The American Theatre Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the Executive Committee. In an announcement at a luncheon meeting on March 1972, he said that the new Theater Hall of Fame would be located in the Uris Theatre (then under construction, now the Gershwin). James M. Nederlander and Gerard Oestreicher, who leased the theatre, donated the space for the Hall of Fame; Arnold Weissberger was another founder. Blackwell noted that the first 90 members of the Hall of Fame had been chosen, with their names "to be embossed in bronze-gold lettering on the theater's entrance walls flanking its grand staircase and escalator."[1] The first group of inductees to be elected, 23 in all, were announced in October 1972.[2]
Eligible inductees come from disciplines including actors, playwrights, song writers, designers, directors and producers who have had a career on Broadway spanning at least twenty-five years with a minimum of five major theatrical credits.[3] Selections are made by approximately 400 voting members from the Theater Hall of Fame and the American Theatre Critics Association.
Induction takes place at a ceremony at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City, where the plaques containing the names of the inductees are hung.[4]
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The 2009 inductees are Jim Dale, John McMartin, Roger Berlind, Ted Mann, Stephen Schwartz, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and posthumously, the late Lynn Redgrave and Charles Ludlam. The ceremony took place on January 25, 2010.[5]
The 2010 inductees are Brian Dennehy, Linda Lavin, Fritz Weaver, Michael Blakemore, Caryl Churchill, Paul Gemignani; James Lapine and, posthumously, Joseph Chaikin. The ceremony took place on January 24, 2011, hosted by Pia Lindstrom.[6]
Inductees (This is a partial list, for a more complete list, see[3]):
There is also a special Theater Hall of Fame Founders Award, established in 1993 in honor of the 3 founders, and awarded for an individual's outstanding contribution to the theatre.[8]
Founders Award Awardees
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