American Theatre Wing announced on Tuesday that rocker Bruce Springsteen will receive a special Tony Award for his show Springsteen on Broadway. The news was revealed during the live-streamed nominations announcement with Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. calling Springsteen’s show “theatergoing experience of extraordinary dimensions.” Actor John Leguizamo will also be honored with the special award during the 72nd Tony Awards ceremony on June 10, 2018.
Springsteen on Broadway, which gives fans an intimate look at the “Born to Run” musician, initially launched in October 2017 for an eight weeks run at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The show features Springsteen solo on the stage, performing some of his biggest hits and reading parts from his autobiography Born to Run as well as others spoken reminiscences. It became an immediate success and received acclaim from the critics with Rolling Stone magazine calling it “one of the most compelling and profound shows by a rock musician in recent memory.” Due to a high demand for tickets, Springsteen on Broadway extended its initial run to June 2018 and then again to December 2018.
Jordan Roth, one of the show’s producers, spoke with Deadline following the announcement that Bruce Springsteen will receive Tony Award, and said that the honors are “well deserved. It is a work unlike any other,” Roth added. “Bruce is a singular artist who has created a singular piece of theater.”
