Mayor Bloomberg unveiled Spotlight on Broadway yesterday during the free Broadway on Broadway concert in Times Square. A project of the New York mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the program will celebrate the history of Broadway by highlighting the theaters and people who contribute to its cultural legacy. As part of a growing archive of multimedia storytelling, 40 short documentary portraits are available now on its website. Designs are also in the works for a permanent installation in Times Square. The program has been supported by the Broadway League and labor union partners, the Museum of the City of New York, New York Public Library, Shubert Archive and Sony Broadway Masterworks. The full project is planned to be in place by fall 2013.
Inaugural Spotlight Award winners Tommy Tune, Chita Rivera and Charles Strouse
To coincide with the program’s launch, the inaugural Spotlight Awards were presented to recognize and honor individuals in the Broadway community who have made a significant contribution over a ten-year period in one of the following four categories: Industry Support, Actors, Behind-the-Scenes Talent, and Producers. During Broadway on Broadway yesterday, the first class of Spotlight Award winners honored included musical actress Chita Rivera; composer Charles Strouse; actress Arlene Dahl; musical actor-stager Tommy Tune; Equity president Nick Wyman; IATSE president Matthew D. Loeb; producer James M. Nederlander; and general manager Nina Lannan.