Photo by Anita and Steve Shevett/Shevett Studios
Name: John Tartaglia
Little Rock Connection: Directed world premiere musical Because of Winn Dixie at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in December 2013.
Tony Awards Connection: Tony nomination for Actor in a Musical for his performance in Avenue Q. Has appeared on Tony ceremonies as a presenter. Other Broadway credits include appearing in Tony-winning productions of Beauty & the Beast and Shrek.
Photo by Peter Kramer/ Getty Images Entertainment
Name – Julie Andrews
Little Rock Connection – Appeared at Arkansas Repertory Theatre at a fundraiser for the Rep
Tony Awards Connection – Thrice nominated for a Tony for Actress in a Musical – 1957 My Fair Lady, 1961 Camelot, 1996, Victor/Victoria. Hosted the 1970, 1984 and 1991 Tony Awards ceremonies. Has appeared as a presenter on numerous other Tony Awards telecasts.
Lawrence Hamilton
Little Rock connection: Arkansas native, former Philander Smith College faculty member, acted at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in The Piano Lesson, To Kill a Mockingbird and Looking over the President’s Shoulder and directed Arkansas Rep’s production of Crowns, appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra as well as numerous other performances and events throughout Little Rock and Arkansas. He also brought his friends to Little Rock to perform including Jessye Norman. He was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame.
Tony Awards connection: Appeared on Broadway in Tony winning productions of Jelly’s Last Jam, Sophisticated Ladies, Ragtime and Tony-nominated productions of Play On!, Uptown…It’s Hot!, and Porgy & Bess.
Photo by Jason Szenes European Pressphoto Agency.
Duncan Sheik
Little Rock connection – Composer of musical Because of Winn Dixie which world premiered at the Arkansas Rep in December 2013
Tony Awards connection – Tony winner for Musical Score as well as Tony winner for Orchestrations for the musical Spring Awakening.
In addition to Because of Winn Dixie, premiered musical version of American Psycho in London in December 2013.
This is the start of a 68 day countdown to the 68th Tony Awards (held on 6/8) by exploring Little Rock connections with these Broadway awards.
Will Trice and one of his Tony Awards – photo by John Sykes Jr.
Up first – Will Trice
Little Rock connection – Little Rock native; graduate of Central High School
Tony Awards connection – Tony winning producer of revivals of Porgy and Bess and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; Tony nominee for revival of The Best Man.
On Broadway this season as one of producers of the plays All the Way and The Realistic Joneses, the musical The Bridges of Madison County, and the revivals The Glass Menagerie and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.
Little Rock Culture Vulture 