LPTW Lucille Lortel Award 2025
THIS YEAR WE HONOR
Claudine Cassan Jellison
Claudine has performed in national tours, in regional theatre oB- broadway, and
internationally, including Maltby & Shire’s, Closer Than Ever at Cherry Lane, Godspell
National and Italian tours, Paquette in Candide at Arena Stage, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt
Weill, Anna Held in Tintypes, Petra in A little Night Music, Julie in Showboat, Anne in
Shenandoah, Meg in Brigadoon. She performed Peter in the musical Peter Pan in Moscow,
a cultural exchange, put forward by the United States State Department. She received
outstanding notices and the praise of Raisa Gorbacheva who attended one of her
performances.
At the same time Claudine worked to promote literacy and arts education as a teacher and
administrator for 25 years with the NYC Department of Education nurturing school
partnerships with Teachers College, City College f New York, The Lincoln Center Institute,
The New Victory Theatre and the Lucy Moses School. She was dedicated to making the
Theatre a part of young people’s education.
Then tragedy struck, Claudine was diagnosed with essential tremor. It becomes worse with
age. It’s neurological and aBected her vocal cords, pharynx, even tongue, and soft palate.
There is no cure, only experimentation. Claudine’s love of the theatre did not allow her to
give up. She developed a one woman show: Idol Curiosity, a tribute to her singing idols,
Mary Martin, Mable Mercer, and Edith Piaf. It was successfully received, and she was
honored and encouraged by the prestigious O’Neil Cabaret Conference. She developed
Just Visiting, the journey of a first generation American, Packing Orders, packing up and
downsizing memories and, Hey Frenchy, stories and songs from the pantry.
Sherry Eaker, former LPTW Board member honored Claudine with a Bistro Award for Hey
Frenchy for Outstanding Achievement and in addition, Claudine received a 2022 Broadway
World nomination. She continues to develop her one woman shows even though she only
has an octave range and much of that is speaking. Claudine is currently planning her next
one woman show. Her dedication to the theatre on and oB stage is remarkable, and is
deserving of the Lucille Lortel Award
RSVP information for the award ceremony to follow.
