NEW YORK CITY: The Fred Ebb Foundation will present the 17th annual Fred Ebb Award to songwriting team Isabella Dawis and Tidtaya Sinutoke. Named in honor of the late composer, lyricist, and director for his many contributions to the theatre community (including the musicals he wrote with John Kander), the award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting by up-and-coming individual songwriters or teams who have not yet achieved commercial success. The $60,000 prize will support the creation of new musical theatre works.

The selection panel includes foundation trustee Mitchell S. Bernard, actress Ann Harada, music director David Loud, and actress Amy Spanger. The Fred Ebb Award will be presented by Heidi Blickenstaff and Julia Murney at an invite-only ceremony at Bond 45 on May 2 at 6 p.m.

Isabella Dawis is a Filipina American playwright and performer. She is the recipient of the 2022 Kleban Prize in Musical Theatre and holds a 2021-23 Composers and the Voice Fellowship with the American Opera Project. Her work includes Half the Sky and Sunwatcher. Isabella was a 2019-20 Rockwell Scholar at the Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts.

Tidtaya Sinutoke is a Thai musical theatre composer, writer, and musician based in New York City. Her composition credits include Half the Sky, Sunwatcher, and Dear Mr. C. She was awarded the 2017 Jonathan Larson Grant, the 2020 Weston-Ghostlight New Musical Award, the 2020 Billie Burke Ziegfeld Award, the 2021-2023 Composers and the Voice Fellowship with the American Opera Project, and the Playwrights Realm’s 2021 International Theatermakers Award.

The Fred Ebb Foundation was established in 2005 in accordance with Ebb’s will, and is funded by royalties from Ebb’s catalogue of work. In addition to the award, the foundation makes a yearly donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and has donated more than $18 million.