The League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW) has announced its 2016 award winners. The New York-based group will give out the gongs in a ceremony on 2 May at Pershing Square Signature Center. The winners are Micki Grant, Jane Cox, Ari Laura Kreith, Lisa Kron, Jeanine Tesori, Lear deBessonet and Elsa Rael.
Grant, who began by working with Broadway’s first black female director Vinnette Carroll in the 60s, has picked up the prestigious lifetime achievement award. Her illustrious career includes three Tony award nominations. Meanwhile Kreith wins the Lucille Lortel Award for her work as artistic director of Theatre 167.
The Ruth Morley Design Award went to Cox, whose productions this season are the Broadway shows The Color Purple and Noise Off – she was lighting designer on both. The Lee Reynolds Award – for a female artist whose work dealt with social, cultural, or political change – will be given to Kron and Tesori for their musical Fun Home.
LPTW also recognise efforts towards diversity with the Josephine Abady Award, this time won by deBessonet – director of Public Works at Public Theater. Finally, playwright Rael picked up the LPTW Special Award. Rael is founder of Professional Older Women’s Theater and Women In Arts & Media Coalition.
LPTW is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting visibility and increasing opportunity for women in theatre. The group has a membership of nearly 500 women.
