Bobby Steggert Given 2009-2010 Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award 6/8

Lionel Larner, Executive Director of The Dorothy Loudon Foundation, has announced that the 2009-2010 recipient of its Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award for a Broadway or Off-Broadway performance will go to Bobby Steggert for his outstanding performances, as it turns out both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in Ragtime and Yank! The award will be presented at this year's 66th Annual Theatre World Awards (in an invitation-only ceremony) at New World Stages on Tuesday, June 8.

"Starbaby" was a term of endearment used by Dorothy's most intimate friends from her early days in the theater and it stuck with her throughout her career. Those fortunate enough to have seen Ms. Loudon on stage will remember her unique talent of being able to make audiences laugh and cry and most of all love her...from her Broadway debut in Nowhere to Go But Up (for which she won a Theatre World Award), to such hits as Noises Off, West Side Waltz with Katharine Hepburn, Michael Bennett's last show Ballroom, to her incomparable Miss Hannigan in Annie for which she won the Tony Award. The flops, which she liked to think of as "artistic triumphs," notes Mr. Larner, are all too numerous to mention.

The Foundation, founded five years ago, is proud to have sustained its mission in creating scholarships for young actors and composers at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, supporting not-for-profit theater in New York and regional theaters in Washington and Chicago, supporting AIDS and cancer research, supporting victims of natural disasters, feeding the hungry, and many other causes close to Dorothy's heart. As a recipient of a Theatre World Award Dorothy Loudon often appeared as a presenter at the annual ceremony as she loved both the TWAs and its founder John Willis.

When it came to The Dorothy Loudon Foundation's attention that this year's Theatre World Award ceremony was in jeopardy of not happening due to financial considerations they offered the Theatre World Award generous support. The Theatre World Award Board of Directors greatly appreciates this support and notes that this donation will help to ensure that the Theatre World Awards continues its mission of presenting its annual debut awards. The Board also wishes to acknowledge producer Eric Krebs and the School Theatre Ticket Program for its support.

Last season the Loudon Foundation presented the first Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award in connection with the Theater Hall of Fame's Spring Fellowship Luncheon. The recipient was Susan Louise O'Connor for her role in the Broadway production of Blithe Spirit. O'Connor also received a Theatre World Award for that performance.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.