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BostonTheaterCriticsAssociationAnnounces

The35thAnnualElliotNortonAwardsNominations

DianePaulustoReceiveAnnual

ElliotNortonPrizeforSustainedExcellence

TonyAward-WinningActressCherryJonesWillbeGuestofHonor

--CeremonySetForMondayMay15at7pmatHuntingtonTheatreCompany’sBUTheatre--

Twodozennominationsofoutstandingactors,directors,designersandensembleswereannouncedtodaybyTheBostonTheaterCriticsAssociation(BTCA),withwinnerstoberevealedatthe35thAnnualElliotNortonAwardsonMonday,May15,2017at7PM,atHuntingtonTheatreCompany’sBUTheatre.Thisyear’srecipientoftheElliotNortonPrizeforSustainedExcellenceisDianePaulus,theTerrieandBradleyBloomArtisticDirectoroftheAmericanRepertoryTheater(A.R.T.)atHarvardUniversity.Pauluswasselectedforthe2014TIME100,TIMEMagazine’sannuallistofthe100mostinfluentialpeopleintheworld.Two-timeTonyAward-winningactressCherryJoneswillbetheGuestofHonoratthemuch-anticipatedannualevent.CherrylastappearedonBroadwayinTHEGLASSMENAGERIEwhichoriginatedattheAmericanRepertoryTheaterinCambridge,Massachusetts,wheresheisafoundingmemberandwhereearlierinhercareersheappearedinmorethan25productions.The35thannualElliotNortonAwardswillfeaturethethemeALTERNATIVEACTS,celebratingtheBostonarea’stheatercommunity,futureartists,andtheimportanceoftheartsinourcountry.TheceremonywillfeaturemusicalperformancesbynomineesandtheBostonArtsAcademy,the

awardingofTheElliotNortonPrizeforSustainedExcellence,surpriseappearancesandapost-ceremonyparty.Aportionoftheevening’sproceedswillbedonatedtotheBostonArtsAcademytosupporttheregion’snextgenerationofartists.Awardsforvisitingproductions,actorandactresswillbeannouncedonMay15.Therearenonomineesinthosecategoriesthisyear.JoyceKulhawik,PresidentoftheBTCA,stated,“ItisnotonlyamilestoneyearfortheElliotNortonAwards--our35thAnniversary--butalsoacrucialyearforthearts/artists.Asawomanspeakingtruthtopower,DianehasextendedtheconversationandthereachofBostonareatheatertoBroadwayandtheworld.Ourthemethisyear,‘AlternativeActs,’isacalltoart,tothefundamentalrole‘thecreative’playsinEVERYpartofourlives.“CherryJones'srootsarerighthereinthiscommunityandshehasalwaysbeenanextraordinaryvoiceforfreedomofexpression.ThisisespeciallyimportantnowinaclimatewherethecontributionsofartistsarebeingdevaluedandtheNEAisbeingthreatenedwithextinction.“Wearealsoinvitingourmusicalnomineestoperforminawaythataddressestheimportanceofartinourworld.Finallywebelievethatitiscrucialtonurturefutureartists,sothisyearwearemakingadonationtosupporttheBostonArtsAcademy,whosestudentswilltakethestagealongwithourprofessionalperformers!GetreadyforterrificmusicalperformancesfromournomineesandafabulousafterpartyintheHuntingtonTheatre’sStewartLaneandBonnieComleyStudio210!"The2017awardsarepresentedwiththesupportoftheHuntingtonTheatrecompany,andTheHowardGotliebArchivalResearchCenterissponsoringthe35thAnniversaryreceptionaftertheceremony.TheElliotNortonAwardsarepresentedannuallybyTheBostonTheaterCriticsAssociation(DonAucoin,JaredBowen,TerryByrne,CarolynClay,IrisFanger,JeremyD.Goodwin,JoyceKulhawik,KilianMelloy,BobNesti,andEdSiegel)tohonortheoutstandingproductions,directors,designers,andperformersthataudienceshaveseenonGreaterBostonstagesthroughouttheyear.TheElliotNortonAwardsarenamedfortheeminentBostontheatercriticElliotNorton,whoremainedanactivesupporterofdrama,bothlocallyandnationally,untilhisdeathin2003attheageof100.TheBostontheatercommunitycarriesonhislegacyandcanbeproudofitsremarkablegrowthatatimeinournation’shistorywhentheartsarestrugglingtosurvive.

SpecialandhonoredguestsattheawardsinpastyearscompriseaWho’sWhoofdistinguishedartistswhohavegracedBoston’sstages,including:LeaDeLaria,MaryLouiseWilson,OlympiaDukakis,ChitaRivera,TommyTune,AlPacino,EdwardAlbee,BrianDennehy,AugustWilson,JulieHarris,SirIanMcKellen,LynnRedgrave,andJasonRobards.

The35thannualElliotNortonAwardswillbeheldattheHuntingtonTheatreCompany’sBUTheatre,264HuntingtonAve.,Boston,onMonday,May15at7PM.Ticketsarepricedat$35.00;savvyshopperswilltakeadvantageof$10offtheregularticketprice(availablethroughMay1),usingthecodeNORTIES10.TicketsareonsaleattheBostonTheatreSceneBoxOffice,atwww.bostontheatrescene.comorbycalling(617)933-8600.

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Diane Paulus is the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater(A.R.T.)atHarvardUniversity,andwasselectedforthe2014TIME100,TIMEMagazine’sannuallistofthe100most influentialpeople in theworld.Paulus is the2013recipientof theTonyAward forBestDirectorofaMusical (Pippin).A.R.T.:EveEnsler'sIn theBodyof theWorld, Waitress(currentlyonBroadwayattheBrooksAtkinsonTheater),Crossing(anewAmericanoperawithmusicandlibrettobyMatt Aucoin),Finding Neverland(currently on US National Tour),Witness Uganda,Pippin(TonyAward, Best Revival and Best Director),The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess(Tony Award, Best Revival,NAACPAward,BestDirection),PrometheusBound,DeathandthePowers:TheRobots’Opera,BestofBoth Worlds,Johnny Baseball,The Donkey Show. Her other recent work includes Cirque duSoleil’sAmaluna, currently on tour in Europe,Invisible Threadat Second Stage, The Public Theater’sTonyAward-winning revival ofHAIRonBroadway andLondon’sWestEnd.As an operadirector, hercreditsincludeTheMagicFlute,thecompleteMonteverdicycle,andthetrioofMozart-DaPonteoperas,amongothers.DianeisProfessorofthePracticeofTheaterinHarvardUniversity’sEnglishDepartment.She was selected as one ofVariety’s “Trailblazing Women in Entertainment for 2014” andBostonMagazine’s“50ThoughtLeadersof2014.”CHERRY JONES most recently made her West End debut in the triumphant revival of TennesseeWilliams’ The Glass Menagerie which has garnered seven Olivier Award nominations, including anomination for Cherry for Best Actress. Cherry last appeared on Broadway also in THE GLASSMENAGERIEwhichoriginatedattheAmericanRepertoryTheater inCambridge,Massachusetts,whereshe isa foundingmemberandwhereearlier inhercareersheappeared inmorethan25productionsincludingTwelfthNight,TheThreeSistersandTheCaucasianChalkCircle.BroadwayandOff-Broadway:Doubt(Tony,DramaDesk,LucilleLortel,OuterCriticsCircleandObieAwards),LincolnCenterTheater’sproductionofTheHeiress(Tony,DramaDeskandOuterCriticsCircleAwards);Pride’sCrossing(DramaDeskAward);WhenWeWereYoungandUnafraid;TheBaltimoreWaltz(ObieAward);FaithHealer;FleshandBlood;ImaginaryFriends;AMoonfortheMisbegotten(TonyAwardnomination);AngelsinAmerica;OurCountry’sGood(TonyAwardnomination);andRoundaboutTheatreCompany’sproductionsofMrs.Warren’sProfession,MajorBarbaraandTheNightoftheIguana.Television:PresidentAllisonTaylorin“24” (Emmy Award), “What Makes a Family,” “Awake,” season two and three of “Transparent” onAmazon, “Mercy Street,” themini-series 11/22/63, and the upcoming Sally Potter film THE PARTY."Film:Ocean’sTwelve,CradleWillRock,TheHorseWhisperer,ThePerfectStorm,ErinBrockovich,Signs,TheVillage,MotherandChild,Swimmers,ISawtheLight,andWhiskeyTangoFoxtrotoppositeTinaFey.

BostonTheaterCriticsAssociation35thAnniversaryElliotNortonAwards

ElliotNortonPrizeforSustainedExcellenceThisyear'srecipientoftheENPforSustainedExcellenceisDianePaulus,ArtisticDirectoroftheAmericanRepertoryTheater,forexpandingtheboundariesofBoston-areatheateranditsroleinthenationalconversation

The2017ElliotNortonAwardnominees

Awardsforvisitingproductions,actorandactresswillbeannouncedonMay16.Therearenonomineesinthosecategoriesthisyear.

OutstandingProduction,LargeTheaterFingersmith(AmericanRepertoryTheater)Topdog/Underdog(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)Love’sLabour’sLost(CommonwealthShakespeareCompany)OutstandingProduction,MidsizeTheaterHandtoGod(SpeakEasyStageCompany)Who’sAfraidofVirginiaWoolf?(LyricStageCompanyofBoston)EdwardII(Actors’ShakespeareProject)OutstandingProduction,SmallTheaterOhGod(IsraeliStage)LetticeandLovage(GloucesterStageCompany)We’reGonnaDie(CompanyOneTheatre)OutstandingProduction,FringeTheaterBlasted(OfftheGridTheatreCompany)SilentSky(FlatEarthTheatre)TheLittleDogLaughed(TakeYourPickProductions)OutstandingDesign,LargeTheaterFingersmith(AmericanRepertoryTheater)SetdesignbyChristopherAcebo,costumesbyDeborahDryden,lightingbyJenSchriever,composer/sounddesignerAndrePluess,projectiondesignbyShawnSagady,wigandmakeupdesignbyRachelPadulaShufeltAnAmericaninParis(BochCenterWangTheatre)SetandcostumedesignbyBobCrowley,lightingbyNatashaKatz,sounddesignbyJonWeston,projectiondesignby59ProductionsTopdog/Underdog(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)ScenicandcostumedesignbyClintRamos,lightingbyDriscollOtto,sounddesignbyLeonRothenbergOutstandingDesign,Midsize,SmallorFringeTheaterTheSchoolforScandal(Actors’ShakespeareProject)SetdesignbyJ.MichaelGriggs,costumesbyTylerKinneyandJenBennett,lightingbyKarenPerlow,hairandmakeupdesignbyAmberVonner,sounddesignbyDarbySmotherman,propsmasterMisakiNishimiyaEdwardII(Actors’ShakespeareProject)SetdesignbySaraBrown,lightingbyJeffAdelberg,costumesbyRachelPadulaShufelt,sounddesignbyDavidWilson,violencedesignbyOmarRobinson,propsmaster

ElizabethRochaTheAtheist(BostonPlaywrights’Theatre)ScenicdesignbyRonanNoone,lightingbyMatthewBreton,sounddesignbyPhilSchroeder,costumedesignbyGeorgiaLyman,mediaadvisorZacharyDyerOutstandingActor,LargeTheaterTyroneMitchellHenderson,Topdog/Underdog(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)MatthewJ.Harris,Topdog/Underdog(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)RussellHarvard,IWasMostAlivewithYou(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)OutstandingActor,MidsizeTheaterMauriceEmmanuelParent,EdwardII(Actors’ShakespeareProject)EliottPurcell,HandtoGod(SpeakEasyStageCompany)StevenBarkhimer,Who’sAfraidofVirginiaWoolf?(LyricStageCompanyofBoston)OutstandingActor,SmallorFringeTheaterChristopherJamesWebb,Blasted(OfftheGridTheatreCompany)BarlowAdamson,TheHoneyTrap(BostonPlaywrights’Theatre)WillLyman,OhGod(IsraeliStage)OutstandingActress,LargeTheaterKristineNielsen,Fingersmith(AmericanRepertoryTheater)AmandaPlummer,TheNightoftheIguana(AmericanRepertoryTheater)KarenMacDonald,FinishLine(BochCenterinassociationwithBostonTheaterCompany)OutstandingActress,MidsizeTheaterMariannaBassham,HandtoGod(SpeakEasyStageCompany)andHamlet(Actors’ShakespeareProject)PaulaPlum,Who’sAfraidofVirginiaWoolf?(LyricStageCompanyofBoston)CelesteOliva,StageKiss(LyricStageCompanyofBoston)OutstandingActress,SmallorFringeTheaterMaureenKeiller,FaithlessandTheHoneyTrap(BostonPlaywrights’Theatre)andOhGod(IsraeliStage)KippyGoldfarb,Really(CompanyOneTheatreinpartnershipwithMatter&LightFineArt)ErinEvaButcher,SilentSky(FlatEarthTheatre)OutstandingNewScriptMala,byMelindaLopez(ArtsEmerson)NotesfromtheField:DoingTimeinEducation,byAnnaDeavereSmith(AmericanRepertoryTheater)IWasMostAlivewithYou,byCraigLucas(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)OutstandingSoloPerformanceObehiJanice,We’reGonnaDie(CompanyOneTheatre)AnnaDeavereSmith,NotesfromtheField:DoingTimeinEducation(AmericanRepertoryTheater)GeorgiaLyman,TheAtheist(BostonPlaywrights’Theatre)OutstandingDirector,LargeTheaterBillyPorter,Topdog/Underdog(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)

BillRauch,Fingersmith(AmericanRepertoryTheater)GarryHynes,TheBeautyQueenofLeenane(DruidTheatreCompany,presentedbyArtsEmerson)OutstandingDirector,MidsizeTheaterPaulDaigneault,Dogfight,SignificantOtherandTheScottsboroBoys(SpeakEasyStageCompany)DavidR.Gammons,HandtoGod(SpeakEasyStageCompany)andEdwardII(Actors’ShakespeareProject)ScottEdmiston,Who’sAfraidofVirginiaWoolf?(LyricStageCompanyofBoston)OutstandingDirector,SmallorFringeTheaterGuyBen-Aharon,OhGod(IsraeliStage)andDogPaddle(BridgeRepertoryTheater)DanielleFauteuxJacques,BrilliantAdventures(ApollinaireTheatreCompany)JohnKuntz,Blasted(OfftheGridTheatreCompany)OutstandingMusicalProduction,LargeTheaterSundayintheParkwithGeorge(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)ShowBoat(FiddleheadTheatreCompany)Spamalot(NorthShoreMusicTheatre)OutstandingMusicalProduction,Midsize,SmallorFringeTheaterFiddlerontheRoof(NewRepertoryTheatre)TheScottsboroBoys(SpeakEasyStageCompany)BillyElliot(WheelockFamilyTheatre)OutstandingMusicalPerformancebyanActorJeremiahKissel,FiddlerontheRoof(NewRepertoryTheatre)De’LonGrant,TheScottsboroBoys(SpeakEasyStageCompany)SethJudice,BillyElliot(WheelockFamilyTheatre)OutstandingMusicalPerformancebyanActressShoshanaBean,FunnyGirl(NorthShoreMusicTheatre)AlejandraM.Parrilla,Dogfight(SpeakEasyStageCompany)JenniBarber,SundayintheParkwithGeorge(HuntingtonTheatreCompany)OutstandingEnsembleRegularSinging(NewRepertoryTheatreandStonehamTheatre)TheScottsboroBoys(SpeakEasyStageCompany)TheBeautyQueenofLeenane(DruidTheatreCompanypresentedbyArtsEmerson