Photo Coverage: 20th Annual Kleban Awards

Last night, Monday June 21, the Kleban Foundation hosted a cocktail reception honoring the winners of the 20th Annual Kleban Awards for the most promising musical theater lyricist and librettist. 2010 Kleban Award winners are Peter Mills (the most promising musical theater lyricist) and Barry Wyner (the most promising musical theater librettist). The event also included performances of the winners' material. BroadwayWorld was there to capture the evening and brings you full coverage of the celebration below.

On hand to celebrate were The Kleban Foundation Board of Directors: Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me), Richard Maltby, Jr. (Ain't Misbehavin', Miss Saigon), Alan J. Stein, John Weidman (Road Show, Assassins), Maury Yeston (Nine, Titanic). Performers Krystal Joy Brown (Rent), Victoria Huston-Elem (Meet John Doe), David Foley Jr. (Martha: The Unauthorized Musical), Liz Power (Lonley Rhymes), and Dana Steingold (Perez Hilton Saves the World).

The Kleban Foundation is pleased to announce that the 20th Annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theater lyricist has gone to Peter Mills and the award for the most promising musical theater librettist has gone to Barry Wyner. The 2010 awards will be presented on June 21, 2010, in a private ceremony (by invitation only) at ASCAP.The Kleban Foundation was established in 1988 under the will of Edward L. Kleban, best known as the Tony® and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist of the musical A Chorus Line. The will made provision for two annual prizes, each in the amount of $100,000 payable over two years, to be given to the most promising lyricist and librettist in American Musical Theater. The judges making the final determination this year were Craig Carnelia (Tony Award nominated lyricist, Working and Sweet Smell of Success), Susan Drury (Grants Administrator of the Dramatists' Guild Fund) and playwright and librettist Jeffrey Sweet (Luv and I Sent a Letter to My Love). Previous recipients of the annual Kleban Prize include David Lindsay-Abaire (Shrek), Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years), John Bucchino (A Catered Affair, It's Only Life), Gretchen Cryer (I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac), Michael Korie (Grey Gardens, Happiness), Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), Michael John LaChiusa (See What I Want To See, The Wild Party), Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid) and John Weidman (Pacific Overtures, Road Show, Assassins).

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy