Schmigadoon! Dances Away With Chita Rivera Awards

The dance ensemble of Schmigadoon!
Credit: Matthew Murphy and
Evan Zimmerman

Schmigadoon! dances away with the most Chita Rivera Awards, honoring excellence in dance in NYC theater and film, presented May 18 at NYU Skirball (after having won Outstanding Musical and Choreography at the Drama Desks the night before). The musical parody of Golden Age tuners based on the Apple TV + series won for Christopher Gattelli's Choreography, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Dancers. Max Clayton and Isabella McCalla of Schmigadoon! shared the award with Robert "Silk" Mason of Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Show-biz legend Ann-Margret (Bye Bye Birdie, Carnal Knowledge) was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by Leslie Uggams) and the revue Gotta Dance! won the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics Choice Award.

This year's awarding committee was chaired by Sylviane Gold, and also included Gary Chryst, Peter Filichia, Robert LaFosse, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, and Lee Roy Reams.

Broadway and film categories have a separate nominating committee that oversees the nominations. This year's Broadway nominating committee included Caitlin Carter, Gary Chryst, Don Correia, Sandy Duncan, Peter Filichia, Dr. Louis Galli, Sylviane Gold, Jonathan Herzog, Robert La Fosse, Joe Lanteri, Michael Milton, Mary Beth O'Connor, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, Lee Roy Reams, Andy Sandberg, and Randy Skinner. The Film nominating committee, chaired by Jonathan C. Herzog, comprised Steven Caras, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Mary Beth O’Connor, and Andy Sandberg.

List of winners:

Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show
WINNER - Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Lorin Latarro, Chess
Ellenore Scott, Ragtime
Ellenore Scott, Titaníque
Ani Taj, The Rocky Horror Show
Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show
Jonathan Burke, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Baby Byrne, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
WINNER - Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!
Zachary Downer, Schmigadoon!
Sydney James Harcourt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Dava Huesca, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
WINNER - Robert “Silk” Mason, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
WINNER - Isabelle McCalla, Schmigadoon!
Sarah Meahl, Chess
Constantine Rousouli, Titaníque
Layton Williams, Titaníque
Lyrica Woodruff, Schmigadoon!

Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Chess
Ragtime
WINNER - Schmigadoon!
The Rocky Horror Show
Titaníque

Hurder, Csolak, BV Cast Win Chita Rivera Awards

Robyn Hurder (center) of Smash
won Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show
along with Kevin Csolak of Gypsy.
Credit: Matthew Murphy
Dancer in a

Robyn Hurder (Ivy of Smash), Kevin Csolak (Tulsa from Gypsy) and the ensemble of Buena Vista Social Club were among the winners of the Chita Rivera Awards, presented May 19 at NYU Skirball in a ceremony hosted by Laura Bell Bundy, Kerry Butler, and Marissa Jaret Winokur. The awards, named for the beloved Broadway dance icon, honor excellence in dance and choreography in New York stage and film and TV. 

Presenters included Tituss Burgess, Donna Murphy, Savion Glover, Nathan Lee Graham, Shoshana Bean, Nicole Fosse, Noah Fosse, Liz Cho, Khori Petinaud, Lorna Luft, Stephanie Pope, Stephen Schwartz, and Vy Higginsen. The evening also featured performances from Broadway's BOOP! The Musical and the revival of Gypsy as well as The Verdon Fosse Legacy and The Sing Harlem Choir. 

The complete list of winners for the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards follows:

Buena Vista Leads Chita Rivera Noms

Buena Vista Social Club
leads nominations for the Chita Rivera Awards.
Credit: Matthew Murphy

Buena Vista Social Club leads the Chita Rivera Awards nominations for outstanding dancing and choreography on stage and in film with citations for choreography, ensemble, and five of its dancers. The nominations were announced on April 29 and the awards will be presented on May 19 at NYU Skirball. 

The Awarding Committee consists of Sylviane Gold, chair, Gary Chryst, Robert LaFosse, Donna McKechnie, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, and Lee Roy Reams.

Broadway Nominating Committee: Melinda Atwood, Caitlin Carter, Gary Chryst, Don Correia, Sandy Duncan, Peter Filichia, Dr. Louis Galli, Sylviane Gold, Jonathan Herzog, Robert La Fosse, Joe Lanteri, Donna McKechnie, Michael Milton, Mary Beth O’Connor, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, Lee Roy Reams, Desmond Richardson, Andy Sandberg, and Randy Skinner

Film Nominating Committee: Chair: Jonathan C. Herzog, Steven Caras, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Mary Beth O’Connor, and Andy Sandberg.

A complete list of the nominees follows:

Chita Rivera, Drama League, Other Awards

Winners of the Chita Rivera, Drama League and awards presented by Actors Equity Foundation were recently announced. On Mon. May 20, the Chita Rivera Awards for outstanding dance and choregraphy in theater and film were presented at NYU's Skirball Hall (site of the Drama Desks on June 10).

BROADWAY

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BROADWAY SHOW: TIE – Camille A Brown, Hell’s Kitchen; Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, Water for Elephants

Isabella McCalla and Antoine Boissereau
in Water for Elephants.
Credit: Matthew Murphy

OUTSTANDING DANCER IN A BROADWAY SHOW: Antoine Boissereau, Water For Elephants; Tilly Evans-Kreuger, The Outsiders

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW: Illinoise

FILM AND DOCUMENTARY

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A THEATRICAL RELEASE: Barbie, Jennifer White

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A DANCE DOCUMENTARY: Lift, David Petersen

SPECIAL AWARDS

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Bernadette Peters

VANGUARD AWARD: Phil LaDuca

DOUGLAS AND ETHEL WATT CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD: Mayte Natalio.

Illinoise Leads Chita Rivera Nominations

Illinoise leads the Chita Rivera Award noms.
Credit: Liz Lauren

Illinoise, the dance-theater work inspired by Sufjan Stevens' album, received the most nominations for the Chita Rivera Awards for excellence in dance and choreography in theater and film, with seven. Barbie, The Color Purple and Mean Girls were among the film nominees. Bebe Neuwirth, currently starring in the revival of Cabaret, read the nominations on ABC News' GMA3: What You Need to Know, on April 29, less than two hours after Kathleen Turner made a similar announcement about the Drama Desks on WNBC. The Chita Rivera Awards will be presented on May 20 at the NYU Skirball Center. Bernadette Peters will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award to presented by Joel Grey.

Here's a list of the nominees:

Broadway

Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show
Camille A. Brown, Hell’s Kitchen
Julia Cheng, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Rick and Jeff Kuperman, The Outsiders
Lorin Latarro, The Heart of Rock and Roll / The Who’s Tommy
Justin Peck, Illinoise
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, Water for Elephants

Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show
Antoine Boissereau, Water for Elephants
Ben Cook, Illinoise
Chloe Davis, Hell’s Kitchen
Gaby Diaz, Illinoise
Tilly Evans-Krueger, The Outsiders
Rachel Lockhart, Illinoise
Phillip Johnson Richardson, The Wiz
Byron Tittle, Illinoise
Ricky Ubeda, Illinoise
Avery Wilson, The Wiz

B'way Update: Forbidden B'way Postponed; Theater Award News

The first Broadway production of Forbidden Broadway has been postponed indefinitely. The latest edition of the long-running satirical revue was to have played the Hayes Theater beginning on July 29 with an opening set for Aug. 15. The limited engagement was to have played through Nov. 1. The producers cited the high volume of shows competing for theatergoers' attention and dollars.

“We made the difficult decision today to postpone the upcoming Broadway production of Forbidden Broadway on Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song,” said producers Ryan Bogner, Victoria Lang and Tracey McFarland in a statement. “The Broadway landscape is enormously crowded at this moment, and while we adore Forbidden Broadway, we are disappointed that the show will not open at the Hayes on Broadway this summer. New programming for the Hayes Theater this summer will be announced soon.”

The Hayes is currently housing Paula Vogel's Mother Play which is scheduled to run until mid-June. The memory play has received excellent notices and might extend its run depending on cast schedules and if it reaps any Tony Award gold. 

This is the second recent Broadway production to announce a postponement. Rod Madge's solo My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?) was to have played the Lyceum but plans were scuttled in February.

Bebe Neuwirth and Chita Rivera
Credit: Emilio Madrid-Kuser

Theater Award News: Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth, currently starring in the revival of Cabaret, will announce the nominees for the Chita Rivera Awards on Mon. April 29 on ABC's GMA3 during the 1pm block. This means we will have a double dose of theater award nominations. Earlier the same day, Kathleen Turner will give out the Drama Desk nominations on WNBC's New York Live at 11:30 am.

Then, the next day, April 30, the Tony Award nominations will be read by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Renee Elise Goldsberry. A portion of the press conference will be broadcast on CBS Mornings at 8:30am. The full announcement will drop on the Tony Awards' YouTube Channel beginning at 9am.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson and
Renee Elise Goldsberry will
announced the 2023-24 Tony nominees.

B'way Update: Outer Critics and Chita Rivera Dates Announced

While the Oscars have been busy announcing their noms, the music industry has been gearing up for the Grammys and the NFL is readying itself for the Super Bowl, two New York theater awards have announced their dates. The Outer Critics Circle will give out their nominations for the best of the Broadway and Off-Broadway 2023-24 season on April 22 (the same day the Drama League puts out their noms) via press release. The winners will be announced on May 13 and the awards will be presented on May 23 at a location to be announced. 

Led by its current President, David Gordon, the OCC Board of Directors also includes Vice President Richard Ridge, Recording Secretary Joseph Cervelli, Corresponding Secretary Patrick Hoffman, Treasurer David Roberts, Harry Haun, Cynthia Allen, Dan Rubins, Janice Simpson, and Doug Strassler.  Simon Saltzman is President Emeritus.  Stanley L. Cohen serves as Financial Consultant.  The Board of Directors also serves as the Nominating Committee. Lauren Yarger serves as the Outer Critics Circle Awards ceremony executive producer.