Theater News

71st Annual Theatre World Awards to Honor the Legacy of Betty Comden and On The Town

The late musical-theater writer will be recognized for “Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre World.”

Jay Armstrong Johnson, Tony Yazbeck, and Clyde Alves in Broadway's currently running production of On The Town.
Jay Armstrong Johnson, Tony Yazbeck, and Clyde Alves in Broadway's currently running production of On The Town.
(© Joan Marcus)

The Theatre World Awards have announced plans to honor the legacy of Betty Comden and On the Town with a special recognition for "Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre World" at the 71st Annual Theatre World Awards on June 1 at Broadway’s Lyric Theatre (the current home of the Broadway production of On the Town).

The original production of On the Town, which opened at Broadway’s Adelphi Theater in 1944, starred 26-year-old Betty Comden who also cowrote the book and lyrics with Adolph Green. Comden won the Theatre World Award that year for her Broadway debut as "Claire de Loone" in the first-ever Theatre World Awards ceremony.

The winners of this year’s Theatre World Awards are Geneva Carr (Hand to God), Daveed Diggs (Hamilton), Megan Fairchild (On the Town), Robert Fairchild (An American in Paris), Sydney Lucas (Fun Home), Karen Pittman (Disgraced), Emily Skeggs (Fun Home), Collin Kelly-Sordelet (The Last Ship), Benjamin Scheuer (The Lion), Alex Sharp (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), Micah Stock (It's Only a Play), and Ruth Wilson (Constellations).

In addition, The 7th Annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence, honoring an Outstanding Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production, will be presented by Dame Diana Rigg to Leanne Cope for her performance as Lise in An American in Paris and the 2015 John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre will be presented to Chita Rivera (The Visit).