Julie Taymor is set to add another award to her stacked résumé. The Tony-winning director of “The Lion King” will be honored with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s (SDCF) 2018 Mr. Abbott Award, BroadwayWorld reports. Named after the late director George Abbott (“The Pajama Game”), the accolade is presented to a director or choreographer who has made “extraordinary contributions” to the profession.
Taymor will take home the award at the SDCF’s annual gala on April 2, 2018 in New York City.
“I am so pleased that SDC Foundation is honoring Julie Taymor with this year’s ‘Mr. Abbott’ Award,” said Stage Directors and Choreographers Society prez Pam MacKinnon. “Her inventive, imaginative, and daringly theatrical work across media has inspired and touched generations of artists and audiences. Her legacy continues to be written, and I always look forward to seeing what’s next from this incomparable and history-making artist.”
Abbott’s widow, Joy, recalled, “George and I met Julie about 25 years ago in Philadelphia, and even then he recognized her creative talent, her originality, and vision. I think that George would have been deeply moved to know Julie is being honored with his namesake award. She is truly a renaissance woman of the theater.”
Previous Mr. Abbott honorees include Graciela Daniele (“The Visit”), Agnes De Mille (“Brigadoon”), Lynne Meadow (“Linda”), and Susan Stroman (“The Producers”).
With her “Lion King” win, Taymor made history as the first woman to receive the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. “Grounded,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass” are among her other theater credits. She’s also helmed feature films such as “Frida” and “Across the Universe.” Taymor is currently directing a Broadway revival of “M Butterfly.” Next, she’ll direct the screen adaptation of Gloria Steinem’s memoir, “My Life on the Road.”
Earlier this month Taymor was presented with one of the Trailblazer Awards at Women and Hollywood’s 10th anniversary celebration in New York. She was honored alongside directors Amma Asante (“Belle”) and Julie Dash (“Daughters of the Dust,” “Queen Sugar”), producer and GameChanger Films president Mynette Louie, and HBO Documentary Films president Sheila Nevins.
