NEW YORK CITY: The Theater Hall of Fame has announced the 2015 recipients of the Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater award. Honorees include playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America),  lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime),  director Julie Taymor (The Lion King), lighting designer Ken Billington (Chicago), Goodman Theatre artistic director Robert Falls (Death of a Salesman),  actor Stacy Keach (Other Desert Cities), and Broadway publicist Merle Debuskey. Tony-winning actor Roger Rees (The Visit), who died on July 10, will receive the honor posthumously.

Inductees will be honored on Monday, Nov. 16th, at a gala and dinner at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre.

The Theater Hall of Fame was established in 1971 by Earl Blackwell, James M. Nederlander, Gerard Oestreicher, and L. Arnold Weissberger to honor theatrical professionals, encourage emerging artists, and preserve theatre history. All inductees must have at least five major Broadway credits and 25 years of experience working in the American theatre.

Recent inductees include F. Murray Abraham, Lorraine Hansbury, Paula Vogel, and Trevor Nunn.