Arts & Entertainment

Powerhouse

2016 Winner: Diane Paulus

Photo Credit: Susan Lapides

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Diane Paulus has paved a path from Brattle Street straight to the Great White Way. After directing the world premiere of Waitress in August at the American Repertory Theater, she brought the musical to Broadway in April; it’s the sixth Paulus production to make that migration—and the first Broadway show to have all four top creative roles (director, choreographer, writer and composer) filled by women. That’s in a season that also included the world premiere of Eve Ensler’s In the Body of the World and an acclaimed staging of electropop opera Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. After seven seasons as A.R.T. artistic director, Paulus shows no signs of slowing. We can’t wait for number eight.