2011
Distinguished Alumni
George E. Abbott
George E. Abbott Class of 1907 Distinguished Alumni
George E. Abbott was a world famous playwright, director, and producer of over 120 Broadway plays and musicals. His distinguished career in American theater spanned over seven decades and gained him the title of “Mr. Broadway”. He received numerous awards including the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award in 1982, three Tony Awards for Best Musical (The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Fiorella), two Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Musical (Fiorella, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), a Pulitzer Prize (Fiorella), A Special Tony Award: The Lawrence Langer Award, and a Special Tony Award on the occasion of his 100th Birthday. Born in Forestville, NY, he and his family moved to Hamburg in 1904 where he attended Hamburg High School and participated in football, baseball, track and acting in school plays. He went on to graduate from the University of Rochester and attended Harvard University for one year before heading off to NYC where the rest is history! George died in 1995 at the age of 107.
George E. Abbott was a world famous playwright, director, and producer of over 120 Broadway plays and musicals. His distinguished career in American theater spanned over seven decades and gained him the title of “Mr. Broadway”. He received numerous awards including the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award in 1982, three Tony Awards for Best Musical (The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Fiorella), two Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Musical (Fiorella, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), a Pulitzer Prize (Fiorella), A Special Tony Award: The Lawrence Langer Award, and a Special Tony Award on the occasion of his 100th Birthday. Born in Forestville, NY, he and his family moved to Hamburg in 1904 where he attended Hamburg High School and participated in football, baseball, track and acting in school plays. He went on to graduate from the University of Rochester and attended Harvard University for one year before heading off to NYC where the rest is history! George died in 1995 at the age of 107.