The 74th annual Theatre World Awards, has honored six outstanding actors and six actresses making their Broadway and Off-Broadway debuts during the 2017-2018 theatrical season. The awards will be given out Monday, June 4, 2 p.m at Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre. The attire for the afternoon event is ‘Festive Island’ wear. A TWA Island Party reception will follow the ceremony at The Copacabana Rooftop. Circle in the Square Theatre is proud to host the only major theatrical award ceremony scheduled in a Broadway house, this season.
Hosted annually by well-known theater journalist, Peter Filichia, the 74th Annual Theatre World Awards ceremony will be produced by Theatre World Awards, Inc. Board of Directors. Stephen Nachamie is set to direct the afternoon’s activities.
First presented in 1945, the prestigious Theatre World Awards, founded by John Willis, the Editor-in-Chief of both Theatre World and its companion volume, Screen World, are the oldest awards given for Outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway Debut Performances. The Theatre World Awards are presented annually at the end of the theatre season to six actors and six actresses for their significant, reviewable, debut performances in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production. The ceremony is a private, invitation-only event followed by a party to celebrate the new honorees and welcome them to the Theatre World “family.” In what has become a highly entertaining and often touching tradition, 12 previous winners serve as the presenters, and often relive moments from past ceremonies and share wonderful stories rarely heard at other theatrical awards.
Previous winners who have won the prestigious Theatre World Award at the beginning of their careers include Meryl Streep, Rosemary Harris, Marlon Brando, Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Anne Bancroft, James Earl Jones, Liza Minnelli, Alan Alda, Zoe Caldwell, Christopher Walken, Alec Baldwin, Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Al Pacino, Grace Kelly, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks, Lupita Nyong’o, John Krasinski, and so many more.
The Theatre World Award winners were chosen by the Theatre World Awards Committee which is comprised of Roma Torre (NY1), David Cote (Time Out New York, Emeritus), Joe Dziemianowicz (New York Daily News), Peter Filichia (The Newark Star-Ledger, Emeritus) Harry Haun (The Observer), Elysa Gardner (USA Today, Emeritus), and Frank Scheck (The Hollywood Reporter).
The Theatre World Awards, Inc. Board of Directors is headed by Dale Badway (President) with Tom Lynch (Vice-President), Stephen Wilde (Secretary), Honorable Ilene Zatkin-Butler (Treasurer), and Michael Kostel.
It was recently announced, Theatre World Award Alum Victor Garber (Hello,Dolly!) will receive the 6th Annual John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement In The Theatre, celebrating his 46th year on the Broadway stage.
The John Willis Award is given for lifetime achievement in the theatre to honor the man who created and maintained the Theatre World tradition for 66 years, encouraging new talent in an often-challenging business. The John Willis Award is presented annually by the Theatre World Awards, Inc. Board of Directors to an individual whose lifetime achievements and personal generosity to the Theatre Community merit special recognition and acknowledgement. Previous recipients of the John Willis Award include Glenn Close, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Christopher Plummer, and Alan Alda.
The 10th Annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater honoree will be announced shortly.
The 2018 Theatre World Award honorees are:
Sam Clemment, David Abeles, Anthony Boyle Photo by Manuel Harlan
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
Jamie Brewer photo by Joan Marcus
Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans
Noma Dumezweni, Edward James Hyland Photo by Manuel Harlan
Noma Dumezweni, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
Mark Addy, Johnny Flynn Photo by Ahron R. Foster
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 02: Denise Gough attends the 2018 Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Junket on May 2, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
Denise Gough, Angels in America
Harry Hadden-Paton photo by Joan Marcus
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Hailey Kilgore Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Hailey Kilgore, Once on This Island
James McArdle, Andrew Garfield Photo by Helen Maybanks
James McArdle, Angels in America
Lauren Ridloff
Lauren Ridloff, Children of a Lesser God
Ethan Slater
Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants
Charlie Stemp and Mark Sendroff
Charlie Stemp, Hello, Dolly!
Katy Sullivan
Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living
