Tony winner Bartlett Sher will receive the 2026 "Mr. Abbott" Award from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF).
The not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) awards the “Mr. Abbott” to a director or choreographer in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Broadway. The award will be presented to Sher at the Foundation’s Gala on March 23, 2026 at Gotham Hall in New York City.
Sher is a Tony winner for his 2008 revival of South Pacific for Lincoln Center Theater, where he was recently named Executive Producer. His other Broadway credits include The Light in the Piazza, The King and I, My Fair Lady, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Camelot. He most recently the world premiere of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay for the Metropolitan Opera (which will get encore performances in 2026) and the pre-Broadway tryout of the Dolly Parton bio-musical, Dolly: A True Original Musical.
READ: Bartlett Sher Is Bringing Fascism-Fighting Superheroes and Dolly Parton to the Stage
Said Tribute Producer Leigh Silverman, a member of the SDC Executive Board, in a statement: “As an artist, Bart has forged an iconic career, one deserving of our deepest admiration; however, it’s his career-spanning dedication to mentorship that fully embodies the mission of SDC Foundation and makes him an ideal recipient for this prestigious honor. His leadership has spanned impressive tenures at Intiman Theatre and Lincoln Center Theater, all while creating work spanning across the country and on Broadway. We look forward to celebrating the magnitude of his impressive achievements and his steady commitment to uplifting the next generation of directors.”
Chairing the “Mr. Abbott” Award Committee for 2026 are Lincoln Center Theater Board Member Ida Cole; Joseph Haj, Artistic Director of the Guthrie Theater; actor and director LaTanya Richardson Jackson; producer Sir Howard Panter; producer Marc Platt; and producer Jeffrey Richards. Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the programs of SDCF.
The “Mr. Abbott” Award, presented by SDCF on behalf of directors and choreographers to one of their peers, is named in honor of the late renowned director George Abbott. Past recipients include Christopher Ashley, Michael Bennett, Arvin Brown, Vinnette Carroll, Graciela Daniele, Gordon Davidson, Agnes de Mille, Zelda Fichandler, Cy Feuer, Bob Fosse, Peter Gennaro, Garson Kanin, James Lapine, Kenny Leon, Gillian Lynne, Kathleen & Rob Marshall, Marshall W. Mason, Lynne Meadow, Jerry Mitchell, Mike Nichols, Trevor Nunn, Jack O’Brien, Harold Prince, Lloyd Richards, Donald Saddler, Gene Saks, Andrei Serban, Susan Stroman, Daniel Sullivan, Julie Taymor, Tommy Tune, George C. Wolfe, Jerry Zaks, as well as Victoria Traube, the first-ever recipient of the award.
