Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre

The Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre is a non-competitive award created by the American Theatre Wing in 1990. They are presented to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible to compete in any of the established Tony Award categories. The Tony Honors "are announced in the autumn. They are bestowed at a separate ceremony that affords recipients a special moment in the spotlight."^[1] As explained in Playbill, "In 2003, a new tradition began for the Tony Honors, which were previously announced during the Tony Awards broadcast. Last year, however, the Honors were presented in the fall..."^[2]

The first recipient was Alfred Drake, who was recognized for his lengthy career in musical theatre.^[3]

Recipients

• 1990: Alfred Drake
• 1991: Father George Moore, pastor of St. Malachy’s Church (known as The Actors’ Chapel) "for his service and commitment to the needy and elderly of the theater district and improving conditions in the Times Square area."^[4]
• 1992: Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt for The Fantasticks, now in its 33rd year Off-Broadway.^[5]
• 1993: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, "a labor union of professional craftspeople in 900 locals who work behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.";^[6] Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The entertainment industry's most active charity addressing the challenges of AIDS.^[6]
• 1995: National Endowment for the Arts
• 1998: The International Theatre Institute of the United States
• 2000: Eileen Heckart; General Manager/Producer Sylvia Herscher; City Center Encores!
• 2001: Betty Corwin, founder and director of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; New Dramatists; Theatre World
• 2003: The principal ensemble of Baz Luhrmann's La Bohème; wig and hair stylist Paul Huntley; Johnson-Liff Casting Associates; The Acting Company.^[7]
• 2004: The cast of the 2003 Broadway production of Big River; Nancy Coyne, chief executive of the theater advertising agency Serino Coyne; restaurateurs Frances and Harry Edelstein of Cafe Edison and Vincent Sardi, Jr. of Sardi's; photographer Martha Swope.^[8]
• 2005: Producer Peter Neufeld; Theatre Communications Group.^[9]
• 2006: BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop; Forbidden Broadway and its creator, Gerard Alessandrini; William Morris Agency Senior VP Samuel Liff; Ellen Stewart.^[10]
• 2007: Gemze de Lappe; wardrobe supervisor Alyce Gilbert; CEO of Hudson Scenic Studios Neil Mazzella; musician and musical contractor Seymour "Red" Press.^[11]
• 2009: Press agent Shirley Herz.^[12]
• 2010: The Alliance of Resident Theatres New York; B.H. Barry (teacher); Tom Viola (BC/EFA executive director).^[13]
• 2011: William Berloni (animal trainer); The Drama Book Shop (West 40th Street, Manhattan); Sharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts.^[14]
• 2012: entertainment attorney Freddie Gershon; Artie Siccardi; the TDF Open Doors Program
• 2013: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Career Transition For Dancers; William "Bill" Craver; Peter Lawrence (Production Stage Manager); The Lost Colony (Roanoke Island, in Manteo, North Carolina); jointly to Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro, the four actresses who share the lead in Matilda the Musical.
• 2014: Actors Fund of America President Joseph P. Benincasa; photographer Joan Marcus; general manager Charlotte Wilcox.^[15]
• 2015: Scenery designer Arnold Abramson; public relations consultant Adrian Bryan-Brown; theatre technician Gene O'Donovan.^[16]
• 2016: Entertainment attorney Seth Gelblum; vocal coach Joan Lader; costume shop proprietor Sally Ann Parsons.^[17]

References

1. "The Award Categories" tonyawards.com, accessed April 9, 2011
2. Gans, Andrew."Nominations for Tony Honors Now Being Accepted; Winners to Be Announced in September" Archived October 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. playbill.com, August 25, 2004
3. Rothstein, Mervyn. "Tonys Are Won by 'Grapes of Wrath' and 'City of Angels'", The New York Times, June 4, 1990, Section C, p. 13
4. Winship, Frederick M. "Will Rogers,' 'Lost in Yonkers' dominate Tonys", United Press International, June 3, 1991
5. Collins, Glenn. "'Dancing at Lughnasa' And 'Crazy for You' Win Top Tony Awards", The New York Times, June 1, 1992, Section C, p. 11
6. Gerard, Jeremy. "Tonys Go To 'Kiss,' 'Angels'" Daily Variety, June 7, 1993, p. 1
7. Gans, Andrew (November 11, 2003). "Jackman, Seldes and Hairspray Part of 2003 Tony Honors Celebration". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20.
8. Simonson, Robert."Theatre Community Turns Out to Salute Special Tony Honorees" playbill.com, October 27, 2004
9. Lipton, Brian Scott."Peter Neufeld, TCG to Receive Tony Award Honors" theatermania.com, September 27, 2005
10. Reuben, Aubrey, Strothmann, Ben."Tony Honors, October 24, 2006"The Playbill Broadway Yearbook, 3ed. (books.google), Hal Leonard Corporation, 2007, ISBN 1-55783-732-5, p. 444
11. Gans, Andrew.De Lappe, Gilbert, Mazzella and Press to Receive 2007 Tony Honors" playbill.com, October 2, 2007
12. Gans, Andrew."Herman, Herz, Newman and Signature Theatre Are 2009 Special Tony Award Winners" playbill.com, May 4, 2009
13. Gans, Andrew. David Hyde Pierce, Marian Seldes, Tom Viola, Alan Ayckbourn Win Special Tony Awards" playbill.com, April 21, 2010
14. Gans, Andrew. Athol Fugard, Philip J. Smith, Eve Ensler Win Special Tony Awards" playbill.com, April 6, 2011
15. "2014 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre Announced' TonyAwards.com, April 8, 2014; retrieved on December 27, 2014
16. tonyawards.com, April 7, 2015; retrieved on September 14, 2015
17. "2016 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre Announced" TonyAwards.com April 13, 2016, retrieved on April 15, 2016

External links

• Official Tony Awards website