Alessandrini, Liff, Stewart, and BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop to Receive 2006 Tony Honors

The recipients of the 2006 Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre have been announced by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. The honors recognize contributions to the field of theater by individuals and organizations that are not eligible in any of the established Tony categories. This year’s Tony Honors luncheon ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 24 at Tavern on the Green. The honors recipients are as follows:

BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop:
For almost half a century, the workshop has developed new talent for musical theater and film. A Chorus Line, Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, Once on This Island, and Ragtime are only a few of the shows whose writers were trained at the BMI Workshop.

Forbidden Broadway and its creator, Gerard Alessandrini:
A New York institution, Forbidden Broadway has been making affectionate fun of the theater and its notables for 25 years.

Samuel (Biff) Liff:
A member of the William Morris Agency, Liff has had a distinguished career as manager for David Merrick. He has also represented such theater notables as Jerry Herman and Sam Mendes.

Ellen Stewart, founder/director of La MaMa E.T.C.:
In addition to her stewardship of La MaMa, a resident theatre that has presented more than 2,000 productions since its inception in 1961, Stewart has staged, composed, directed, and written libretti for original folk-operas/spectacles that have been seen all over the world.