League of Pro Theatre Women Celebrate Big Mingle

On Friday, March 31, The League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW), a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting visibility and increasing opportunities for women in the professional theater, is pleased to recognize the talents of six outstanding women: Carol Hall, Linda Cho, Lilieana Blain-Cruz, Liesl Tommy, Jess Chayes and Emily Simoness.

The awards will be presented at the League's 2017 Awards Celebration, hosted by Tamara Tunie, held at The TimesCenter with the Big Mingle happening directly after at Sardi's.

Carol Hall, composer/lyricist/playwright, creator of the Broadway musical "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," which won two Drama Desk Awards and a Grammy nomination for its cast album, will be presented with The Lifetime Achievement Award by Julie Gilbert (novelist, biographer, playwright and teacher. National Book Critic's Circle Award Nomination for "Ferber: A Biography of Edna Ferber and Her Circle" (Doubleday) and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for "Opposite Attraction: The Lives of Erich Maria Remarque and Paulette Goddard" (Pantheon)).

The Ruth Morley Design Award was initiated in 1998 in honor of costume designer Ruth Morley, one of the profession's leading designers for theater and film who also served on the LPTW Board of Directors.�It is given annually to an outstanding female theater designer in the field of costumes, scenery, lighting, or special effects. This year the award will be presented by Darko Tresnjak (2014 Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his direction of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder") to costume designer Linda Cho his current collaborator on "Anastasia" and who won a Tony Award for Tresnjak's production of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder."

The Josephine Abady Award is given in memory of Josephine R. Abady, a stage and artistic director, and leader of the nonprofit theater movement in the United States. The award is given annually to a woman theater artist who has created work of cultural diversity. This year's recipient is the director Lileana Blain-Cruz (Suzan Lori-Parks' "The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World," Signature Theater).

The Lee Reynolds Award, in memory of producer and League member Lee Reynolds, is given annually to a woman or women active in any aspect of theater whose work through the medium of theater has helped to illuminate the possibilities for social, cultural or political change. Liesl Tommy, Tony-Nominated Director of the Broadway and Public Theater productions of Danai Gurira's "Eclipsed" starring Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o, receives this year's award.

In April 1999, the LPTW received a bequest from the Lucille Lortel estate to establish a fund which would be given annually to "an aspiring woman in any discipline of theater who is showing great creative promise and deserves recognition and encouragement." This year's award will be given to Jess Chayes, Co-Artistic Director of The Assembly.

The LPTW Lucille Lortel Visionary Award, which also receives a grant from the aforementioned fund, is given on occasion to an aspiring woman working in any discipline of theater outside traditional production who exemplifies creative promise and deserves recognition and encouragement. This year's award goes to SPACE on Ryder Farm's Emily Simoness for her record of innovative commitment to inclusion and equity in development and support of artists.

The League's 2017 Awards Celebration will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 31 at The TimesCenter, 242 West 41st Street, with the Big Mingle happening directly after at Sardi's, 234 West 44th Street, 2nd floor. Tickets to attend the Awards Ceremony & Big Mingle Reception are $85-$300.