Theater News

Wicked Wins Top Honors in 2006 Touring Broadway Awards

Kendra Kassebaum in Wicked
(Photo © Joan Marcus)
Kendra Kassebaum in Wicked
(Photo © Joan Marcus)

The national tour of Wicked picked up three awards, including Best New Musical, in the 2006 Touring Broadway Awards, given out by the League of American Theatres and Producers on May 8 in New York City. The show also won for Stephen Schwartz’s score and for the production design of Eugene Lee, Susan Hilferty, and Kenneth Posner.

William Gibson’s Golda’s Balcony won the Best Play award; Jack O’Brien was honored as Best Director for Hairspray; Ann Reinking won the Best Choreography award for Chicago; and Les Misérables was named Best Long Running-Musical. In addition, Clark Transfer, an international theatrical transportation and logistics service, received the Touring Broadway Achievement Award.

The League also presented five special awards at last night’s ceremony. Tommy Tune was honored with the Distinguished Lifetime Service Award, while outgoing League president Jed Bernstein was given a Special Recognition Award. Other awards were presented to Larry Payton, president of Celebrity Attractions; to Todd Bentjen, vice president of marketing and communications at the Orange County Performing Arts Center; and to the MSU Federal Credit Union for its corporate philanthropy.