2013 Fred Ebb Award
Eligibility Criteria and Application Form (Adobe PDF format)

SAM WILLMOTT
RECEIVES THE EIGHTH ANNUAL
FRED EBB AWARD FOR
MUSICAL THEATRE SONGWRITING

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the eighth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Sam Willmott. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by David Hyde Pierce on Monday, November 26th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lobby of The American Airlines Theater.

Click here to view photos of the event.

Read the Playbill.com article.
Read the BroadwayWorld.com article.

Sam Willmott

SAM WILLMOTT is a musical theater composer/lyricist whose work has been performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Walnut Street Theatre, 54 Below, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, The York Theatre and other venues across the country.

Sam's written work includes Standardized Testing - The Musical!!!! (2009 Kennedy Center ACTF Musical Theatre Award for music and lyrics, Penn State NU Musicals Series, published through Playscripts, Inc., Emerson College’s 2012-2013 fall mainstage musical), the mini-musical Scarlet Takes a Tumble (2011 Humana Festival Heideman Award Finalist), and Yo, Vikings! with lyricist Marcus Stevens (commissioned by Upper Darby Summer Stage, 2011 Richard Rodgers Award Finalist, 2012 Weston New Musical Award nominee).

Sam is also an active a music director, arranger, orchestrator and pianist, and his work in these departments has taken him from Radio City Music Hall to Key West to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He has been fortunate enough to work with an eclectic assortment of distinguished artists, including five-time Tony-nominee Elizabeth Swados, Dan Goggin (Nunsense), recording artists Will and Anthony Nunziata, and singer/songwriter Shaina Taub. In summer 2012, he made his Broadway debut playing the Key II book for Sister Act.

Sam's accolades include two featured songs (“I’m Sitting Next to Estella” and “Real Adventure”) in the Directory of Contemporary Musical Theater Writers “Top 25 Songs” list, a 2009 Music Theatre Fellowship at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, a Tisch School of the Arts Trustee Scholarship, Interlochen Center for the Arts' prestigious Maddy Summer Artist Award, and two National Capital Area Cappie Awards. He is an alumnus of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, New York University and the 2011 Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, and a member of the Dramatists Guild, Local 802 AFM, and the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop.

The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success. The award is meant to encourage and support aspiring songwriters to create new works for the musical theatre. The prize includes a $50,000 award. In addition to the monetary prize, the Fred Ebb Foundation will produce a one-night-only showcase of winner’s work. The Fred Ebb Foundation is funded by royalties from Mr. Ebb’s vast catalogue of work. The Fred Ebb Foundation also makes an annual donation to Fred ebb’s favorite charity – Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The seventh annual Fred Ebb Award was given to Jeff Blumenkrantz on November 28th, 2011 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lobby.

Click here to view photos of the event.

Read the Playbill.com article.
Read the BroadwayWorld.com article.
Read the TheaterMania.com article.

The sixth annual Fred Ebb Award was given to Douglas J. Cohen on November 29th, 2010 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lobby.

Click here to view photos of the event.

Read the Playbill.com article.
Read the BroadwayWorld.com article.
Read the TheaterMania.com article.

The fifth annual Fred Ebb Award was given to Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich on November 30th, 2009 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lobby.

Click here to view photos of the event.

Read the Playbill.com article.
Read the BroadwayWorld.com article.
Read the TheaterMania.com article.

The fourth annual Fred Ebb Award was given to Adam Gwon on December 1st, 2008 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lobby.

Click here to view photos of the event.

Read the Playbill.com article.
Read the BroadwayWorld.com article.
Read the TheaterMania.com article.

The third annual Fred Ebb Award was given to Peter Mills on November 26th, 2007 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lounge.

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Read the Playbill.com article.

The second annual Fred Ebb Award was given to Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak on November 28th, 2006 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lounge.

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See pictures of the event from Broadway.com.
See pictures of the event from Broadwayworld.com.

The first annual Fred Ebb Award was given to composer John Bucchino on November 29th, 2005 at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lounge. Visit John's website at: johnbucchino.com.

Click here to view photos of the event.