Henry Hewes winners announced

Here's the release. Pictured is the outstanding design for The Normal Heart.

"Six theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 47th Annual Awards in a luncheon ceremony this winter. Eighty-six theater artists were nominated for outstanding work in 61 productions presented during the 2010-2011 New York season.

These annual awards honor designers for work in venues on Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway, recognizing not only the traditional categories of Scenic Design, Costume Design and Lighting Design, but also "Notable Effects," which encompass sound, music, video, puppetry and other creative elements. All nominated designs must have originated in United States productions. The Hewes Awards Committee considered more than 200 productions when making its nominations.

John Lee Beatty extends his record of honors with his seventh Hewes Award; William Ivey Long receives his fourth; Jeff Croiter, David Rockwell and Batwin+Robin each receive their first such honor. Beatty, Long, Rockwell, Ben Stanton, David Zinn and Catherine Zuber led all nominees with three nominations each. Eight other designers received two nominations for their work during the 2010-2011 season.

Theatre for a New Audience's production of Notes From Underground and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's production of The Hallway Trilogy each received four distinct nominations to lead all other contenders. Broadway productions of Anything Goes, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Good People received three nominations each, as did the Signature Theatre Company's Angels in America, New York Theatre Workshop's Peter and the Starcatcher and Three Pianos, the Public Theater's The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures and Manhattan Theatre Club's The Whipping Man. Another 10 productions on, Off and Off Off Broadway each received two nominations.

The HHDA Committee named honorees in four categories: Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design and Notable Effects. As of the 2011 awards, the Committee has bestowed 277 honors on 174 artists representing 191 productions.

Originally known as the Maharam Awards at their inception in 1965, the Hewes Awards were later known as the American Theatre Wing Design Awards in honor of the Wing’s generous sponsorship. They were renamed in 1999 for noted critic Henry Hewes, who created the awards and served as a board member of the American Theatre Wing until his death in 2006 at age 89.

2011 HENRY HEWES DESIGN AWARDS HONOREES
Scenic Design
John Lee Beatty
The Whipping Man (Manhattan Theatre Club)

Costume Design
William Ivey Long
The School for Lies (Classic Stage Company)

Lighting Design
Jeff Croiter
Peter and the Starcatcher (NY Theatre Workshop)

Notable Effects
(Scenery and Projections)
David Rockwell
The Normal Heart (Broadway)
Batwin+Robin
The Normal Heart (Broadway)"