Special Tony Award: Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
The Tony Awards Administration Committee have announced that the Tony Award-winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick and multiple Tony-nominated director Marshall W. Mason will be this year's recipients of the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
Both awards will be presented at the 70th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday 12 June 2016 which takes place at the Beacon Theatre, in a ceremony hosted by James Corden.
Charlotte St. Martin (President of The Broadway League) said of the news:
"It is our pleasure to present two very deserving legends with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their extraordinary careers and countless achievements. Mr. Harnick has crafted some of the most beautiful and recognizable scores in the theatrical repertoire that have spanned generations. Mr. Mason has gifted his ingenious visions to dozens of Broadway's biggest hits. We are thrilled to play a part in their history with this honor."Sheldon Harnick is currently represented on Broadway by revivals of two of his most well-loved musicals, She Loves Me which is currently running at Studio 54 and Fiddler on the Roof which is running at the Broadway Theatre. As well as writing the lyrics for both of these shows, his other contributions to musical theatre include the Pulitzer Prize winning 'Fiorello!' (1959, 'Tenderloin' (1960), 'The Apple Tree' (1966) and 'The Rothschilds' (1970).
Marshall W. Mason is regarded as one of the most innovative and influential directors of the twentieth century and was last year elected to the Theater Hall of Fame. On Broadway he has directed 12 plays, earning him five Tony nominations for Best Director, including: "Knock Knock" by Jules Feiffer, "Talley's Folly", "Fifth of July," "Angels Fall" by Lanford Wilson, and "As Is" by William M. Hoffman.
The 70th Annual Tony Awards are produced by the Broadway League and American Theatre Wing.
All Broadway productions in the 2015-2016 season, who officially open on or before the eligibility cut-off date of Thursday, 28 April 2016 (and meet all other requirements) can be considered for nomination. The nominees for the 70th Annual Tony Awards will be announced at the Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel on Tuesday, 3 May 2016.
Sheldon HarnickMarshall W MasonOriginally published on