Bebe Neuwirth to Receive The Players’ Helen Hayes Award
Bebe Neuwirth is already a triple threat — an actress, singer, and dancer — and soon she’ll be a Helen Hayes Award recipient. According to BroadwayWorld, the stage and screen vet will be honored with the prize from The Players, a private showbiz social club, in a ceremony on June 19. The award “honors women who have made an indelible contribution to the American theatre,” and was named after the first female member of The Players.
“Bebe Neuwirth is a Broadway legend who has continually returned to her musical-theater roots while gaining millions of adoring fans through her illustrious career in film and television,” emphasized Michael Barra, president of The Players. “We are thrilled to celebrate her career with an award commemorating the great Helen Hayes, who, like Bebe, we are proud to claim as one of our most eminent members.”
Neuwirth’s first appeared on Broadway as Sheila in 1980’s “A Chorus Line.” Since then she has appeared in productions such as “Sweet Charity,” “Chicago,” “Damn Yankees,” and “Fosse.” “Cheers,” “Frasier,” “The Good Wife,” and “Blue Bloods” are among her screen credits. Neuwirth won two Emmys for her performance as Lilith on “Cheers,” and took home Tony awards for her work in “Sweet Charity” and “Chicago” as well. She has been a series regular on Barbara Hall’s CBS drama “Madam Secretary” since 2014.
The multi-hyphenate serves as vice-chair of The Actors Fund charity, “where she founded a program called The Dancers’ Resource, aimed at relieving the particular emotional and physical challenges faced by dancers,” BroadwayWorld writes.
Season 4 of “Madam Secretary” will air Sundays this fall on CBS.
