Guidelines Announced for 2006 Fred Ebb Award

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company has announced the guidelines for the second annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters. The award is named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, who passed away on September 11, 2004.

The first annual Fred Ebb Award was given to composer John Bucchino on November 29, 2005 at the American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lounge. This year's winner will also be announced in November.

The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a lyricist, composer, or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success. The award is meant to encourage and support aspiring songwriters to create new works for the musical theatre. The prize includes a $50,000 award. The Fred Ebb Foundation is funded by royalties from Ebb's vast catalogue of work.

The applicant, either a composer/lyricist or composer/lyricist team, must meet at least one of the following requirements:
1) Work by the applicant has been produced on stage or in workshop.
2) At least one song by the applicant has been published, recorded, or performed professionally.
3) Applicant is or has been a member of a professional musical theater workshop or a musical theater development program.
4) Applicant has not yet achieved significant commercial success.

Applications for the 2006 Fred Ebb Award will be accepted from June 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006. Required materials are:
1) A CD of up to four songs for one or more musical theater pieces, with ypewritten lyrics and a description of the dramatic context for each song.
2) A completed application form.

The songwriting partnership of Ebb with John Kander  marked one of the most successful and enduring collaborations in Broadway history. Together, they penned Flora, the Red Menace, Cabaret (their first major hit), The Happy Time, Zorba, 70, Girls, 70, Chicago, The Act, Woman of the Year, The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Steel Pier, as well as The Visit (which was presented at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago but has yet to see Broadway). They also wrote the scores for films and TV specials such as New York, New York, Funny Lady and "Liza with a Z."

Application forms, along with detailed guidelines and information, are available at www.fredebbfoundation.org.

Applications should be mailed to Fred Ebb Award, Roundabout Theatre, 231
West 39th Street, Suite 1200, New York, New York 10018.