Playbill News: Fantasia Barrino and Bill Nighy Among Winners of Theatre World Awards

Fantasia Barrino and Bill Nighy Among Winners of Theatre World Awards

By Ernio Hernandez
May 22, 2007

Fantasia Barrino, Jonathan Groff, Bill Nighy, Nilaja Sun and Lin-Manuel Miranda are among the recipients of the 2006-07 Theatre World Awards.

The honors are awarded to those performers making their first major New York stage appearance (Broadway or Off-Broadway debuts). A special award will also be presented to The Actors' Fund in honor of its 125th anniversary.

The 63rd annual awards ceremony will be held at an invitation-only event at New World Stages June 5. The 12 awards bestowed are traditionally presented by former award winners.

The 2007 winners follow:

Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple

Eve Best, A Moon for the Misbegotten

Mary Birdsong, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me

Erin Davie, Grey Gardens

Xanthe Elbrick, Coram Boy

Johnny Galecki, The Little Dog Laughed

Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening

Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins

Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights

Bill Nighy, The Vertical Hour

Stark Sands, Journey's End

Nilaja Sun, No Child…

First presented in 1945, the Theatre World Awards are among the oldest theatrical awards. Traditionally, a committee of theatre writers chooses six men and six women. On occasion, the awards bestow a Special Theatre World Award on "performers, casts or others who have made a particularly lasting impression on the New York theatre scene," as stated on the official Theatre World Awards website.

This year's honorees were chosen by the Theatre World Awards committee, comprised of Peter Filichia (Theatermania), Harry Haun (Playbill), Matthew Murray (Talkin' Broadway), Frank Scheck (New York Post), Michael Sommers (Newhouse Papers), Doug Watt (Critic Emeritus, New York Daily News) and Linda Winer (Newsday).

For further information, visit theatreworldawards.org.