Theatre World Award

The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945-46 theatre season.

History

The Inaugural recipients included Betty Comden, Judy Holliday and John Raitt. Winners are selected by a committee of New York-based critics. That committee includes (as of May 2015) Roma Torre (NY1), David Cote (Time Out New York, NY1), Joe Dziemianowicz (New York Daily News), Peter Filichia (The Newark Star-Ledger, Emeritus), Harry Haun (Playbill), Matthew Murray (TalkinBroadway.com), and Frank Scheck (New York Post). ^[1][2][3]

John Willis, founder of the Theatre World Awards and Editor of theatre bible Theatre World, died in June 2010.

Award statuette

Known as "Janus" after the Roman god of entrances, exits, and all beginnings, the award is a bronze sculpture designed by artist Harry Marinsky.

Special honorary awards

The Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award was instituted in 2009, named in honor of actress and singer Dorothy Loudon (1925–2003) and is awarded by the Dorothy Loudon Foundation in connection with these awards. The first Starbaby Award was presented to Susan Louise O'Connor (Blithe Spirit). Other recipients are Bobby Steggert (Ragtime and Yank!) (2009–10),^[4] Seth Numrich (War Horse) (2010–11),^[5] and Susan Pourfar (Tribes).^[3] In 2013, it was renamed Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater.

The first annual Lunt-Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence was presented at the 2010–11 Awards, to the cast of The Motherf**ker with the Hat – Bobby Cannavale, Chris Rock, Annabella Sciorra, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Yul Vázquez. The award is in honor of the late Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and is presented to an outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway ensemble.^[6]

John Willis Award

A new award, the John Willis Award, was first instituted for the 2012–13 season. It is given for "lifetime achievement in the theatre" to honor John Willis who created and maintained the Theatre World tradition for 66 years, encouraging new talent in an often challenging business." The first recipient was Alan Alda.^[2]

The award ceremony

The winners for the 2010–11 season were announced on May 10, 2011, with a ceremony held on June 7; the awards are traditionally presented by former award winners.^[5] The awards for the 2011–11 season were announced on May 8, 2012 and presented at a ceremony held on June 5, 2012 at the Belasco Theatre.^[3]

The awards for the 2012–13 season were announced on May 7, 2013, and the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony was held on June 3 at the Music Box Theater.^[2] The awards for the 2013–14 season were announced on May 6, 2014, and the ceremony was held on June 2, 2014 at Circle in the Square.^[7] The awards for the 2014–15 season were announced on May 5, 2015; the ceremony will be held on June 1, 2015 at the Lyric Theatre.^[8]

Award winners

Past recipients, from 1944–45 to 2012–13^[9]

1997–1998 Source: Theatre World[10] Max Casella – The Lion King Margaret Colin – Jackie Ruaidhri Conroy – The Cripple of Inishmaan Alan Cumming – Cabaret Lea DeLaria – On the Town Edie Falco – Side Man Enid Graham – Honour Anna Kendrick – High Society Ednita Nazario – The Capeman Douglas Sills – The Scarlet Pimpernel Steven Sutcliffe – Ragtime Sam Trammel – Ah, Wilderness! Eddie Izzard – Special Award The Beauty Queen of Leenane cast – Special Award

1999–2000 Source: Theatre World[11] Craig Bierko – The Music Man Everett Bradley – Swing! Gabriel Byrne – A Moon for the Misbegotten Ann Hampton Callaway – Swing! Toni Collette – The Wild Party Henry Czerny – Arms and the Man Stephen Dillane – The Real Thing Jennifer Ehle – The Real Thing Philip Seymour Hoffman – True West Hayley Mills – Suite in Two Keys Cigdem Onat – The Time of the Cuckoo Claudia Shear – Dirty Blonde Special Award – Barry Humphries

2000–2001 Source: Theatre World[11] Juliette Binoche – Betrayal Macaulay Culkin – Madame Melville Janie Dee – Comic Potential Raúl Esparza – The Rocky Horror Show Kathleen Freeman – The Full Monty Deven May – Bat Boy Reba McEntire – Annie Get Your Gun Chris Noth – The Best Man Joshua Park – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Rosie Perez – References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot Joely Richardson – Madame Melville John Ritter – The Dinner Party Special Award – Seán Campion Special Award – Conleth Hill

2001–2002 Source: Theatre World[11] Justin Bohon – Oklahoma! Simon Callow – The Mystery of Charles Dickens Mos Def – Topdog/Underdog Emma Fielding – Private Lives Adam Godley – Private Lives Martin Jarvis – By Jeeves Spencer Kayden – Urinetown Gretchen Mol – The Shape of Things Anna Paquin – The Glory of Living Louise Pitre – Mamma Mia! David Warner – Major Barbara Rachel Weisz – The Shape of Things

2002–2003 Source: Theatre World[11] Antonio Banderas – Nine Tammy Blanchard – Gypsy Thomas Jefferson Byrd – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Jonathan Cake – Medea Victoria Hamilton – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Clare Higgins – Vincent in Brixton Jackie Hoffman – Hairspray Mary Stuart Masterson – Nine John Selya – Movin' Out Jochum ten Haaf – Vincent in Brixton Daniel Sunjata – Take Me Out Marissa Jaret Winokur – Hairspray Special Award – Peter Filichia Special Award – Ben Hodges

2003–2004 Source: Theatre World[11] Shannon Cochran – Bug Stephanie D'Abruzzo – Avenue Q Mitchel David Federan – The Boy From Oz Alexander Gemignani – Assassins Hugh Jackman – The Boy From Oz Isabel Keating – The Boy From Oz Sanaa Lathan – A Raisin in the Sun Jefferson Mays – I Am My Own Wife Euan Morton – Taboo Anika Noni Rose – Caroline, or Change John Tartaglia – Avenue Q Jennifer Westfeldt – Wonderful Town Special Award – Sarah Jones

2004–2005 Source: Theatre World[11] Christina Applegate – Sweet Charity Ashlie Atkinson – Fat Pig Hank Azaria – Spamalot Gordon Clapp – Glengarry Glen Ross Conor Donovan – Privilege Dan Fogler – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Heather Goldenhersh – Doubt Carla Gugino – After the Fall Jenn Harris – Modern Orthodox Cheyenne Jackson – All Shook Up Celia Keenan-Bolger – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Tyler Maynard – Altar Boyz

2005–2006 Source: Theatre World[11] Harry Connick, Jr. – The Pajama Game Felicia P. Fields – The Color Purple Maria Friedman – The Woman in White Richard Griffiths – The History Boys Mamie Gummer – Mr. Marmalade Jayne Houdyshell – Well Bob Martin – The Drowsy Chaperone Ian McDiarmid – Faith Healer Nellie McKay – The Threepenny Opera David Wilmot – The Lieutenant of Inishmore Elisabeth Withers–Mendes – The Color Purple John Lloyd Young – Jersey Boys

2006–2007 Fantasia Barrino – The Color Purple Eve Best – A Moon for the Misbegotten Mary Birdsong – Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me Erin Davie – Grey Gardens Xanthe Elbrick – Coram Boy Johnny Galecki – The Little Dog Laughed Jonathan Groff – Spring Awakening Gavin Lee – Mary Poppins Lin-Manuel Miranda – In the Heights Bill Nighy – The Vertical Hour Stark Sands – Journey's End Nilaja Sun – No Child... Special award – Actors' Fund

2007–2008 De'Adre Aziza, Passing Strange Cassie Beck, Drunken City Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange Ben Daniels, Les Liaisons Dangereuses Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County Hoon Lee, Yellow Face Alli Mauzey, Cry-Baby Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing Loretta Ables Sayre, South Pacific Jimmi Simpson, The Farnsworth Invention Paulo Szot, South Pacific

2008–2009 Source:Playbill.com[12] David Alvarez/Trent Kowalik/Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot, The Musical Chad L. Coleman, Joe Turner's Come and Gone Jennifer Grace, Our Town Josh Grisetti, Enter Laughing, The Musical Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical Colin Hanks, 33 Variations Marin Ireland, reasons to be pretty Susan Louise O'Connor, Blithe Spirit Condola Rashad, Ruined Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story Wesley Taylor, Rock of Ages Special Award to the entire cast of The Norman Conquests: Amelia Bullmore, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Mangan, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter and Amanda Root.

2009–2010 Source:Playbill.com[4] Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur Chris Chalk, Fences Bill Heck, The Orphans' Home Cycle Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge Keira Keeley, The Glass Menagerie Sahr Ngaujah, FELA! Eddie Redmayne, Red Andrea Riseborough, The Pride Heidi Schreck, Circle Mirror Transformation Stephanie Umoh, Ragtime Michael Urie, The Temperamentals

2010–2011 Source:Playbill.com[5] Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart Desmin Borges, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity Halley Feiffer, The House of Blue Leaves Grace Gummer, Arcadia Rose Hemingway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Heather Lind, The Merchant of Venice Patina Miller, Sister Act Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo Jim Parsons, The Normal Heart Zachary Quinto, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes Tony Sheldon, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Lunt-Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence – cast of The Motherfucker with the Hat

2011–2012 Source: PLaybill.com[3] Tracie Bennett, End Of The Rainbow Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Crystal A. Dickinson, Clybourne Park Russell Harvard, Tribes Jeremy Jordan, Bonnie & Clyde Joaquina Kalukango, Hurt Village Jennifer Lim, Chinglish Jessie Mueller, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever Hettienne Park, Seminar and The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures Chris Perfetti, Sons of the Prophet Finn Wittrock, Death of a Salesman Josh Young, Jesus Christ Superstar

2012–2013 Source:Playbill.com[2] Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical Carrie Coon, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Brandon J. Dirden, The Piano Lesson Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy Valisia LeKae, Motown: The Musical Rob McClure, Chaplin Ruthie Ann Miles, Here Lies Love Conrad Ricamora, Here Lies Love Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody Yvonne Strahovski, Golden Boy Tom Sturridge, Orphans

2013–2014 Source: Broadway.com[7] Paul Chahidi – Twelfth Night, or What You Will Nick Cordero – Bullets Over Broadway Bryan Cranston – All the Way Mary Bridget Davies – A Night with Janis Joplin Sarah Greene – The Cripple of Inishmaan Rebecca Hall – Machinal Ramin Karimloo – Les Misérables Zachary Levi – First Date Chris O'Dowd – Of Mice and Men Sophie Okonedo – A Raisin in the Sun Emerson Steele – Violet Lauren Worsham – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater Winner: Outstanding Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway Production: Celia Keenan-Bolger John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Winner: Christopher Plummer

2014–2015 Source: Playbill.com[8] Geneva Carr – Hand to God Megan Fairchild – On the Town Sydney Lucas – Fun Home Karen Pittman – Disgraced Emily Skeggs – Fun Home Ruth Wilson – Constellations Daveed Diggs – Hamilton Robert Fairchild – An American In Paris Collin Kelly-Sordelet – The Last Ship Benjamin Scheuer – The Lion Alex Sharp – The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time Micah Stock – It's Only a Play Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence: Leanne Cope John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Chita Rivera[13]

2015–2016 Source: Playbill.com[14] Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple Carmen Cusack – Bright Star Khris Davis – The Royale Daniel Durant – Spring Awakening Cynthia Erivo – The Color Purple John Krasinski – Dry Powder Sarah Charles Lewis – Tuck Everlasting Austin P. McKenzie – Spring Awakening Lupita Nyong'o – Eclipsed Mark Strong – A View From The Bridge Ana Villafañe – On Your Feet! Ben Whishaw – The Crucible Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence: Nicholas Barasch – She Loves Me John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Bernadette Peters

See also

• Tony Awards
• Drama Desk Awards
• Obie Awards

References

1. Viagas, Robert. "Dates Announced for 71st Annual Theatre World Awards; Chita Rivera To Be Honored", playbill.com, May 1, 2015.
2. Gans, Andrew. "Tom Hanks, Bertie Carvel, Valisia LeKae, Rob McClure and More Are Theatre World Award Winners" playbill.com, May 7, 2013.
3. Gans, Andrew."Theatre World Awards Presented to Tracie Bennett, Jeremy Jordan, Jennifer Lim and More June 5", playbill.com, June 5, 2012.
4. Gans, Andrew.Bobby Steggert to Receive Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award at Theatre World Awards" playbill.com, May 20, 2010.
5. Gans, Andrew."Ellen Barkin, Patina Miller, John Larroquette, Jim Parsons, Tony Sheldon and More Win Theatre World Awards", playbill.com, May 10, 2011.
6. BWW News Desk.2010-11 "Theatre World Award Winners Announced - Barkin, Hemingway, Larroquette, Miller, Quinto, Sheldon, 'Motherf**cker' & More" broadwayworld.com, May 10, 2011.
7. Lloyd Webber, Imogen. "Ramin Karimloo, Zachary Levi & Chris O'Dowd Among 2014 Theatre World Award Winners" broadway.com, May 6, 2014
8. Viagas, Robert. "Broadway Siblings Megan and Robert Fairchild Among 71st Annual Theatre World Award Winners" playbill.com, May 5, 2015
9. "Past Recipients". Theatre World Awards. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
10. "Past Recipients" theatreworldawards.org, accessed May 2, 2015
11. "Theatre World Award Recipients". Theatre World Awards (official site). Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
12. Andrew Gans (May 11, 2009). "Billy Boys, Gwynne, Ireland, Rush and Grisetti Among Theatre World Award Winners". playbill.com. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
13. Viagas, Robert. "71st Annual Theatre World Award Announced Today – Chita Rivera Earns Lifetime Achievement Honor" playbill.com, May 5, 2015
14. Gans, Andrew. "Theatre World Awards Announce 2016 Winners" playbill.com, May 2, 2016

External links

• Theatre World Awards Official website