Has twice won Broadway's Tony Award: in 2003 as Best Director (Musical) for "Hairspray," and in 2004 as Best Director (Play) for a revival of Shakespeare's "Henry IV." He has also been nominated on four other occasions: in 1977, as Best Director (Musical) for the acclaimed Houston Opera revival of "Porgy and Bess;" in 1992, as Best Director (Play) for "Two Shakespearean Actors;" and in 2001, dual nominations, as Best Director (Musical) for "The Full Monty" and as Best Director (Play) for "The Invention of Love."

Tony Award nominee in 2001 for Best Director of a Musical, for the musical version of "The Full Monty".

He was awarded the 1990 Drama-Logue Award for Direction for "The Cocktail Hour" in the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson at the James A. Doolittle Theatre (University of California) in Los Angeles, California.