Graciela Daniele to receive special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

The ten-time Tony-nominated director and choreographer will be the 2020 recipient of this prestigious award.

Following yesterday's news that Julie Halston will receive an honorary Tony Award, Graciela Daniele will also be celebrated at this year's Tony Award ceremony. Daniele is the recipient of the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, and the award celebrates a theatre career spanning over 50 years. The 2020 Tony Awards will take place on 26 September.

The Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre honors those that have dedicated their lives to theatre, be it on stage or in creative teams. Previous recipients include James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Throughout Graciela Daniele's extensive Broadway career, she has danced in shows such as Coco, Follies and the original production of Chicago. Then she began choreographing and directing Broadway shows, working on Annie Get Your Gun, Ragtime and Once on this Island. Her works have earned her ten Tony Award nominations and six Drama Desk nominations. Daniele's most recent Broadway credit was choreographing The Visit on Broadway in 2015.

"We are thrilled to recognize Graciela with the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. Her impact on the Broadway community and on our culture as a whole has been immeasurable" said Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League.

The 2020 Tony Awards will take place in fall 2021, when Broadway theatres reopen for the first time in 18 months. Shows nominated for multiple awards include Slave Play, Moulin Rouge: The Musical and Jagged Little Pill. Find out more about the 2020 Tony Awards nominations here. 

^{Photo credit: Graciela Daniele (Photo by Jenny Anderson)}