Applications Now Being Accepted For 2010 Jonathan Larson Grants

The American Theatre Wing announced today that applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Jonathan Larson Grants. 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.

Applications must be post marked by August 29, 2009. Recipients will be announced in January 2010. The grants will be presented and recipients' work will be showcased for an invited industry audience in late winter 2010. For complete guidelines and application materials, visit www.americantheatrewing.org/larsongrants.

Originally administered by the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation (from 1997-2008), the Jonathan Larson Grants became a part of The Wing last fall, adding to the organization's storied history of programs designed to support theatre professionals at the beginning of their careers. Under the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation and now the American Theatre Wing, more than 80 composers, lyricists and book writers were recognized at the start of their careers.

Past recipients of Jonathan Larson Grants include Nell Benjamin, John Bucchino, Kirsten Childs, Ricky Ian Gordon, Amanda Green, Joe Iconis and Michael Korie. Last year's recipients were: Mark Allen, whose musical Tinyard Hill is currently in production at Theatreworks, Palo Alto in California; Dave Malloy, who continues his work with theatre collective Banana Bag and Bodice this August at the Ohio Theatre with Space//Space; songwriting team Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore, who continue to collaborate on projects including The Legend of Stagecoach Mary; and Ryan Scott Oliver, whose musical, Mrs. Sharp, will have a workshop at Playwrights Horizons featuring Jane Krakowski with direction by Michael Greif later this month.

Jonathan Larson's critically acclaimed musical Rent received numerous awards and honors, including a Tony Award® for Best Musical, an Obie Award and the Pulitzer Prize and closed in September 2008 as the 7th longest running musical in Broadway history. A national tour, featuring several members of the original cast, is currently touring America. In addition, a cinecast of "Rent," filmed by Sony Pictures during the musical's last performances, is available on DVD and a film version of the musical was released in 2005. Jonathan Larson® is a registered trademark of Skeeziks LLC.

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," which just concluded its 30th season 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.