Oscar Hammerstein II influenced Stephen Sondheim, a friend of the Hammerstein family from childhood. Sondheim has attributed his success in theater, and especially as a lyricist, directly to Hammerstein's influence and guidance. The Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre is presented annually. The York Theatre Company in New York City is the Administrator of the award. The 2009 winners were Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. Past awardees are composers such as Stephen Sondheim and performers such as Carol Channing. The 2010 award went to Thomas Meehan. Oscar Hammerstein was a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame. Oscar Hammerstein
James Hammerstein "Oklahoma!" (London and Australia), "The King and I" (Tel Aviv, US and UK tours), and "Carousel". For many years he directed staged readings of notable playwrights, such as Jeff Wanshel, Ron Cowan, and Werner Liepolt as "American Triptych," under the auspices of George White and Lloyd Richards' National Playwrights Conference at the O'Neill Memorial Theater Center in Waterford, Conn. Hammerstein was nominated for the 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Revue for "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" (as producer) and the 1990 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical for "The Sound of Music". Hammerstein