Jeremy Shamos Steps in as Replacement Co-Host of Lortel Awards

BroadwayWorld has just learned that previously announced host of the Lortel Awards Jason Jones has withdrawn due to scheduling conflicts. Now slated to co-host alongside Laura Benanti is her fellow METEOR SHOWER star Jeremy Shamos.

The Lortels released the following statement:

Due to a last-minute work obligation, Jason Jones will not be able to join us as co-host of this year's Lucille Lortel Awards. We are so grateful to him for agreeing to participate and wish him the very best.

Replacing him as co-host alongside Laura Benanti is her co-star in Steve Martin's Meteor Shower on Broadway, Tony Award nominee and previous Lortel Award recipient, Jeremy Shamos.

We're looking forward to another exciting and entertaining Lucille Lortel Awards show.

Among the special honors to be presented at this year - award-winning Playwright Eve Ensler will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. A Tony® and Obie Award-winning playwright, Ms. Ensler's newest, most personal work In the Body of the World opened on February 6th at Manhattan Theatre Club at New York City Center. Her new play The Fruit Trilogy will open Spring 2018 at Abingdon Theatre Company at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

Lucille Lortel Award-winning composer Michael Friedman will posthumously be inducted onto the famed Playwrights' Sidewalk in front of the Lucille Lortel Theatre. He won the 2011 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. He also received Lortel Award nominations as a composer and lyricist for This Beautiful City, Saved, The Fortress of Solitude, and Pretty Filthy.

WP Theater (formerly known as Women's Project Theater) will be honored for their Outstanding Body of Work. The organization, which was founded in 1978, is the nation's oldest and largest theater company dedicated to developing, producing, and promoting the work of female-identified and trans theater artists at every stage in their careers. Their latest show, the critically acclaimed [PORTO], written by Kate Benson, is currently playing at WP Theater. The last time an institution was awarded the Outstanding Body of Work was Lincoln Center Theater in 2010.

To purchase tickets, please visit www.lortelaward.com.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski