On October 24, members of the theatre community gathered at a luncheon reception to salute the recipients of the 2006 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. Cynthia Nixon, who won the American Theatre Wing's Tony Award® as Best Actress in a Play earlier in 2006, hosted the event.

Click for photos from the luncheon:

2006 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre, Part 1
2006 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre, Part 2

The honorees are:

• BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop - For more than 45 years of nurturing composers, lyricists and librettists by facilitating the development of their craft under the guidance of master writers.

Among the shows whose writers trained at the BMI Workshop are Beauty and the Beast, Once on This Island, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Ragtime, and the Tony-winning Best Musicals A Chorus Line, Titanic, Nine, and Avenue Q.

• Forbidden Broadway and its creator, Gerard Alessandrini - For keeping theatergoers in stitches for nearly 25 years by affectionately lampooning Broadway productions and personalities.

New York's longest-running musical comedy revue is an affectionate spoof of Broadway shows and personalities. It has been seen around the world, as well as in a West Coast version called Forbidden Hollywood. The current edition, Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit is playing at Off Broadway's 47th Street Theatre.

• Samuel "Biff" Liff - For his manifold contributions to the vitality of the theatre community over many decades as a manager, producer, and artists' representative.

Mr. Liff is a senior vice president of the William Morris Agency. Throughout his lengthy career he has been an associate producer to David Merrick and the Broadway stage manager of My Fair Lady, among many other classic shows. He currently represents such theatre icons as Jerry Herman, Angela Lansbury, and Chita Rivera.

• Ellen Stewart - For supporting theatre artists of all nations and cultures in the development, production and presentation of new work as the founder and director the world-renowned cultural organization known as La MaMa E.T.C.

La MaMa E.T.C., a resident theatre in lower Manhattan, has mounted more than 2,000 productions since it was founded by Ms. Stewart in 1961. In addition, Ms. Stewart has staged, composed, directed, and written librettos for original folk-opera/spectacles presented in America and all over the world.

The luncheon took place on a beautiful autumn afternoon at Tavern on the Green, the famous landmark restaurant located in Manhattan's Central Park. Presenting the individual honors were past Tony winners and nominees: performers Angela Lansbury (to Forbidden Broadway) and André De Shields (to Ms. Stewart), producer Emanuel Azenberg (to Mr. Liff), and the songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty (to the BMI Workshop).

The event began with a musical performance featuring Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Hugh Jackman, and L'il Orphan Annie--as hilariously impersonated by Forbidden Broadway cast members. The real-life Ms. Lansbury followed, pointing out that "no one laughs louder or longer than Forbidden Broadway's 'victims'--the casts and creators of Broadway shows."

Mr. Liff, in accepting his honor, offered an amusing riff on his own name, and spoke of his long love affair with the theatre.

André De Shields praised Ellen Stewart for her 45 years as "the grandest experiment in experimental theatre, and the grand lady of world theatre."

The event concluded with longtime faculty-member Maury Yeston accepting the Tony Honor on behalf of the BMI Lehman Engle Musical Theatre Workshop. "Writing cannot be taught, but it can be learned--by writing," he said, praising the workshop for providing support for emerging composers and lyricists. He then introduced a medley of well-known songs developed in the workshop over the years, performed by three of its current members.

Tony Honors recognize contributions to the field of theatre for individuals and organizations that are not eligible in any of the established Tony categories. They are bestowed each autumn at a special ceremony that gives the recipients their own moment in the spotlight.

Posted October 24, 2006