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SHUFFLE ALONG, JOHN and DEAR EVAN HANSEN Artists Top 2016 Hewes Theater Design Awards

by BWW News Desk Oct. 20, 2016

Four theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 2016 Awards in a luncheon ceremony to be held November 7, 2016.

In honor of the late Jane Hewes, who worked on the Hewes Awards for 50 years, the 2015 ceremony was postponed and will be combined with the 2016 ceremony this fall. The 2015 honorees were announced earlier this year.

The 2016 Henry Hewes Design Awards Honorees are:

Mimi Lien (John, Signature Theatre Company) - Scenic Design

Ann Roth (Shuffle Along, Broadway) - Costume Design

Mark Barton (John, Signature Theatre Company) - Lighting Design

Peter Nigrini (Dear Evan Hansen, Second Stage) - Notable Effects (Projection Design)

Three of the four have received Henry Hewes Design Awards in the past. Mark Barton will receive his first Henry Hewes Design Award. For the 2016 honors, 84 theater artists were nominated for outstanding artistry in 63 productions presented during the 2015-2016 New York Theater season. (A complete list of 2016 nominees follows this awards announcement.)

These annual awards honor designers for work in venues on Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway, recognizing not only the traditional categories of Scenic Design, Costume Design and Lighting Design, but also "Notable Effects," which encompass sound, music, video, puppetry and other creative elements. All nominated designs must have originated in United States productions. The Hewes Awards Committee considered more than 200 productions when making its nominations.

Andrew Ondrejcak and David Zinn led all artists with three nominations each for their design work. Ten other designers received two nominations each for their work during the 2015-2016 season. The Off Broadway production of "Signature Plays," a compilation of work at Signature Theatre Company, garnered four nominations, the largest number among all productions. Seven productions received three nominations each and twelve productions received two nominations each.

The 2015 Henry Hewes Design Award Honorees, who will also receive their awards on November 7, are:

Riccardo Hernandez (The Invisible Hand, NY Theatre Workshop) - Scenic Design

Paul Tazewell (Hamilton, The Public Theater) - Costume Design

Howell Binkley (Hamilton, The Public Theater) - Lighting Design

Nevin Steinberg (Hamilton, The Public Theater) - Notable Effects (Sound Design)

The HHDA Committee named honorees in four categories: Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design and Notable Effects. As of the 2016 awards, the Committee has bestowed 298 honors on 192 artists representing 208 productions.

Originally known as the Maharam Awards at their inception in 1965, the Hewes Awards were later known as the American Theatre Wing Design Awards in honor of the Wing's generous sponsorship. They were renamed in 1999 for noted critic Henry Hewes, who created the awards and served as a board member of the American Theatre Wing until his death in 2006 at age 89.

The Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee includes theater critics Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, chair; David Barbour; David Cote; Glenda Frank; He Len Shaw; and Michael Sommers.

2016 Henry Hewes DESIGN AWARDS NOMINEES:

(2016 Honorees in bold)

SCENIC DESIGN NOMINEES

Adam Rigg O, Earth

Adam Rigg Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.

Andreea Mincic LongYarn

Andrew Ondrejcak You Us We All

Arnulfo Maldonado Judy

Caroline Mraz I'll Never Love Again

Christopher and Justin Swader The Offending Gesture

Christopher Oram Hughie

David Korins Misery