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Tony Honors For Excellence In Theatre
The Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre is a non-competitive award created by the American Theatre Wing in 1990. They are presented to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible to compete in any of the established Tony Award categories. The Tony Honors "are announced in the autumn. They are bestowed at a separate ceremony that affords recipients a special moment in the spotlight." As explained in ''Playbill'', "In 2003, a new tradition began for the Tony Honors, which were previously announced during the Tony Awards broadcast. Last year, however, the Honors were presented in the fall..." The first recipient was Alfred Drake, who was recognized for his lengthy career in musical theatre. Recipients *1990: Alfred Drake *1991: Father George Moore, pastor of St. Malachy's Church (known as The Actors’ Chapel) "for his service and commitment to the needy and elderly of the theater district and impro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing (the Wing for short) is a New York City–based non-profit organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre", according to its mission statement. Originally known as the Stage Women's War Relief during World War I, it later became a part of the World War II Allied Relief Fund under its current name. The ATW created and sponsors the Tony Awards in theatrical arts. Background Stage Women's War Relief Stage Women's War Relief was founded in 1917 to organize charitable giving in support of the war effort. Its founders, led by playwright and director Rachel Crothers, included the actress and playwright Louise Closser Hale and actresses Dorothy Donnelly, Josephine Hull, Minnie Dupree, Elizabeth Tyree and Louise Drew. The organization established workrooms for sewing uniforms and other garments (with total output totaling 1,863,645 articles), set up clothing and food collection centers, sold Liberty Bonds, and opened a canteen on Br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
La Bohème
''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions ''quadri'', ''tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on ''Scènes de la vie de bohème'' (1851) by Henri Murger. The story is set in Paris around 1830 and shows the Bohemian lifestyle (known in French as "") of a poor seamstress and her artist friends. The world premiere of ''La bohème'' was in Turin on 1 February 1896 at the Teatro Regio, conducted by the 28-year-old Arturo Toscanini. Since then, ''La bohème'' has become part of the standard Italian opera repertory and is one of the most frequently performed operas worldwide. In 1946, fifty years after the opera's premiere, Toscanini conducted a commemorative performance of it on radio with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. A recording of the performance was later released by RCA Victor on vinyl record, tape and compact disc. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ellen Stewart
Ellen Stewart (November 7, 1919 – January 13, 2011) was an American theatre director and producer and the founder of La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. During the 1950s she worked as a fashion designer for Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor, and Henri Bendel. Early life Ellen Stewart's place of birth is either Chicago, Illinois or Alexandria, Louisiana. This uncertainty stems from Stewart's reticence to reveal details of her early life. As an observer wrote, "Her history is somewhat difficult to sort out—indeed it takes on a legendary quality—since on different occasions she gives different versions of the same stories." Stewart said that her father was a tailor from Louisiana and her mother was a teacher, and that they divorced during her youth. Around 1939, Stewart may have become the second wife of Larry Lebanus Hovell (August 10, 1910October 1963), a Chicago waiter who was a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, though it is possible they never wed lega ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biff Liff
Samuel "Biff" Liff (April 14, 1919 – August 10, 2015) was an American Broadway stage manager and producer. Early life Samuel Liff was born on April 14, 1919, in Boston, Massachusetts.James BarronBiff Liff, Broadway Manager and Powerhouse Agent, Dies at 96 ''The New York Times'', August 13, 2015Gordon CoxBroadway Dims Lights Tonight for Agent Biff Liff ''Variety'', August 14, 2015 His father, Morris Liff, was a restaurateur. His mother was Rose Liff. He was nicknamed 'Biff' as a child, and kept the nickname throughout his life. Liff graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a bachelor's degree in Theater in 1939. During World War II, he served as a captain in the United States Army in Chicago. Career Liff started his career on Broadway as a stage manager, working on '' Along Fifth Avenue'' from January to June 1949. That same year, he was also the stage manager of '' Admiral Broadway Revue'', which was broadcast on television, starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. He then ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Morris Agency
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent agency in show business". In April 2009, WMA announced it would merge with the Endeavor Talent Agency to form William Morris Endeavor. William Morris Endeavor was renamed Endeavor in October 2017. History Early history In 1898, William Morris (born Zelman Moses), a German-Jewish immigrant to the US, posted a cross-hatch trademark above an office door in New York City four "X's", representing a W superimposed on an M and went into business as William Morris, Vaudeville Agent. By the time WMA formally incorporated in New York State on January 31, 1918, Morris' son William Morris Jr. and his assistant Abraham Lastfogel, who started out as an office boy and after becoming a talent agent in his own right, entered into a business partners ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerard Alessandrini
Gerard Alessandrini (born November 27, 1953) is an American playwright, parodist, actor and theatre director best known for creating the award-winning off-Broadway musical theatre parody revue ''Forbidden Broadway''. He is the recipient of Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, an Obie Award, four Drama Desk Awards (including the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics and the Drama Desk Special Award), an Outer Critics Circle Award, and two Lucille Lortel Awards, as well as the Drama League Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre. Life and career Alessandrini was born in Boston, Massachusetts, grew up in suburban Needham, and graduated from Xaverian Brothers High School in 1972. After graduating from the Boston Conservatory of Music in 1976, he moved to New York City. As a young actor in summer stock, regional theater and dinner theater, he starred in ''The Fantasticks'', '' Oklahoma'' and '' Carousel'', among others. He also worked at the off-Broadway Ligh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Forbidden Broadway
''Forbidden Broadway'' is an Off-Broadway revue parodying musical theatre, particularly Broadway musicals. It was conceived, written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini. The original version of the revue opened on January 15, 1982, at Palsson's Supper Club in New York City and ran for 2,332 performances. Alessandrini has rewritten the show more than a dozen times over the years to include parodies of newer shows. In the original iteration of the show, Alessandrini was one of the original actors alongside the actress Nora Mae Lyng, whom Alessandrini said he "created it for.". Michael Chapman directed and produced. In 1982, Jeff Martin succeeded Chapman as director. Alessandrini assumed the directing position subsequently, with Phillip George, Alessandrini's long-time collaborator, co-directing or directing all of the editions of the revue since 2004. The show, in its various editions, received over 9,000 performances by 2009 and has been seen in more than 200 U.S. cities as well as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 million musical works. On a quarterly basis, BMI distributes the money to songwriters, composers, and music publishers as royalties to those members whose works have been performed. In FY 2022, BMI collected $1.573 billion in revenues and distributed $1.471 billion in royalties. BMI's repertoire includes over 1.3 million songwriters and 20.6 million compositions. BMI is the biggest performing rights organization in the United States and is one of the largest such organizations in the world. BMI songwriters create music in virtually every genre. BMI represents artists such as Patti LaBelle, Selena, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, Lil Nas X, Birdman, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Eminem, Rihanna, Shakira, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Ed Sheeran, Karol G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theatre Communications Group
Theatre Communications Group (TCG) is a non-profit service organization headquartered in New York City that promotes professional non-profit theatre in the United States. The organization also publishes ''American Theatre'' magazine and ''ARTSEARCH'', a theatrical employment bulletin, as well as trade editions of theatrical scripts. History Theatre Communications Group was established in 1961 with a grant from the Ford Foundation in response to their then arts and humanities director W. McNeil Lowry's desire to foster communication and cooperation among the growing community of regional theatres throughout the country.Schanke p. 188 Though initially run as a Ford Foundation administered program, TCG independently incorporated in 1964. The organization began with a membership of 15 regional and community theatres, and nine university drama departments under the leadership of Pat Brown. In its first decade of operation, other leaders included Michael Mabry, Joseph Zeigler and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simonson, Robert
Robert Simonson (born September 11, 1964) is an American journalist and author. Personal life Robert Simonson was born in Wisconsin; he has lived in Brooklyn since 1988. Career Robert Simonson began writing about cocktails, spirits and bars for ''The New York Times'' in 2009. He has also written frequently for ''Imbibe'', ''Whiskey Advocate'', ''Saveur'', ''Food & Wine ''Food & Wine'' is an American monthly magazine published by Dotdash Meredith. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and season ...'' and ''Lucky Peach''. Since 2017, he has been a contributing editor at ''Punch''. His book ''3-Ingredient Cocktails'' was nominated for a James Beard Award. His other writings have been nominated for a total of 10 Spirited Awards, which are awarded annually by Tales of the Cocktail. Prior to becoming a cocktail writer, he wrote about the theater for 15 years, prim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martha Swope
Martha Joan Swope (February 22, 1928 – January 12, 2017) was an American photographer of theatre and dance. Early life and education Born in Tyler, Texas, she studied at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, before becoming a student at the School of American Ballet in the 1950s. Career Her photography career started in 1957, when Jerome Robbins invited her to photograph rehearsals for ''West Side Story''. Soon afterwards, Lincoln Kirstein hired her as the first official photographer for the New York City Ballet. She photographed figures in the dance world including George Balanchine, Michael Bennett, Joe Papp, and David Merrick. She was known for taking photos onstage while posed in the fourth position. She documented over 800 productions in her lifetime. To her, rehearsals were "where you see the creativity and the interchange, how it grows to what it comes to be onstage". She stopped taking photos when she retired in 1994, saying that "now I think it's somebody else's e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sardi's
Sardi's is a Continental food, continental restaurant located at 234 West 44th Street, between Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eighth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Manhattan, New York City. Sardi's opened at its current location on March 5, 1927. It is known for the caricatures of celebrity wall, Broadway celebrities on its walls, of which there are over a thousand. Sardi's was founded by Vincent Sardi Sr. and his wife Jenny Pallera, who had previously operated a restaurant nearby between 1921 and 1926. To attract customers, Sardi Sr. hired Russian refugee Alex Gard to draw caricatures in exchange for free food. Even after Gard's death, Sardi's continued to commission caricatures. Following the death of Vincent Sardi Sr. in 1969, Sardi's started to decline in the 1980s, eventually being sold off in 1986. After closing temporarily in 1990, it reopened with new staff. The restaurant is today considered an institution ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
