Mimi Lien News

BroadwayWorld is happy to report that four theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 2015 Awards in a luncheon ceremony, set for the coming fall.

Just In! The Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2015-16 season in 25 categories.

The Off-Broadway League tonight presents the 31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway at NYU Skirball Center. BroadwayWorld will be bringing you the full list of winners below. Stay tuned to find out who will win big!

Drama Desk, Tony®, and Emmy® Award nominee and Theater World Award and NAACP Image Award winner Vanessa Williams (Into The Woods, The Trip to Bountiful, 'Ugly Betty') and Drama Desk, Tony®, Emmy, Golden Globe, and Drama League Award Nominee and SAG & TV Land Award winner Matthew Morrison (Finding Neverland, Hairspray, The Light in the Piazza, 'Glee') just announced the nominations for the 61st Annual Drama Desk Awards.

Just this morning, Something Rotten and Spotlight star Brian d'Arcy James along with this season's break-out and genuflecting sensation Jennifer Simard from Broadway's Disaster announced the The Outer Critics Circle nominees for the 2015-16 season from New York's legendary Algonquin Hotel (59 W 44th Street.)  Outer Critics Circle nominations are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season.

Among this year's nominees for Outstanding Musical Production by a Large Theater are WAITRESS and NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE  GREAT COMET OF 1812, both at American Repertory Theatre. Tony winner Jessie Mueller and Denee Benton also each received nods for their respective performances. 

The 20th Annual Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards were held on April 11 at the Holiday Inn Boston/Brookline. Founded by Beverly Creasey of the Journal Newspapers and Larry Stark of the TheaterMirror in 1997, the IRNE Awards recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community. 

Austin Durant, Reggie Gowland, Chris Myers, Rachel Nicks, Michele Shay, Lance Coadie Williams, and Charlayne Woodard will be featured in the upcoming LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater production of WAR by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz.  WAR will begin performances Saturday, May 21; open Monday, June 6; and run for six weeks only through Sunday, July 3 at the Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65th Street). 

NYU Tisch School of the Arts just celebrated its 50th Anniversary Gala, 'Celebrating the Past/Creating the Future,' last night, April 4, 2016, at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall. The gala event was hosted by alumni Alec Baldwin ('94) and Spike Lee ('82). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the special night below!

NYU Tisch School of the Arts fetes its alumni honorees at its 50th Anniversary Gala, 'Celebrating the Past/Creating the Future,' tonight, April 4, 2016, at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall. The gala event will be hosted by alumni Alec Baldwin ('94) and Spike Lee ('82).

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 18 categories for the 31st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be presented on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00 PM EST. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

Signature Theatre has announced casting is confirmed and tickets are now on sale for Signature Plays, which revisits the work of three Legacy playwrights with Edward Albee's The Sandbox, Maria Irene Fornes' Drowning, and Adrienne Kennedy's Funnyhouse of a Negro. Directed by Lila Neugebauer (A.R. Gurney's The Wayside Motor Inn), this trio of plays, all produced during their author's original Playwright-in-Residence season and presented together for the first time, celebrates Signature's rich and diverse history over the past quarter century.

Full casting has been announced for the new musical THE GREAT COMET, featuring the Broadway debuts of 18 cast and creative team members including Josh Groban as 'Pierre' and Denee Benton as 'Natasha.' Created by Dave Malloy (Preludes, Ghost Quartet) and directed by Rachel Chavkin (Small Mouth Sounds, Preludes) - also making their Broadway debuts - THE GREAT COMET will blaze intoBroadway's Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street) beginning in the first week of October with opening night set for Monday, November 14, 2016.Ticketing info will be announced shortly. To sign up for news updates and presale ticketing opportunities, visit www.greatcometbroadway.com.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle named the multi-nominated Hit the Wall and Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles as 2015's Outstanding Productions at the organization's 47th annual awards event, held on Monday evening, March 14 at the Moss Theatre of New Roads School in Santa Monica.

NYU Tisch School of the Arts today announced its alumni honorees for its 50th Anniversary Gala, Celebrating the Past/Creating the Future, to be held on Monday, April 4, 2016, at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall. The gala event will be hosted by alumni Alec Baldwin ('94) and Spike Lee ('82).

The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) today announced the nominees for the 20th Annual IRNE Awards, which honors the best of the previous year's actors, directors, choreographers, designers and companies across the full spectrum of large, mid-size and fringe theater companies.

As part of its 2015-2016 Performing Arts Season, Japan Society presents Haruki Murakami's SLEEP, in a first look, work-in-progress showing from Ripe Time and PlayCo.

Director Anne Kauffman and a fine ensemble do their best to serve a sloggy script.

MCC Theater welcomes film and television star Robin Tunney, making her stage debut opposite Zachary Quinto in the New York premiere of SMOKEFALL by Noah Haidle, directed by Anne Kauffman, who directed The Nether for MCC last season to great acclaim. SMOKEFALL will play the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street), opening tonight, February 22, for an extended run through March 20, 2016.

As part of its 2015-2016 Performing Arts Season, Japan Society presents Haruki Murakami's SLEEP, in a first look, work-in-progress showing from Ripe Time and PlayCo.