The American Theatre Wing announced today that applications are now being accepted for the 2011 Jonathan Larson® Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony® Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.
Applications must be post marked by September 1, 2010. Recipients will be announced in January 2011. The grants will be presented and recipients' work will be showcased for an invited industry audience in late winter, 2011.
For 2011, all applications must include book, music, and lyrics from one or more works of musical theatre. Individuals may apply for support of their work if it includes all three disciplines. Regular collaborators are encouraged to apply as a team and submit one application. Applicants may only apply once per grant cycle. For complete guidelines and application materials, visit
www.americantheatrewing.org/larsongrants.
Originally administered by the
Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation (from 1997-2008), the
Jonathan Larson Grants became a part of The Wing in 2009, adding to the organization's storied history of programs designed to support theatre professionals at the beginning of their careers. Under the
Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation and now the
American Theatre Wing, more than 80 composers, lyricists and book writers were recognized at the start of their careers.
Past recipients of
Jonathan Larson Grants include
Mark Allen,
Nell Benjamin,
John Bucchino,
Kirsten Childs,
Ricky Ian Gordon,
Amanda Green,
Joe Iconis,
Michael Korie, Dave Malloy,
Thomas Mizer,
Curtis Moore and
Ryan Scott Oliver. Last year's recipients were
Peter Lerman, Daniel Maté, and songwriting team
Michael Kooman (music) and
Christopher Dimond (book & lyrics).
Jonathan Larson's critically acclaimed musical Rent received numerous awards and honors, including a Tony® Award for Best Musical, an Obie Award and the Pulitzer Prize and closed in September 2008 as the 7th longest running musical in Broadway history. In addition, a cinecast of "Rent," filmed by Sony Pictures during the musical's last performances, is available on DVD and a film version of the musical was released in 2005.
Jonathan Larson® is a registered trademark of Skeeziks LLC.
The
American Theatre Wing (
Theodore S. Chapin, Chairman, Board of Directors;
Howard Sherman, Executive Director) is a not-for-profit organization best known as the creator of the
Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, which it presents annually with The Broadway League. In addition to "Downstage Center," "In The Wings," "Working in the Theatre," and a host of other online resources, The Wing sponsors many programs, all dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre. Visitors to americantheatrewing.org can listen to, watch or download from ATW's extensive media collection, and learn more about all of its programming for students, aspiring and working professionals, and audiences who want to learn more about the making of theatre. Follow ATW on
Facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing,
youtube.com/americantheatrewing and
Twitter.com/TheWing.
