The winners will be celebrated at the 72nd Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony May 23 beginning at 7 PM at Circle in the Square Theatre. Hosted annually by theatre journalist Peter Filichia, the ceremony is produced by Theatre World Awards, Inc. Board of Directors.

First presented in 1945, the Theatre World Awards, founded by John Willis, are the oldest awards given for Outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway Debut Performances. The Theatre World Awards are presented annually at the end of the theatre season to six actors and six actresses for their "significant, reviewable, debut performances in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production."

2016 Theatre World Award Honorees
Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performance during the 2015-2016 theatrical season

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

Carmen Cusack, Bright Star

Khris Davis, The Royale

Daniel Durant, Spring Awakening

Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

John Krasinski, Dry Powder

Sarah Charles Lewis, Tuck Everlasting

Austin P. McKenzie, Spring Awakening

Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed

Mark Strong, A View From The Bridge

Ana Villafañe, On Your Feet

Ben Whishaw, The Crucible

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2016 Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater Winner

Outstanding Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway Production:

Nicholas Barasch, for his performance as Arpad Lazslo in She Loves Me

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2016 John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Winner

Bernadette Peters