Tony Awards Nina Lannan and Alan Wasser Will Receive 2017 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre The award is presented to institutions, individuals, and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre.

By Olivia Clement

April 20, 2017

“Nina and Alan are the driving forces behind some of Broadway’s most cherished and long-running musicals, and their individual contributions to the theatrical landscape, not only on Broadway but around the world, are exemplary. We are thrilled to honor them this year,” commented Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing, and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League, in a joint statement.

Lannan has served as executive producer and general manager on more than 50 Broadway productions. She began her Broadway career as the assistant general manager on the musical Cats in 1980 and stayed with the production for its 18-year engagement. Lanan has also worked on Annie Get Your Gun, Starlight Express, Sunset Boulevard, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Dirty Dancing, The Color Purple, Legally Blonde, 9 to 5, and Billy Elliot. In addition to general management, she has served as the executive producer of School of Rock, Motown: The Musical, and Mamma Mia!. She is the co-founder of Bespoke Theatricals with Maggie Brohn, Amy Jacobs, and Devin Keudell.

Alan Wasser was the founder and chairman of Alan Wasser Associates, comprising three companies which specialized in theatrical general management, tour booking, and tour marketing across the U.S. In 1986, the company general managed all of Cameron Mackintosh’s Broadway and U.S. touring productions, including Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Swan Lake, Putting It Together, Martin Guerre, and Oklahoma! He later formed Foresight Theatrical LLC, which offers executive producing, general managing, booking, press, and other theatrical resources for stage productions. Broadway productions have included Fosse, Seussical, All Shook Up, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chita Rivera – The Dancer’s Life, A Chorus Line, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Cry Baby the Musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Lysistrata Jones, and more. The company was the General Manager for the Tony Awards from 2009-2012.

The 2017 Tony Awards will take place June 11 at Radio City Music Hall. The 71st annual ceremony will be hosted by Oscar and Tony Award winner Kevin Spacey. Nominations for this year's Tonys will be announced May 2 by Hamilton's Christopher Jackson and She Loves Me's Jane Krakowski.