The honorees of the eighth annual Lilly Awards have been announced. Director Julie Taymor and Broadway star and “UnREAL” actress Denée Benton are among the 2017 recipients, BroadwayWorld reports.
Named after playwright Lillian Hellman, the Lillys recognize the achievements of women in American Theater. This year’s ceremony “will also be awarding grants to a select few women making an impact on American Theater.” These prizes, which will be presented at the event, include the New York Women’s Foundation Directing Apprenticeship Award, the Leah Ryan Prize, the Harper Lee Award, the Stacey Mindich “Go Write a Play” Award, and the Daryl Roth Creative Spirit Award.
Taymor is the Tony-winning stage director of “The Lion King” and “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.” Her film credits include “Frida,” “Across the Universe,” and “The Tempest.”
Benton is an actress and singer who received a Tony nod in 2016 for her work in “Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812.” She portrayed Black Lives Matter activist Ruby Carter on season 2 of Lifetime’s “UnREAL.”
The other 2017 Lilly honorees are actress, singer, writer, and composer Micki Grant (“Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope”), Tony-nominated costume designer Toni-Leslie James (“August Wilson’s Jitney”), producer and Williamstown Theater Festival artistic director Mandy Greenfield, and actresses Madison Ferris (“The Glass Menagerie”) and Beanie Feldstein (“Hello, Dolly!”).
Among the past Lilly Award winners are Lupita Nyong’o, Gloria Steinem, Kristin Chenoweth, Susan Stroman (“The Producers”), Jessie Mueller (“Waitress”), Danai Gurira (“The Walking Dead”), Kathy Najimy (“Veep”), Nina Arianda (“Venus in Fur”), Katori Hall (“The Mountaintop”), and Lois Smith (“The Americans”).
The Lilly Awards will be held this Monday, May 22 at Playwrights Horizons in NY. “Bridge and Tunnel” playwright Sarah Jones is set to host the festivities. Check out the Lilly Awards website for more information.
