Fantasia, Jonathan Groff, Gavin Lee and More Win 2007 Theatre World Awards

Twelve winners of the 63rd annual Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut performances during the 2006-2007 theatrical season have been announced, along with a special award to The Actors' Fund, in honor of its 125th anniversary, The awards will be presented on June 5 at an invitation-only ceremony at New World Stages. This year's winners are:

Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple
Eve Best, A Moon for the Misbegotten
Mary Birdsong, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Erin Davie, Grey Gardens
Xanthe Elbrick, Coram Boy
Johnny Galecki, The Little Dog Laughed
Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening
Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins
Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights
Bill Nighy, The Vertical Hour
Stark Sands, Journey's End
Nilaja Sun, No Child…

First presented in 1945, the Theatre World Awards are the oldest awards given for Broadway and off-Broadway debut performances. Winners were chosen by a committee consisting of theater critics Peter Filichia, Harry Haun, Matthew Murray, Frank Scheck, Michael Sommers, Doug Watt and Linda Winer. The winners will appear in the 2006-2007 volume of Theatre World, the authoritative annual pictorial and statistical record of the American theater, including Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off Broadway, regional, national touring companies, actors' biographies and major drama awards.