Liz McCann

Elizabeth Ireland McCann, the iconoclastic Broadway producer who won nine Tony Awards during a 60-year career in theater, died after a bout with cancer on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, according to her longtime associate and friend, Kristen Luciani. She was 90 years old.

One of the first women to command a place at the table populated largely by male producers, Ms. McCann - known up and down Broadway as simply, "Liz" - began her career in theater as a production assistant and manager with Proscenium Productions at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the 1950's. Proscenium was, in fact, the first theater off the Broadway circuit to win a Special Tony Award (1955) for its groundbreaking productions of THE WAY OF THE WORLD and THIEVES' CARNIVAL. After a string of short-term gigs in theater, Liz eventually completed a law degree at Fordham University, having previously graduated from Manhattanville College, where she acted in plays: Jo in LITTLE WOMEN), and she discovered the actor Yul Brynner's name was on a label sewn into a rental costume she wore for one school production. She later earned a Masters in English Literature at Columbia, intending to become a drama teacher. While pursuing English throughout her education, Liz allowed that she always "troubled in theater."

Broadway came calling in 1967 when she was hired as Managing Director by the influential theater owner James Nederlander (Jimmy Sr.). Eventually, she and Nelle Nugent created the formidable general management and production company, McCann & Nugent.

Liz and Nelle's "Midas touch" remains legendary in the history of Broadway: their string of Tony Award-winning productions is practically unparalleled - DRACULA (1979), THE ELEPHANT MAN (1979), MORNING'S AT SEVEN (1980), AMADEUS (1980), THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (1981). McCann & Nugent's other Broadway productions include NIGHT AND DAY starring Maggie Smith, PIAF, ROSE (starring Glenda Jackson and Jessica Tandy), LEADER OF THE PACK, THE DRESSER, MASS APPEAL, GOOD, THE GLASS MENAGERIE (starring Jessica Tandy and Amanda Plummer), and The Royal Shakespeare Company's ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL along with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and CYRANO DE BERGERAC starring Derek Jacobi.

As General Managers, McCann & Nugent managed the Broadway productions of GIN GAME with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, TINTYPES, CRIMES OF THE HEART, 'night MOTHER and TANGO ARGENTINO, along with THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, OTHERWISE ENGAGED and COMEDY WITH MUSIC by Victor Borge.

In partnership with other producers, Ms. McCann earned four more Tony Awards for THE GOAT by Edward Albee, COPENHAGEN, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, and the revival of HAIR. She was also a producer of LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, A DELICATE BALANCE, WELL, EQUUS, PASSING STRANGE, BUTLEY, MY FAT FRIEND and SHAKESPEARE FOR MY FATHER (both starring Lynn Redgrave), NICK & NORA, ORPHEUS DESCENDING starring Vanessa Redgrave, and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM on Broadway. She produced extensively Off-Broadway, also, including THE LADY WITH THE CLARINET and PAINTING CHURCHES, both with Ms. Nugent. She served as Executive Producer of the Tony Awards for several years, and was General Manager of the Big Apple Circus.