Joe Mantello Named Recipient of 2019 Mr. Abbott Award

Veteran director-actor Joe Mantello will be honored by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation with the 2019 Mr. Abbott Award. Presented for a lifetime of outstanding contributions, the award, which is named for Tony-winning director, writer and producer George Abbott, will be presented at the foundation's annual gala event on March 30, 2020 at Current in New York City. Mario Cantone, who has appeared in a number of Broadway projects directed by Mantello, will serve as the evening's host.

Perhaps most known as director of the juggernaut musical Wicked, Mantello won Tonys for his direction of Take Me Out and Assassins. He was Tony-nominated for directing Three Tall Women, The Humans, Glengarry Glen Ross and Love! Valour! Compassion! and for his acting work in The Normal Heart and Angels in America. Mantello was recently announced to appear in Ryan Murphy's new Netflix series Hollywood. This spring, he will direct a new Broadway revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

The Mr. Abbott Award is presented in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the field. Past recipients include Michael Bennett, Arvin Brown, Graciela Daniele, Gordon Davidson, Agnes de Mille, Bob Fosse, Garson Kanin, James Lapine, Kathleen & Rob Marshall, Lynne Meadow, Jerry Mitchell, Mike Nichols, Trevor Nunn, Jack O'Brien, Harold Prince, Lloyd Richards, Donald Saddler, Gene Saks, Susan Stroman, Daniel Sullivan, Tommy Tune, George C. Wolfe, Jerry Zaks, Kenny Leon and Julie Taymor.