79th Theatre World Awards to Honor Broadway Debuts and Theatre Legends

The 79th Annual Theatre World Awards will take place on June 2 in New York City, celebrating outstanding debut performances on Broadway and Off-Broadway while honoring theatrical legends with special recognition.

The ceremony will present three prestigious special awards to notable figures in theatre and entertainment. Leslie Uggams will receive the 12th annual John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement, recognizing her remarkable career spanning from Harlem’s Apollo Theater to Broadway stages, the big screen, and television. The Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer is perhaps best known for her stirring portrayal of Kizzy in the landmark TV miniseries “Roots,” which earned her Critics Choice Award recognition and Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

Shailene Woodley will be honored with the 16th annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theatre for her performance in “Cult of Love,” marking her theatre debut, while George Clooney will receive the 2025 TWA Special Award in recognition of his Broadway debut in “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Clooney also co-wrote the play with Grant Heslov, adapting it from the 2005 film version that earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

Twelve actors will also receive Theatre World Awards for their significant debut performances this year. Among the honorees are Alana Arenas for “Purpose,” making her Broadway debut, and Kit Connor for “Romeo & Juliet.” Connor, a Screen International Star of Tomorrow who began his film career at age eight, is known for his role as Nick Nelson in Netflix’s “Heartstopper” and made his Broadway debut playing Romeo in Sam Gold’s production.

Patsy Ferran will be recognized for her work in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” She made her West End debut in 2014 opposite Angela Lansbury in “Blithe Spirit” at the Gielgud Theatre. Tom Francis, an Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee for his performance as Joe Gillis in “Sunset Blvd.,” will also be honored alongside Jak Malone, an Olivier Award winner who played the role of Hester in “Operation Mincemeat” and earned a Tony nomination for his work.

Notably, Louis McCartney will receive recognition for “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” making his theatre debut in the Olivier Award-winning production. Paul Mescal will be honored for his performance in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” while Marjan Neshat, a 2025 Tony Award nominee who won a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut, will be recognized for her work in “English.”

And Jasmine Amy Rogers will be celebrated for making her Broadway debut as Betty Boop in “Boop! The Musical” after originating the role in the pre-Broadway Chicago run. Nicole Scherzinger, the Grammy-nominated artist and former Pussycat Dolls member, will be honored for reprising her Olivier Award-winning performance as Norma Desmond in “Sunset Blvd.” Helen J Shen will receive recognition for “Maybe Happy Ending,” while Sarah Snook, the Tony-nominated and Emmy-winning performer known for her dynamic work across television, film, and theater, will be honored for “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”

The Theatre World Award holds the distinction of being the oldest award given for a debut theatre performance on or off-Broadway. And unlike competitive awards, it is presented only once to each recipient as recognition of their first significant stage performance, designed to encourage newcomers to continue pursuing their theatrical dreams.

The honorees are selected by the Theatre World Awards Committee, comprising theatre critics and journalists.

The ceremony, hosted by Peter Filichia, is a private, invitation-only event followed by a celebration party. In a cherished tradition, former Theatre World Award winners serve as presenters, often sharing memorable stories and moments from past ceremonies as they welcome the new honorees into the Theatre World “family.”