‘New York, New York’ is a big, spectacular Broadway musical with stunning designs that saw Scenic Designer Beowulf Boritt win a Tony Award and Lighting Designer Ken Billington get a Tony nomination. They tell us about how their designs evoke 1940’s New York and interpret it for a musical theater stylized staging.
The Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the recipients of 2023 The Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship, honoring costume designer Willa Kim’s legacy and her life’s work as a pioneer, legend, and inspiration for many of today’s theater artists. Kim’s iconic work in ballet, theater, opera, and television is also the subject of a career spanning retrospective at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as noted in this month’s theater news, along with a new online course in Structures for the Stage from Purdue University. We also look at USITT’s Gateway Program and USITT’s 2023 Joel E. Rubin Founders Award honoree, Elynmarie Kazle.
The Broadway Technical Theatre History Project, a part of Purchase College, State University of New York, will present the Ninth Broadway technical ‘Backstage Legends and Masters Award’ to theater legend, William M. (Bill) Mensching on Monday, April 24, 2023. This free event is open to everyone, and will also be streamed live.
Legendary lighting designers Jules Fisher and Jennifer Tipton were each honored with the Ming Cho Lee Award for Lifetime Achievement in Design, bestowed by the Henry Hewes Design Awards during the 58th annual awards ceremony on Oct. 24. “In honoring Jules Fisher and Jennifer Tipton,” said Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, chair of the awards committee, “we celebrate two pioneers who have given us so many important dramatic memories—and have lit the way for those who follow.”
On Monday, September 12, The Shubert Organization officially dedicated and revealed the newly renamed James Earl Jones Theatre (138 West 48th Street, New York City), formerly… Read More »Shubert Organization Dedicates the James Earl Jones Theatre on Broadway
Winners of the 66th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on June 8, 2022. Below is a list of the design winners along with the shows. (For the complete list of award winners, you can go to www.DramaDeskAwards.com.) We at PLSN and Stage Directions in PLSN send our congratulations to all of the design honorees as well as to all of the nominated designers for their outstanding work this season!
In keeping with the Drama Desk’s mission, the nominators considered shows that opened on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway during the 2021-2022 New York theater season, that the Drama Desk determined ended as of May 1, 2022. Only live performances were eligible – if performances were also available for streaming, 21 or more unique live performances were required.Read More »2022 Drama Desk Awards Winners Announced
Nominations for the 66th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced late on Monday, May 16, 2022. Below is a list of the design nominations. In keeping with the Drama Desk’s mission, the nominators considered shows that opened on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway during the 2021-2022 New York theater season, that the Drama Desk determined ended as of May 1, 2022. Only live performances were eligible – if performances were also available for streaming, 21 or more unique live performances were required.Read More »2022 Drama Desk Awards Nominations Announced