music (ASCAP) 

All rights admin. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing 

Produced, Arranged, and Orchestrated by Alex Lacamoire Associate Producer: Thomas Kail Recorded and Mixed by Derik Lee at Atlantic Studios, NYC Assistant Engineers: Ebonie Smith, Joseph Pomarico 

Mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, NYC 

Piano: Alex Lacamoire 

Violin: Justin Smith 

Viola: Todd Low 

Cello: Adele Stein 

Video Credits: DP: Steven Salgado 

Edited by: Katia Spivakova 

Second Cam: Angie Bambii 

Produced by: Derec Dunn 

Follow Lin-Manuel: https://twitter.com/Lin_Manuel

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Among This Master's Works, Which Would YOU Pick?

If Leonard Bernstein had been your dad, which Broadway composition of his might be your favorite?
We asked that question of Bernstein's daughter, Nina Bernstein Simmons and she answered, quite diplomatically: "Usually the last one I heard." 
Well, think about it. How could you possibly pick among all the beautiful music the great composer and conductor created during his lifetime?
Still, of all the things he accomplished, his daughter told us that Bernstein took pride in one achievement above most others -- his series of Young People's Concerts and the work he did to introduce new generations to music and culture.
"He was very passionate about that," Nina said at the preview of Leonard Bernstein, The Power of Music at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. 

 The interactive exhibition marks the 100th anniversary of Bernstein's birth and is part of a year long celebration that his family has been planning for "about five years" according to Nina and her brother, Alexander. The show opens on Friday and continues through September 2 before traveling to other cities.
Here are some of the other things we learned from Nina and Alexander during their visit to Philadelphia:
--Leonard Bernstein was a devoted and attentive father who would periodically leave his three children love notes which were slipped under their bedroom doors at night.
--Bernstein's iconic musical, West Side Story was originally called EAST Side Story because it began as a story of Jewish and Catholic gangs fighting on New York's lower east side. But Bernstein and his collaborators decided that such a story too closely reflected their own experiences and the experiences of their parents so the tale was updated to a story of white and Puerto Rican gangs clashing on the west side of Manhattan.
--The family felt one of the most hurtful slaps at Bernstein and his commitment to liberal causes came in the 1970 essay by Tom Wolfe which proclaimed the maestro and other left-leaning elites part of "radical chic" movement. Though the phrase stuck, it never sat well with the Bernsteins.
--Bernstein did not like being pegged as a composer of Broadway music or classical music or any particular brand of music, for that matter. He loved all music. "He wanted to do it all and he wanted to do it all well, and that's exactly what he did," Nina Bernstein Simmons commented.
--Leonard Bernstein might not be entirely comfortable with today's technology. In fact, according to Alexander Bernstein, his father was not particularly tech-savvy and didn't really get along with technology. Might he be making music today on an iPad or similar instrument? "Not likely," Alexander said.
--All three of Leonard Bernstein's children took music lessons and all three attended Harvard, their father's alma mater. Of the three, only Jamie Anne Marie Bernstein pursued a career involving music.
--More than 2,000 events are planned all over the world to commemorate Leonard Bernstein's centennial year.

Photos (from top) 

Alexander Bernstein and Nina Bernstein Simmons at the opening in Philadelphia

One of Bernstein's first pianos, a Steinway 

Bernstein's traveling cases which held his musical compositions

The maestro's custom-tailored white tie and tails

Bernstein's reading glasses and one of his Grammy awards. 

All on display at the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Leonard Bernstein: The Power of Music is the first large-scale museum exhibition to illustrate Leonard Bernstein’s life, Jewish identity, and social activism. Audiences may be familiar with many of Bernstein’s works, notably West Side Story, but not necessarily with how he responded to the political and social crises of his day. Visitors will find an individual who expressed the restlessness, anxiety, fear, and hope of an American Jew living through World War II and the Holocaust, Vietnam, and turbulent social change—what Bernstein referred to as his “search for a solution to the 20th‐century crisis of faith.”
The exhibition explores his Jewish identity and social activism in the context of his position as an American conductor and his works as a composer. It features interactive media and sound installations along approximately 100 historic artifacts, including Bernstein’s piano, marked-up scores, conducting suit, annotated copy of Romeo and Juliet used for the development of West Side Story, personal family Judaica, composing easel, and a number of objects from his studio.

United Now, And Back Where They Belong!

Here they are, together at last -- the two greatest Dollys of all time.
What a joy it was to see each of them perform one of the greatest roles in musical theater history!

Broadway's Oldest AND Newest Theatre: Sneak Peek!

A behind the scenes tour of and a look at the history behind Broadway's oldest theatre, the newly renovated Hudson Theatre. This story is way cooler than it sounds.

We saw Sunday in the Park With George starring Jake Gyllenhaul at the Hudson and it was wonderful. We loved the show and the theatre -- very comfortable seats, stunning interior, remarkably intimate.  This is a great Broadway addition!

First Look At Tune From Long-Awaited Blockbuster!

Enjoy this first listen to "Monster"– a new song written for FROZEN on Broadway. Performed by Caissie Levy and the Broadway Company.

C'mon, Take The Whole Family Along!

The Broadway League is pleased to announce that www.Families.Broadway is now live. This new area of the Broadway League’s consumer website will provide news and updates about special family offers, unique in-theatre experiences, giveaways and more at Broadway shows. Offers and events will change throughout the year, giving families many options to choose from when planning a trip to Broadway.

“Last season we saw a record attendance for kids and teens in the theatres and for good reason.  Broadway has never offered more for families with opportunities like Kids’ Night on Broadway, Broadway Week and Broadway Bridges.  Families.Broadway is our way of extending the spirit of these programs throughout the season,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League. “We’re excited to provide more opportunities for families to enjoy the magic of live theatre together and experience the wonderful variety of shows available on Broadway.”

Developed as a convenient resource to help all families expand their theatregoing experiences, Families.Broadway not only provides information about family pricing and offers but also lists the extra experiences that are available at select performances. These special programs are designed to complement each show and create lasting memories for those attending. Programs include talk backs, musical demonstrations with Broadway teaching artists, workshops, and more. Families.Broadway also features parking deals at Icon Parking.

In the 2016 – 2017 season, attendance by theatregoers under 18 years old was 1.65 million. There were another 1.62 million admissions by theatregoers aged 18–24. Together this represents 25 percent of the audience. To date 18 new productions have opened in the 2017-2018 season.  These productions join 17 long-running shows currently playing.  In the spring, 15 more shows are scheduled to open with more expected to announce.

Thanks To Broadway, High School Is Alive And Well!

This clip is from a current New Jersey high school production of Guys and Dolls.
Yes, it's the time of year when high schools all over the nation are performing Broadway shows and the energy, vitality and sheer chutzpah of the young casts in these shows gives us great, renewed faith that Broadway musicals will not only endure but actually flourish in the decades ahead.
And after the events of the past week, doesn't this high school scene make you feel good?
Watch Robbie Angarone as he performs the role of Nicely Nicely Johnson with Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat.
I love Robbie's enthusiasm and the joy he takes in his role, but it's tempered by a budding professionalism as well. He doesn't hog the scene or overplay his role. He shares it all with every performer on the stage. In that sense, it's remarkably mature and focused for someone his age. The timing is sopt-on, too. His instincts are so right.

Hey, maybe we'll see Robbie on Broadway some day!

And The Show Just Goes On And On . . .

The first time around, all of these stars played Dolly (at one time or another) in this iconic musical.
Now that Dolly is back on Broadway (where she belongs) the role has already been played by Bette Midler, Donna Murphy and Bernadette Peters. And Betty Buckley has just been signed to play Dolly in the national company which will tour. Here we go again!

One Of Broadway's Most Exuberant Moments!

The 1989 musical Grand Hotel featured this exuberant number with Brent Barrett (the taller of the two) and the incomparable Michael Jeter, who won a Tony for his performance in this show.
We were privileged to see the show and remember this number as one of the most astoundingly joyous and breathtaking moments we have ever witnessed on Broadway. Michael Jeter's performance was nothing less than miraculous.
This is why Broadway was born!

Really BIG, Really EXCITING B'way Musical News!

Harry Connick, Jr. will star as Henry Gondorff in the world-premiere production of The Sting. The musical is based on the 1973 film, and will have its world premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse for a limited run from March 29 through April 29, 2018, with book by Bob Martin, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis with Harry Connick, Jr. In addition, the score will contain music by Scott Joplin including “The Entertainer.”

Choreographed by Warren Carlyle and directed by John Rando, the Broadway-bound engagement of The Sting will run at Paper Mill Playhouse from March 29 through April 29, 2018.

Further casting and additional creative team members will be announced in the near future.

Harry Connick, Jr. made his Broadway acting debut in The Pajama Game in 2006 earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical, followed in 2011 by On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. In addition, Mr. Connick has performed extended concert engagements on Broadway and wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Thou Shalt Not earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score.

The Tony Award-winning creative team for The Sting includes director John Rando (On the Town), choreographer Warren Carlyle (Hello, Dolly!), book writer Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), and an original score by composer/lyricist team Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis (Urinetown) with Tony nominee Harry Connick, Jr. (Thou Shalt Not).

Chicago. 1936. Get ready to enter a smoke-filled world of cons and capers, where nothing is what it seems and no one is who they appear to be. Based on the 1973 Academy Award-winning film, The Sting tells the tale of a pair of con men, small town grifter Johnny Hooker and big-time hustler Henry Gondorff (Harry Connick, Jr.), who plot to bring down the city’s most corrupt racketeer. The Sting takes you back to an era where jazz reigns, the stakes are high, and the dice are always loaded.

The Sting will be produced on Broadway by The Araca Group, Matthew Gross Entertainment, and by Special Arrangement with Universal Theatrical Group.

The Paper Mill Playhouse production of THE STING is sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., and the 2017-2018 Season is sponsored by Investors Bank.

Biographies

HARRY CONNICK, JR. (Henry Gondorff/Music and Lyrics) Showered with awards and recognition for his live and recorded musical performances, and for his achievements on screens large and small as well as the Broadway stage, Harry Connick, Jr. has exemplified excellence in every aspect of the entertainment world, earning several Grammy and Emmy Awards and Tony nominations.

The foundation of Connick's art is the music of his native New Orleans, where he began performing as a pianist and vocalist at the age of five. His career took off when he signed with Columbia Records at 18 years old and revealed his stunning piano technique and vivid musical imagination on his self-titled debut album. To date, Connick has released 30 albums, highlighting his prodigious musical talents as a pianist, singer, songwriter, composer and orchestrator and garnering sales of over 28 million.

No stranger to the theater scene, Connick received Tony nominations for his performance as Sid Sorokin in The Pajama Game, which was hailed as “absolutely sensational” and “a Broadway debut of legendary proportions,” and for the music and lyrics he composed for Thou Shalt Not which was directed by Susan Stroman. He last performed on Broadway in the revival of On A Clear Day You Can See Forever following the sold-out, critically acclaimed 2010 run of Harry Connick, Jr. in Concert on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre. His concerts at the Neil Simon marked the 20th anniversary of his sold-out concert series at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1990.

Connick has also made his mark as an actor in films (appearing in over 19 films such as “Dolphin Tale” with Morgan Freeman, “Hope Floats” with Sandra Bullock, “PS I Love You” with Hilary Swank, “Bug” with Ashley Judd, “Copycat” with Sigourney Weaver), and on television (“American Idol,” Will & Grace,” “South Pacific”). In the Fall of 2016 Connick launched “HARRY,” a nationally syndicated daytime television show hosted by Connick and featuring his touring band. “HARRY” reflects the unparalleled entertainment skills of Harry Connick, Jr.’s varied career and the television industry recognized the debut season of “HARRY” with five Emmy nominations, including a nomination for Best Host, and a Critics Choice nomination for Best Talk Show.

Despite his busy career, Connick has always found the time to be charitable and has done some of his most important work in his efforts to help New Orleans rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. He, along with friend Branford Marsalis, conceived of “Musicians’ Village,” a community in the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Musicians’ Village provides homes for Katrina-displaced musicians and its focal point, the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, is an after-school teaching facility for children, a performance hall and recording studio for musicians, and a gathering place for the community.

Connick’s honors, including the induction into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame, Honorary Doctorates from Tulane and Loyola Universities and the Jefferson Award for Public Service, have not led Harry Connick, Jr. to slow his creative pace; they only confirm his determination to apply his talents in ways that prove inspirational to other artists and publicly spirited citizens

BOB MARTIN (Book) has been working as an actor and writer in theatre, film and television for over 3 decades. He has received many awards in both Canada and the US, including a Tony for his work on the Broadway production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Recent TV projects include Slings & Arrows I, II & III, (TMN, Sundance), Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Michael: Everyday (CBC), Sensitive Skin I & II (HBO), and Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas (NBC). Recent theatre projects include The Prom (Atlanta), GottaDance (Chicago), Elf (Broadway, Dublin, London), Minsky’s (LA), The Drowsy Chaperone (Toronto, Broadway, London), Second City Toronto (Performer, Director, Artistic Director), and in development: Millions, Half Time, The Princess Bride.

MARK HOLLMANN (Music and Lyrics) won the Tony Award, the National Broadway Theatre Award, and the Obie Award for his music and lyrics to Urinetown: The Musical, which itself won the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama League Award, and the Lucille Lotrel Award for Best Musical. His other shows as composer/lyricist include ZM, Yeast Nation (The Triumph of Life) and Bigfoot and Other Lost Souls. For TV, he has written songs for the Disney Channel's “Johnny and the Sprites.” He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), serves on the council of the Dramatists Guild of America, and has served on the Tony Nominating Committee.

GREG KOTIS (Music and Lyrics) is the author of many plays and musicals including Urinetown (Book/Lyrics, for which he won an Obie Award and two Tony® Awards), Lunchtime, Give the People What They Want, Michael von Siebenburg Melts Through the Floorboards, Yeast Nation (Book/Lyrics), The Truth About Santa, Pig Farm, Eat the Taste, and Jobey and Katherine. His work has been produced and developed in theaters across the country and around the world, including Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theater, American Theater Company, The Apollo (West End), The Brick, the Eugene O’Neill National Theater Conference, The Geva Center, Henry Miller’s Theatre (Broadway), Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Stage and Film, The Old Globe, Perseverance Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, Soho Rep, South Coast Rep, and The Saint James (Off West End), among others. Greg is a member of ASCAP.

JOHN RANDO (Director) Broadway credits include On the Town (Tony Nomination for Best Direction of a Musical), Penn & Teller on Broadway, A Christmas Story, The Wedding Singer, Urinetown (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Director), A Thousand Clowns and Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party. His recent Off-Broadway credits include Jerry Springer – The Opera (New Group), Lives of the Saints (Primary Stages), The Heir Apparent (2014 SDCF Calloway Award for Direction – Classic Stage Company), All in the Timing (Primary Stages – 2013 Obie Award for Direction), and The Toxic Avenger, among many others. Recent Regional Credits include The Honeymooners (Paper Mill Playhouse), Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company) and Big Sky (Geffen Playhouse). He directed the Encores! Productions of The New Yorkers, Annie Get Your Gun, Little Me, It’s a Bird... It’s a Plane... It’s Superman, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, On the Town, Damn Yankees, Face the Music, Strike Up the Band, Do Re Mi, The Pajama Game and Of Thee I Sing. He also directed the staged performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel at the New York Philharmonic.

WARREN CARLYLE (Choreographer) Broadway: Directed and choreographed: After Midnight (Tony Award Best Choreography), Chaplin, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, Finian’s Rainbow (Tony nomination), A Tale of Two Cities. Choreography: current Hello, Dolly!, She Loves Me, On the 20th Century, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Christmas Story, Follies. Directed and choreographed Radio City’s New York Spring Spectacular starring The Rockettes. TV/Film: Staged and choreographed 68th & 69th Annual Tony Awards (CBS), multiple seasons So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), Deception starring Hugh Jackman (20th Century Fox) and Carousel (PBS, Emmy nomination). Other: Two Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama Desk Award, Astaire Award.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit theater under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Todd Schmidt (Managing Director) and recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is where American musical theater is celebrated, cherished, and pushed in exciting new directions. A beloved New Jersey arts institution since 1938, Paper Mill has been consistently recognized for the high-quality artistry of its reimagined classic musicals as well as its commitment to supporting the development of new works and the careers of Broadway’s best talent and emerging artists both onstage and behind the scenes. Paper Mill Playhouse boasts award-winning access services and outreach initiatives as well as performer training programs that impact more than 35,000 students each year. Paper Mill Playhouse productions have launched national tours and gone on to Broadway—including Disney’s Newsies, 25th Anniversary production of Les Misérables, Honeymoon in Vegas, A Bronx Tale, Bandstand, The Bodyguard—as well as television broadcasts on Showtime and PBS and original cast recordings. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. For more information, please visit PaperMill.org.