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Liz McCann

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Liz McCann BIO

Elizabeth Ireland McCann, the iconoclastic Broadway producer who won nine Tony Awards during a 60-year career in theater, died after a bout with cancer on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, according to her longtime associate and friend, Kristen Luciani. She was 90 years old.

One of the first women to command a place at the table populated largely by male producers, Ms. McCann - known up and down Broadway as simply, "Liz" - began her career in theater as a production assistant and manager with Proscenium Productions at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the 1950's. Proscenium was, in fact, the first theater off the Broadway circuit to win a Special Tony Award (1955) for its groundbreaking productions of THE WAY OF THE WORLD and THIEVES' CARNIVAL. After a string of short-term gigs in theater, Liz eventually completed a law degree at Fordham University, having previously graduated from Manhattanville College, where she acted in plays: Jo in LITTLE WOMEN), and she discovered the actor Yul Brynner's name was on a label sewn into a rental costume she wore for one school production. She later earned a Masters in English Literature at Columbia, intending to become a drama teacher. While pursuing English throughout her education, Liz allowed that she always "troubled in theater."

Broadway came calling in 1967 when she was hired as Managing Director by the influential theater owner James Nederlander (Jimmy Sr.). Eventually, she and Nelle Nugent created the formidable general management and production company, McCann & Nugent.

Liz and Nelle's "Midas touch" remains legendary in the history of Broadway: their string of Tony Award-winning productions is practically unparalleled - DRACULA (1979), THE ELEPHANT MAN (1979), MORNING'S AT SEVEN (1980), AMADEUS (1980), THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (1981). McCann & Nugent's other Broadway productions include NIGHT AND DAY starring Maggie Smith, PIAF, ROSE (starring Glenda Jackson and Jessica Tandy), LEADER OF THE PACK, THE DRESSER, MASS APPEAL, GOOD, THE GLASS MENAGERIE (starring Jessica Tandy and Amanda Plummer), and The Royal Shakespeare Company's ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL along with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and CYRANO DE BERGERAC starring Derek Jacobi.

As General Managers, McCann & Nugent managed the Broadway productions of GIN GAME with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, TINTYPES, CRIMES OF THE HEART, 'night MOTHER and TANGO ARGENTINO, along with THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, OTHERWISE ENGAGED and COMEDY WITH MUSIC by Victor Borge.

In partnership with other producers, Ms. McCann earned four more Tony Awards for THE GOAT by Edward Albee, COPENHAGEN, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, and the revival of HAIR. She was also a producer of LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, A DELICATE BALANCE, WELL, EQUUS, PASSING STRANGE, BUTLEY, MY FAT FRIEND and SHAKESPEARE FOR MY FATHER (both starring Lynn Redgrave), NICK & NORA, ORPHEUS DESCENDING starring Vanessa Redgrave, and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM on Broadway. She produced extensively Off-Broadway, also, including THE LADY WITH THE CLARINET and PAINTING CHURCHES, both with Ms. Nugent. She served as Executive Producer of the Tony Awards for several years, and was General Manager of the Big Apple Circus.

Liz McCann News


Industry Pro Newsletter: Nicole Rosky New Editor-in-Chief of BroadwayWorld, New Data on Pandemic Recovery


New data points show that the theatre industry is once again at an inflection point - first, data backs up the anecdotal sense that the recovery from the pandemic shutdown has been uneven across the globe, and across different regions within countries. With pandemic response being handled on a local level, this uneven recovery is not surprising.

Broadway Theatres Will Dim Lights March 29 in Memory of Liz McCann


The Broadway community honors the memory of Elizabeth Ireland McCann, better known as Liz, the Tony Award-winning producer and general manager who was among the first successful female leaders in Broadway.

Legendary Broadway Producer Liz McCann Dies at 90


ELIZABETH IRELAND McCANN, the iconoclastic Broadway producer who won nine Tony Awards during a 60-year career in theater, died after a bout with cancer on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, according to her longtime associate and friend, Kristen Luciani.  She was 90 years old. 

Virtual Theatre Today: Monday, March 15- with Patrick Page, Jordan Barbour, and More!


Today (March 15) in live streaming: Julius Caesar continues with Patrick Page, the 31st Annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre, and more!

Julia Miles, Founder of Women's Project Theater, Has Passed Away


The League of Professional Theatre Women (Shellen Lubin and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been championing women in the professional theatre for more than three decades, has announced that one of their co-founders, Julia Miles, passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, following a long illness.

Photo Flash: AMERICAN MOOR Celebrates Opening Night


Red Bull Theater presents Keith Hamilton Cobb's acclaimed play American Moor, making its Off-Broadway premiere at Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St), in a production directed by Kim Weild and produced in collaboration with Evangeline Morphos, Frederick M. Zollo, Elizabeth I. McCann and Tom Shea.

Reading of Micheline Auger's #LOVE95TIMES Up Next in The Farm Theater's College Collaboration Project


The Farm Theater will present a reading of their latest College Collaboration Project, Micheline Auger's #Love95times, on Monday, June 5 at 7pm at Theaterlab (357 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, 3rd Floor).

Geva Announces the Line-Up for the Festival of New Theatre


???????Geva Theatre Center unveils its line-up for the Festival of New Theatre 2016 to be held in the Fielding Stage from October 12 - October 23. FONT 2016 is a vibrant and innovative mix of new works by some of the most exciting playwrights from across the country and around the corner and is part of Geva's ongoing commitment to developing and producing new work for the American theatre. 

WP Theater Announces The Pipeline Festival Complete Lineup


Women's Project Theater, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty and Managing Director Maureen Moynihan, is thrilled to announce the complete lineup for the inaugural Pipeline Festival, showcasing the work of the celebrated WP Lab residency for playwrights, directors and producers from March 24 - April 23 at the McGinn/ Cazale Theater at Broadway & 76th Street.

Elsinore County Theater's PRETTY BABIES Makes World Premiere at 13th Street Rep Tonight


PRETTY BABIES, a new play by Antony Raymond who also serves as the director, will have its World Premiere at 13th Street Rep tonight, February 26th.

Elsinore County Theater's PRETTY BABIES to Make World Premiere at 13th Street Rep, 2/26


PRETTY BABIES, a new play by Antony Raymond who also serves as the director, will have its World Premiere at 13th Street Rep on February 26th. The ensemble cast is led by Stacey Roca who had a recurring role as Rachel on the UK series The Office staring Ricky Gervais; she also played Katrina Howard in Waking the Dead (BBC). PRETTY BABIES is being produced by the critically acclaimed Elsinore County Theater Company who previously produced the plays Elsinore County (The Lion Theatre/Theatre Row), Julio! (The Kraine Theater), and Gin & Milk (FringeNYC).

Full Text of Tony Winners' Acceptance Speeches: Updated with All Acceptance Speeches


As part of BroadwayWorld's expansive coverage of the 68th Annual Tony Awards, we are providing the full text of all of the Tony Award acceptance speeches; from the emotional to the bizarre, and everything in between. Keep up with all of the winners' speeches on our continuously updated list.

CUBBY BERNSTEIN, THE SERIES Gets Released, Benefits BC/EFA


CUBBY BERNSTEIN and BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS are proud to present CUBBY BERNSTEIN, THE SERIES, the new DVD of the 'celebrity-studded, buzz-generating, record-breaking web series !' (Playbill). Last year, The New York Times said, 'I suggest that next year the TONY producers put production of the telecast into the subversively witty hands of Cubby Bernstein.' Instead, Mr. Bernstein has chosen to turn his enterprise into a charitable one, building upon his working relationship with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Eden Espinosa Joins HAIR; Previews Begin March 6, Richards & Frankel Join as Producers


In order to accommodate the logistics of the new producing partnership, preview performances will now begin on Friday, March 6, with Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (320 West 45th Street, New York City).

Wasser Associates to Take Over as General Managers of 2009 Tony Awards


Tony Award Productions have not renewed Liz McCann and Joey Parnes' contract. Alan Wasser and Allan Williams of Alan Wasser Associates will act as the general managers of the 2009 Tony Awards.

Passing Strange to Close on Broadway July 20


The Broadway musical PASSING STRANGE will end its run at the Belasco Theatre (111 W. 44 St.) following the matinee performance on Sunday, July 20. The show will have played 20 previews and 165 performances.

TONYS 2008 Q&A: Cubby Bernstein


There's a dynamo taking over this Tony season, and No, I'm not talking about Patti Lupone's Mama Rose, I'm talking about that most influential of theatre folk, teenage Tony Campaign manager Cubby Bernstein! Every Tony season he turns his considerable might towards the show he believes he can lead to Tony victory, did I mention he has 63 wins to his name? So with Xanadu as his chosen production the tiny titan of Tony 2008 has come out of the shadows, or at least pulled himself away long enough from the Go Diego Go aisle at Toy 'R' Us to answer a few questions for us here at BroadwayWorld.com.

Photo Flash: 60 Years of Tony Award Excellence Exhibit


The exhibit 60 Years of Tony Award Excellence is on display at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts through June 12th; it features posters from all the Tony Award-winning Best Plays and Best Musicals

Elaine Stritch to be profiled by League Of Prof. Theatre Women - Dec. 2


Tony Award winning actress ELAINE STRITCH is the latest theatre woman of achievement profiled by the Oral History Program of the League of Professional Theatre Women, on Thursday, December 2, 2004, at 6pm at the Bruno Walter Auditorium in the Library of Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

An Interview with the Infamous Michael Riedel


BroadwayWorld.com recently sat down with the New York Post's always controversial theater columnist - Michael Riedel. Read on to hear what he has to say about growing up *not* singing show tunes, Bernadette Peters, the current state of Broadway, and lots more...

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