An organization representing Asian American performers, a labor union for scenic designers and a popular Manhattan nightclub-cabaret are among this year’s special Tony Award honorees announced today in advance of Monday’s awards nominations.
Also among the honorees: Emily Grishman, a music copyist who provides written instrumental parts and full scores for Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theatre, and Broadway For All, an organization for young theater artists and professionals.
“All five of this year’s honorees have made outstanding contributions to our Broadway community,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “Their dedication, commitment and support to the Arts is now more important than ever, and we are thrilled to shine a light on these organizations at this year’s Tony Honors.”
The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories.
This year’s honorees, announced today by the Tony Awards Administration Committee, are:
- Asian American Performers Action Coalition The group’s “mission is to expand the perception of Asian American performers in order to increase their access to and representation on New York City’s stages…Most recently, to address the devastating rise in Anti-Asian violence in New York City, AAPAC has partnered with IndieSpace/Indie Theater Fund, the American Theatre Wing, the Dramatists Guild Foundation and The Actors Fund to launch the AAPI Emergency Transportation Fund to help keep AAPI theater workers safe while commuting to and from work”;
- Broadway For All BFA is a Manhattan-based national organization that equips young artists and professionals with the programming, community, and vision to build a more inclusive and powerful arts industry. “BFA strategically integrates teens of diverse socio-economic statuses, ethnic identities, and zip codes – who were designed not to meet – and bursts ideological bubbles to foster discourse among the young artists.”
- Emily Grishman A music copyist for Broadway, Off Broadway and regional theater, Grisham “provides the written instrumental parts and full scores (sheet music) that are used by each of the musicians in the orchestra pit and by the conductor of each show, working closely with composers, orchestrators, and players. Emily Grishman Music Preparation has supervised over 130 Broadway productions, countless other theatrical endeavors (including work for most of the New York not-for-profit theaters), film and TV projects and copying/library work for many individual artists;
- Feinstein’s/54 Below Founded as a place for the community to celebrate Broadway performers, both established and new, who sing not only the music of Broadway and the Great American Songbook, but also new material intended for Broadway and off-Broadway stages, the club “superb scenic, lighting, and sound designs entirely imagined by Broadway designers. For performers, writers, musicians, and more, Feinstein’s/54 Below gives opportunities to advance their craft, expand their repertoires, and develop their voices in a way that is more personal, making them stronger as artists.” Along with a creative partnership with Michael Feinstein, the management team includes proprietors and nine-time Tony Award winning Broadway producers Steve Baruch, Richard Frankel, and Tom Viertel, Creative and Programming Director Jennifer Ashley Tepper, and restaurant General Manager Mandisa Boxill;
- United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE The national labor union and creative community of designers, scenic artists, and professionals working across the entertainment industry, Local USA 829 has represented and advocated for its members and professionals working in live performance, film, television, and commercials through collective bargaining, action, and solidarity. “As the creative backbone of the entertainment industry, Local USA 829’s members tirelessly enhance the stories that captivate audiences. In addition to its mission to establish fair wages for designers, scenic artists, and professionals, the union negotiates and advances health insurance and retirement benefits through employer contributions to pension, health care, 401(k) and annuity. Equally important, however, is Local USA 829’s dedication to bolster an inclusive, anti-racist entertainment industry, one which provides sustained and significant opportunities for underrepresented artists and workers on and off stage and screen.”
Tony Award nominations will be announced Monday, May 9, at 9 a.m. ET on the Tony Awards official YouTube page. The 75th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by Ariana DeBose, will air live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 12, on CBS and Paramount+.
