O’Brien, who has directed such hits as Hairspray, Henry IV, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Invention of Love and The Full Monty, was honored for his "commitment to the development of classical actors and a national audience for the theatre," the stipulations for the yearly award. At left, original Hairspray star Matthew Morrison and Lennon’s Chad Kimball are seen at the Acting Company's Black & White Masquerade Ball, the event at which the award is given out. Below, Marc Shaiman and Joanna Gleason congratulate O'Brien during the ball, hosted by the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue and 50th Street in New York City.
Photos by Aubrey Reuben