ATW Announces CELEBRATE JONATHAN LARSON Sweepstakes

The American Theatre Wing announced today that they will hold a "Celebrate Jonathan Larson" sweepstakes on their website, in conjunction with the 2009 Jonathan Larson® Grants. Fans can enter now until 10:00 a.m. on February 27, 2009 to win prizes including a copy of Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway: Blu-Ray Edition and American Theatre Wing t-shirts. One lucky grand-prize winner will get to attend the invitation-only presentation of the 2009 Jonathan Larson Grants on March 17, 2009 in New York City.

The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality. Last week it was announced that the four recipients of the 2009 Jonathan Larson® Grants are Mark Allen, Dave Malloy, songwriting team Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore, and Ryan Scott Oliver.

Winners of the Celebrate Jonathan Larson Sweepstakes will be notified on February 27, 2009. For more information, or to enter, visit http://americantheatrewing.org/celebratelarson.

The American Theatre Wing (Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Howard Sherman, Executive Director) is best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League. The Wing's other activities, dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre, include "Working in the Theatre," now in its 30th year of telecasts on CUNY TV in New York and on other national cable outlets; "Guides to Careers in the Theatre," a video series developed for schools and libraries; a grants and scholarship program to New York City schools and not-for-profit theatre companies, which has awarded nearly $3 million since its inception; the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; and SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC. Visitors to www.americantheatrewing.org can view or download an archive of "Working in the Theatre" and the career guides and listen to archive episodes of the hour-long interview series "Downstage Center", all as free, on-demand streaming audio and podcast.

For additional information about the Jonathan Larson Grants and all American Theatre Wing programs, go to www.americantheatrewing.org.