Photo Flash: Nominees Announced for 2017 Broadway Global Producer of the Year

Broadway Global has announced the nominees for the 2017 Producer of the Year. The 2016 winners, Cathy Rigby McCoy & Tom McCoy, the first woman and first couple ever chosen as Producers of the Year (we couldn't honor one, without the other). Cathy & Tom, chosen unanimously by the Board of Directors, are the very definition of the Broadway Global mission statement. Scroll down for photos!

The nominees for 2017 are Michael Alden (Grey Gardens, The King's Speech, Disgraced), Corey Brunish (Dreamgirls), Douglas Denoff (Peggy Sue Got Married), Gloria & Emilio Estefan (On Your Feet), Wendy Radus Federman (Dear Evan Hansen, Hello, Dolly!, The Glass Menagerie), Barbara Freitag (A Doll's House, part 2, Come from Away, Hello, Dolly!), Dennis Grimaldi (Gypsy), Andrew Kato (Regional Artistic Director Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Coordinating Producer - Tony Awards), Stewart Lane (Sunset Boulevard), Mary Maggio (Great Comet), Marc Levine (Sunset Boulevard), Ken Mahoney (Playbill phone app, The Wiz CD), Elliott Masie (Allegiance), Annette Niemtzow (Leap of Faith), Adam Roebuck (Ground Hog Day), Michael Rosenberg (Doctor Zhivago, Side Show, Regional La Jolla Playhouse), Michael Andrew Rubenstein (On the Town, Bullets Over Broadway), Steve Rivellino (Dreamgirls - London), Jordan Roth (President, Jujamcyn Theaters), Scott Sanders (After Midnight), Jeffrey Seller (Hamilton), Ron Simons (Jitney), Thomas Schumacher (President, Disney Theatrical Group), Tom Smedes (Bandstand), Barbara Stein (Actors' Playhouse), Catherine Schreiber (Dreamgirls, Play That Goes Wrong, London), Jhett Tolentino (Grammy winner - The Color Purple cast CD), Sue Vaccaro (Empire), James Wesley (Disaster), Richard Winkler (Come from Away), Ivy Yang (multiple shows in China).

Past winners include JorDan Scott Gilbert (2012 - Ghost), Dale Badway (2013 - Pippin), Tom Kirdahy (2014 - Mothers & Sons, It's only a Play) & Michael A. Alden (2015 - Pippin, Porgy & Bess, An American in Paris).

Every past and present Broadway Global Producer of the Year is proof that art imitates life. Much like politics, we must honor investors in live stage works who inspire & teach respect of cultures, embrace diversity & educate on issues in our now global society. 100 years from now, when global citizens look back at the live stage works created, we expect that our Broadway Global winners will be looked upon as global leaders "on & off the stage." All Broadway Global Producers of the Year winners must be #1 - accessible on social media, #2 - leave a legacy for live stage works for the Broadway brand that inspires respect, embraces diversity & brings nations together & #3 - give back to not-for-profits that make our global society a better world for all, sharing their time & efforts in charity work.

Each winner is presented with the "Producer's Puzzle" an original work of art created by artist, Steve Marshall, who is also an internationally acclaimed American magician living in Japan. Marshall donates the commissions of his works to The Smile Train, an international children's charity that provides 100% free cleft palate repair surgery & comprehensive cleft palate care to children in over 85 developing nations.

Founded in 2009, by Richard Cameron & director/choreographer Ron Hutchins, Broadway Global reminds us that all the arts - dance, music & theatre - are the international language that brings nations together on a global level, honoring our world arts society, keeping artists employed & patrons informed.

The nominations for 2017 Broadway Global Producer of the Year are submitted by prior to the 2017 Tony Awards & are accepted through social media in over 30 city/state Theatre Chat groups on Facebook, with over 200,000 arts lovers.