Signature Theatre Awarded 2009 Regional Theatre Tony Award
On the recommendation of the American Theatre Critics Association, the Tony Awards has selected the Signature Theatre of Arlington, Virginia as the recipient of the 2009 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The Award is accompanied by a gift of $25,000 from Visa, USA.
Special Tony Awards and honors give the Broadway community an opportunity to salute individuals and institutions who contribute to the theatre in a variety of unique and different ways. Their work on stage and off has enriched the theatre and the lives of those affected by their work.
In 20 seasons, Signature Theatre (under the leadership of artistic director Eric Schaeffer and managing director Maggie Boland) has established a national reputation for giving some of the nation's most talented artists a place to do their best work before appreciative, knowledgeable audiences.
Administering the million dollar American Musical Voices Project of the Shen Family Foundation, the company has given grants and commissions to the likes of Ricky Ian Gordon, Michael John LaChiusa, Bruce Coughlin, Adam Guettel, Audra McDonald and Ted Sperling. John Kander said that he and Fred Ebb, who premiered Over & Over at Signature, loved to work there because it is a place "where you can work with a free heart."
Signature has developed new non-musicals, but its national reputation is based on musicals, particularly 12 by Stephen Sondheim. Signature is where Stephen Schwartz re-worked Working, Matt Conner premiered Nevermore, Sklar and Beguelin revealed The Rhythm Club, Blaemire and Gardiner reveled in their Glory Days before its very brief stop on Broadway, Lazar and Oberacker introduced The Gospel According to Fishman, and Joe DiPietro tried out his new book for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Allegro. Dempsey and Rowe's The Fix and The Witches of Eastwick had their American premieres there. In 2008 Signature staged a Kander and Ebb festival, the highlight of which was Chita Rivera and George Hearn in The Visit.
For more information about Signature Theatre visit www.sig-online.org.
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