BWW TV: Sam Willmott and Sam Carner Win 2015 Kleban Prizes- Go Inside the Ceremony!

The 25th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist has been awarded to Sam Willmott and the 25th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist has been awarded to Sam Carner. The 2015 prizes were presented earlier this week in a private ceremony hosted by ASCAP and BMI at ASCAP. BroadwayWorld was there for the presentation and you can check out highlights below!

Since its inception, Kleban Prize winners have been selected by judging panels comprised of the theatre's most respected artists and administrators. The judges making the final determination this year were Tony nominated actor Kerry Butler (Clinton The Musical, Xanadu, Hairspray); multi-arts presenter, artistic director, creative consultant, theater producer and manager Wiley Hausam (Stanford Live, Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University) and Oscar winner and Tony Award nominated composer David Shire (Baby, Big, Closer Than Ever).

The Kleban Foundation was established in 1988 under the will of Edward L. Kleban, best known as the Tonyand Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist of the musical A Chorus Line. Kleban's will made provisions for two annual prizes, which in recent years have totaled $100,000 each, payable over two years, to be given to the most promising lyricist and librettist in American Musical Theatre. For twenty-five years, The Kleban Prize, which has recognized and honored some of the American musical theatre's brightest, developing talents, is unique in that it is bestowed not just for an artist's previous achievements, but for the promise of creativity to come.