McKechnie, Chalfant and Schulman Among New Tony Nominating Committee Members

The American Theatre Wing has announced the newest members of the Nominating Committee for the 2009-2010 Broadway theatre season.

Nominations are determined by the Tony Awards Nominating Committee. This rotating group of up to 30 theatre professionals is selected by the Tony Awards Administration Committee.

Nominators serve for overlapping three-year terms. They are asked to see every new Broadway production and then meet on the Monday evening following the Tony eligibility deadline. They determine the nominations based on secret ballots supervised by an accounting firm. The results are announced early the following morning.

The 2009-20010 Tony Nominating Committee (new additions in bold):

David Caddick - Music Supervisor
Ben Cameron - Program Director for the Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Kathleen Chalfant - Actor
Hope Clarke - Stage Director/Choreographer/Actor
Thomas Cott - Producer/Management Consultant
Jacqueline Z. Davis - Executive Director of the NY Public Library for the PA at Lincoln Center
Michael D. Dinwiddie - Associate Professor, Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU
Edgar Dobie - Producer/General Manager/Managing Director, Arena Stage Washington, DC
Teresa Eyring - Executive Director, Theatre Communications Group
Paulette Haupt - Director of the Music Theatre Conference at The O'Neill Center
Elena K. Holy - Founder, The International Fringe Festival
Geoffrey Johnson - Retired Casting Director
Robert Kamlot - Retired General Manager
Michael Kantor - Director/Producer/Writer
Robert Kimball - Author
Pia Lindstrom - Former Reporter/Theatre Critic
Howard Marren - Composer
Laurence Maslon - Associate Arts Professor, Graduate Acting Program - Tisch School at NYU
Donna McKechnie - Actor/Choreographer
Jon Nakagawa - Producer of Contemporary Programming, Lincoln Center
Alice Playten - Actor
Theresa Rebeck - Playwright
Roger Rees - Actor/Director/ Playwright/Lecturer/Administrator
Donald Saddler - Choreographer
Susan H. Schulman - Director
Tamara Tunie - Actor/Producer
William Tynan - Actor/Reporter
Kimberlee Wertz - Music Contractor
Doug Wright - Playwright/Screenwriter
Andrew Zerman - Retired Casting Director

The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

The Tonys are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Nina Lannan is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is Executive Director. At the American Theatre Wing, Theodore S. Chapin is Chairman and Howard Sherman is Executive Director. For Tony Award Productions, Alan Wasser and Allan Williams of Alan Wasser Associates are the General Managers.

For more information please visit www.tonyawards.com

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.