Theater News

Julie Taymor to Receive 2018 "Mr. Abbott" Award

The honor is presented by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation.

Julie Taymor will receive the 2018 "Mr. Abbott" Award.
Julie Taymor will receive the 2018 "Mr. Abbott" Award.
(© David Gordon)

M. Butterfly director Julie Taymor will receive the 2018 "Mr. Abbott" Award for outstanding artistry and creativity over the course of her career. Presented by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, Taymor will be honored at its annual gala on April 2, 2018.

Taymor won Tony Awards for Best Director and Best Costume Design for The Lion King, now celebrating its 20th anniversary on Broadway. Her directing credits also include the theatrical works Grounded, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, The Green Bird, and Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass, among other shows. On screen, she has directed Titus, Across the Universe, Frida, and The Tempest.

The "Mr. Abbott" Award is named in honor of renowned director George Abbott and is one of the only awards given to theater directors and choreographers by their peers. Past honorees have included Kenny Leon, Jerry Mitchell, George C. Wolfe, Harold Prince, Susan Stroman, Lloyd Richards, Tommy Tune, Lynne Meadow, and Michael Bennett.