Randy Rainbow Named Guest of Honor at the 36th Annual Elliot Norton Awards

The Boston Theater Critics Association has announced that Randy Rainbow, comedian, actor, and internet sensation, will be the Guest of Honor at the 36th Annual Elliot Norton Awards on Monday, May 21, 2018 at 7 PM, at the Huntington Avenue Theatre.

The awards for outstanding visiting production, actor and actress were also announced:

Outstanding Visiting Production

The Color Purple (Boch Center Shubert Theatre)

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Visiting Production

Richard Thomas, The Humans (Boch Center Shubert Theatre)

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Visiting Production

Adrianna Hicks, The Color Purple (Boch Center Shubert Theatre)

In announcing the Guest of Honor and the Outstanding Visiting Production awardees, Joyce Kulhawik, President of The Boston Theater Critics Association, stated "These tumultuous times call for fresh voices and Randy Rainbow is among the freshest! A YouTube sensation, he is both of the moment and firmly rooted in an illustrious tradition of theatrical parody. Can't wait to see him live in front of our theater community skewering politicians and pop culture with his trademark wit and sass. Randy Rainbow is smart & hilarious!"

Randy Rainbow (yes, real name) is a comedian, actor, writer, host and Internet sensation best known for his viral comedy videos. His popular series of political spoofs and song parodies have garnered international acclaim and over a hundred million views. He's been called "the best thing about the 2016 GOP race" by Dan Savage and his musical tribute to the first presidential debate of Page 2 -Norton Awards Guest of Honor

2016 ("BRAGGADOCIOUS!") received 28 million views in its first two days. He was subsequently asked by the cast of TV's Will & Grace to parodize a song which they performed during a political fundraiser for the 2016 election. Randy has also written for comedian Kathy Griffin and hosted and performed in numerous theatrical events for the Broadway, cabaret and gay communities, as well as for the Tony Awards and some of New York City's most popular night spots including 54 Below, Birdland Jazz Club, XL Nightclub and Therapy NYC where his own weekly show ran for two years. He's been seen as a talking head on VH1 and has been heard regularly as both a guest and co-host on Sirius XM Radio. He is the creator and star of the long-running BroadwayWorld.com web series Chewing the Scenery with Randy Rainbow and Last Minute with Randy Rainbow.

More than two dozen nominations of outstanding actors, directors, designers and ensembles have been announced by The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA), with winners to be revealed at the 36th Annual Elliot Norton Awards on Monday, May 21, 2018 at 7 PM, at the Huntington Avenue Theatre.

This year's recipient of the Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence is Leigh Barrett who has sustained Boston theater audiences with her expressive musical theater performances, vocal range, and versatility for decades. A Special Citation will be awarded to Robert J. Eagle, to honor his 50 years at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham.

The 2018 awards are presented with the support of Huntington Theatre Company, and The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center is sponsoring the 36th Anniversary reception after the ceremony.

The 36th Annual Elliot Norton Awards celebrates the Boston area's theater community, future artists, and the importance of the arts in our country. The ceremony will feature musical performances by nominees and students from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the awarding of The Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence and a post-ceremony party. Supported by a matching grant from Broadway In Boston, a portion of the evening's proceeds will be donated to the musical theater program of Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

The Elliot Norton Awards are presented annually by The Boston Theater Critics Association (Don Aucoin, Jared Bowen, Terry Byrne, Carolyn Clay, Iris Fanger, Jeremy D. Goodwin, Joyce Kulhawik, Kilian Melloy, Bob Nesti, and Ed Siegel) to honor the outstanding productions, directors, designers, and performers that audiences have seen on greater Boston stages throughout the year.

The Elliot Norton Awards are named for the eminent Boston theater critic Elliot Norton, who remained an active supporter of drama, both locally and nationally, until his death in 2003 at the age of 100. The Boston theater community carries on his legacy and can be proud of its remarkable growth at a time in our nation's history when the arts are struggling to survive.

Special and honored guests at the awards in past years comprise a Who's Who of distinguished artists who have graced Boston's stages, including: Cherry Jones, Lea DeLaria, Mary Louise Wilson, Olympia Dukakis, Chita Rivera, Tommy Tune, Al Pacino, Edward Albee, Brian Dennehy, August Wilson, Julie Harris, Sir Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave, and Jason Robards.

Tickets are priced at $35.00; savvy shoppers will take advantage of $10 off the regular ticket price (available through May 11), using the code NORTIES10. Tickets are on sale at the Boston Theatre Scene Box Office, at www.bostontheatrescene.com or by calling (617) 933-8600.