Broadway Legend Chita Rivera to be Honored at 71st Annual Theatre World Awards

The 71st Annual Theatre World Awards - the oldest award given for a debut theatre performance on or off-Broadway - will be held Monday, June 1, 2015 at 7:45 p.m. at Broadway's Lyric Theatre (213 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036). The winners of this year's Theatre World Awards will be announced Tuesday, May 5. The 2015 John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be presented to Chita Rivera. The 7th Annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence will also be presented to honor an Outstanding Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production. Hosted annually by respected theater journalist, Peter Filichia, the awards ceremony is produced by the Theatre World Awards, Inc. Board of Directors.

The original production of ON THE TOWN opened at Broadway's Adelphi Theater in 1944 starring Betty Comden, who co-wrote the show with Adolph Green and was one of the first winners of the inaugural Theatre World Awards for her Broadway debut as "Claire." This year's ceremony brings the awards to the Lyric Theatre, home to the newly Tony Award nominated revival of ON THE TOWN, reconnecting the Theatre World Awards legacy back to its very first ceremony.

The Theatre World Awards honor six actresses and six actors in recognition of an outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut during the season. Established in 1945, the 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 Performance. Because it is given for a debut performance, it is only given once. 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.

The 2015 John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre is given 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 AwardBoard of Directors to the man or woman whose lifetime achievements and personal generosity to the Theatre Community merit special recognition and acknowledgement. Previous recipients of the John Willis Award include Alan Alda and Christopher Plummer.

The Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater honors an Outstanding Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production. Dorothy Loudon, who had the unique talent of being able to make audiences laugh and cry, made her Broadway debut in Nowhere to Go But Up for which she received a Theatre World Award for her performance. She received a Tony Award for her incomparable performance as 'Miss Hannigan' in Annie, and went on to triumphs originating roles in Noises Off, Westside Waltz, and Michael Bennett's Ballroom.

The Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence is chosen by the Trustees of The Dorothy Loudon Foundation, Lionel Larner, Executive Director, together with recommendations from the Theatre World Awards Committee.

The Theatre World Award winners are chosen by the Theatre World Awards committee which is comprised of Roma Torre (NY1),David Cote (Time Out New York and NY1), Joe Dziemianowicz (New York Daily News), Peter Filichia (The Newark Star-Ledger, Emeritus)Harry Haun (Playbill), Matthew Murray (Talkin' Broadway), and Frank Scheck (New York Post).

The Theatre World Award Board of Directors is headed by Dale Badway (President) with Tom Lynch (Vice President), Tabitha Falcone (Treasurer), Stephen Wilde (Secretary),Michael Kostel and Ken Mahoney.

The 71st Annual Theatre World Awards welcomes principal sponsor Mahoney Asset Management, led by licensed financial advisor, investor, and author Ken Mahoney.

For additional information about the Theatre World Awards including a list of past recipients, visit www.theatreworldawards.org.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!