Four theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 2013 Awards in a luncheon ceremony scheduled for October 21. Mimi Lien (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812), Ann Roth (The Nance), Jane Cox (The Flick) and Peter Nigrini (Here Lies Love) will be honored with 2013 Henry Hewes Design Awards. Each of the four is receiving his or her first Henry Hewes Design Award. For the 2013 honors, 84 theater artists were nominated for outstanding artistry in 55 productions presented during the 2012-2013 New York theater season. (A complete list of 2013 nominees follows this awards announcement.)
These annual awards honor designers for work in venues on Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway, recognizing not only the traditional categories of Scenic Design, Costume Design and Lighting Design, but also “Notable Effects,” which encompass sound, music, video, puppetry and other creative elements. All nominated designs must have originated in United States productions. The Hewes Awards Committee considered more than 200 productions when making its nominations.
Peter Nigrini and Clint Ramos led all artists with three nominations each. Fifteen other designers received two nominations each for their work during the 2012-2013 season. Four Off Broadway productions received four nominations each: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, which premiered at Ars Nova before moving to the Meatpacking District; the Public Theater’s Here Lies Love; Lincoln Center Theater’s Nikolai and the Others; and Signature Theatre Company’s production of Old Hats. Productions receiving three nominations each included A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, Chaplin, Golden Boy, Jackie, The Flick, The Nance, and The Piano Lesson. Of the 11 most-nominated productions, only three were housed in Broadway theaters. Fifteen other productions received two nominations each.
The HHDA Committee named honorees in four categories: Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design and Notable Effects. As of the 2013 awards, the Committee has bestowed 285 honors on 184 artists representing 199 productions.
Originally known as the Maharam Awards at their inception in 1965, the Hewes Awards were later known as the American Theatre Wing Design Awards in honor of the Wing’s generous sponsorship. They were renamed in 1999 for noted critic Henry Hewes, who created the awards and served as a board member of the American Theatre Wing until his death in 2006 at age 89.
The Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee includes theater critics Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, chair; Dan Bacalzo; David Barbour; David Cote; Glenda Frank; Mario Fratti; Helen Shaw; Michael Sommers; and Joan Ungaro.
2013 HENRY HEWES DESIGN AWARDS HONOREES
Scenic Design
Mimi Lien Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812(Ars Nova and “Kazino”)
Costume Design
Ann Roth The Nance (Broadway)
Lighting Design
Jane Cox The Flick (Playwrights Horizons)
Notable Effects
(Projection Design)
Peter Nigrini Here Lies Love (Public Theater)