Julie Taymor to be Honored with Mr. Abbott Award from SDC Foundation

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), will honor acclaimed Director Julie Taymor with the distinguished 2018 "Mr. Abbott" Award for outstanding artistry and creativity over the course of her career. The Award will be presented at the Foundation's annual gala event on April 2, 2018 in New York City, at the Bohemian National Hall.

The evening's tribute is directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher and SDC Foundation Gielgud and Time-Warner Directing Fellow Tyne Rafaeli. The evening is executive produced by Kenneth Teaton (Sr.VP/Producer, Foxboro Entertainment). Max Casella serves as master of ceremonies, and there will be appearances by Mrs. George Abbott, Emmy Award-nominee Daniel Ezralow (Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, The Green Bird), Oscar-winner Elliot Goldenthal, Tony Award-winner Donald Holder, Harry Lennix (Radio Golf, Taymor'sTitus), and Tony Award and Abbott Award winner Kenny Leon. Tony Award and Abbott Award-winner Jack O'Brien will present the award to Ms. Taymor. From The Lion King, Alton Fitzgerald White and Tshidi Manye will lead a very special performance of "One By One," featuring 16 ensemble cast members from the Broadway production. The evening will be anchored by three original film segments focusing on Ms. Taymor's achievements in theatre, in opera and in film. (Appearances subject to change.)

The "Mr. Abbott" Award, presented by SDC Foundation on behalf of directors and choreographers to one of their peers since 1985, is named in honor of the late renowned directorGeorge Abbott. It is presented in recognition of lifetime achievement in the American theatre. Past recipients represent the best of the profession and include Michael Bennett, Arvin Brown, Graciela Daniele, Gordon Davidson, Agnes De Mille, Bob Fosse, James Lapine, Kathleen Marshall, Rob Marshall, Lynne Meadow, Jerry Mitchell, Mike Nichols, Trevor Nunn, Harold Prince, Lloyd Richards, Susan Stroman, Daniel Sullivan, Tommy Tune, George C. Wolfe, Jerry Zaks, and last year's awardee Kenny Leon. The recipients are selected by the Executive Board of SDC, (Pam MacKinnon, President).

Proceeds from the gala benefit programs of Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation. SDC Foundation provides more than 30 observerships and fellowships to emerging directors and choreographers nationally, with talented young artists mentored by the top directors and choreographers in the field, with particular attention to creating access for and supporting the next generation of diverse artists. SDC Foundation produces public panels and podcasts on the art and business of creating work for the stage, and is committed to fostering each successive generation of early-career artists.

Chairing the "Mr. Abbott" Event Committee are producer Nelle Nugent of The Foxboro Company and Thomas Schumacher, President & Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions, and directors and SDC Executive Board Members Rachel Chavkin and Michael Wilson. Honorary Co-Chairs are actress Helen Mirren and playwright David Henry Hwang.

Joy Abbott, the widow of George Abbott, noted, "SDC Foundation's continued stewardship of Mr. Abbott's legacy through this award warms the heart. George and I met Julie about 25 years ago in Philadelphia, and even then he recognized her creative talent, her originality, and vision. I think that George would have been deeply moved to know Julie is being honored with his namesake award. She is truly a renaissance woman of the theatre, cut from a similar mold as Mr. Abbott."

A limited number of tickets remain for the April 2 event, which begins at 6:30, with VIP cocktails at 6 pm; 'Friends' level seats are sold out. For more information about the "Mr. Abbott" Award and to purchase seats, please visit http://sdcfoundation.org/recognition-advocacy/the-mr-abbott-award/ or call 212-391-1070 x243

As a Tony®, Emmy®, and Grammy® winning and Oscar® nominated artist, Julie Taymor has changed the face of Broadway with her innovative direction.

Her Broadway adaptation of The Lion King debuted in 1997. An instant sensation, it received 11 Tony Award nominations, with Julie receiving awards for Best Director and Costume Designer. She was the first woman in theatrical history to receive the award for Best Direction of a Musical. In addition to her Tony Awards, she also received awards for her puppet, costume, and mask designs. The Lion King has gone on to become the most successful stage musical of all time; 24 global productions have been seen by more than 90 million people. The show has played over 100 cities in 19 countries, and its worldwide gross exceeds that of any entertainment title in box office history.

Her credits also include the play Grounded, starring Anne Hathaway, at The Public Theater and a cinematic version of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, filmed during her critically acclaimed, sold-out stage production at Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn. Additional credits: Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Green Bird, and Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass, which earned five Tony Award nominations including one for her direction. Operas include Oedipus Rex, with Jessye Norman, The Flying Dutchman, Salome, Die Zauberflöte (in repertory at the Met), The Magic Flute (the abridged English version, which inaugurated a PBS series entitled "Great Performances at the Met"); and Elliot Goldenthal's Grendel. Film credits include Titus, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange; Frida, starring Salma Hayek; Across the Universe; and The Tempest, starring Helen Mirren. Taymor is a recipient of the 1991 MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship, a 2015 inductee into the Theater Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater, the recipient of the 2015 Shakespeare Theatre Company's William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre, and a 2017 Disney Legends Award honoree. She recently directed M. Butterfly starring Clive Owen on Broadway.

In 2016, Ms. Taymor created the Taymor World Theater Fellowship for enterprising American theater directors (ages 21-34) to experience a year-long immersion in theater in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, and/or the Middle East. Up to four fellowships are granted annually in this highly competitive opportunity. The deadline is May 1st: for all of the details, go to www.tjtwtf.com.

Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation exists to foster, promote, and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers. SDC Foundation's mission is to create access to the field, to connect artists, and to honor the theatrical legacy of these artists. The centrality of the director's/choreographer's role in theatre and the impact that they have on other artists' careers-from playwrights to designers to actors-makes SDC Foundation's services essential to the theatre industry's health and continued vitality. www.sdcfoundation.org

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski