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, and they are bestowed at a separate ceremony that affords recipients a special moment in the spotlight.""The Award Categories" tonyawards.com, accessed April 9, 2011 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..."Gans, Andrew."Nominations for Tony Honors Now Being Accepted; Winners to Be Announced in September" playbill.com, August 25, 2004
The first recipient was Alfred Drake, who was recognized for his lengthy career in musical theatre.Rothstein, Mervyn. "Tonys Are Won by 'Grapes of Wrath' and 'City of Angels'", The New York Times, June 4, 1990, Section C, p. 13
Recipients Year Recipient Notes 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."Winship, Frederick M. "Will Rogers,' 'Lost in Yonkers' dominate Tonys", United Press International, June 3, 1991 1992 Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt In commemoration for The Fantasticks, achieving its 33rd year Off-Broadway.Collins, Glenn. "'Dancing at Lughnasa' And 'Crazy for You' Win Top Tony Awards", The New York Times, June 1, 1992, Section C, p. 11 1993 International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS The entertainment industry's most active charity addressing the challenges of AIDS. 1994 Not Awarded 1995 National Endowment for the Arts 1996 Not Awarded 1997 Not Awarded 1998 The International Theatre Institute of the United States 1999 Not Awarded 2000 Eileen Heckart Sylvia Herscher Theatrical Agent & Music Publisher 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 2002 Not Awarded 2003 The principal ensemble of Baz Luhrmann's La Bohème Paul Huntley Wig and hair stylist Johnson-Liff Casting Associates Run by Geoffrey Johnson and Vincent Liff The Acting Company. 2004Simonson, Robert. "Theatre Community Turns Out to Salute Special Tony Honorees" playbill.com, October 27, 2004 The cast of the 2003 Broadway production of Big RiverProduced by the Roundabout Theatre Company and Deaf West Theatre Nancy Coyne Chief executive of theatrical advertising agency Serino Coyne Frances and Harry Edelstein Restaurateurs, owner of Cafe Edison Vincent Sardi Jr. Restaurateur, owner of Sardi'sMartha Swope Photographer 2005 Peter Neufeld Theatrical company manager, theater manager, and producer Theatre Communications Group.Lipton, Brian Scott."Peter Neufeld, TCG to Receive Tony Award Honors" theatermania.com, September 27, 2005 2006 BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop Forbidden Broadway and its creator, Gerard Alessandrini Samuel Liff Ellen Stewart.Reuben, Aubrey, Strothmann, Ben."Tony Honors, October 24, 2006" The Playbill Broadway Yearbook, 3ed. (books.google), Hal Leonard Corporation, 2007, , p. 444 2007 Gemze de Lappe Alyce Gilbert Wardrobe Supervisor Neil Mazzella CEO of Hudson Scenic Studios, a scene shopSeymour "Red" Press Musician and musical contractorGans, Andrew.De Lappe, Gilbert, Mazzella and Press to Receive 2007 Tony Honors" playbill.com, October 2, 2007 2008 Not Awarded 2009 Shirley Herz Press agentGans, Andrew."Herman, Herz, Newman and Signature Theatre Are 2009 Special Tony Award Winners" playbill.com, May 4, 2009 2010 The Alliance of Resident Theatres New York B.H. Barry Teacher Tom Viola BC/EFA executive director.Gans, Andrew. David Hyde Pierce, Marian Seldes, Tom Viola, Alan Ayckbourn Win Special Tony Awards" playbill.com, April 21, 2010 2011 William Berloni Animal trainerThe Drama Book ShopSharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the ArtsGans, Andrew. Athol Fugard, Philip J. Smith, Eve Ensler Win Special Tony Awards" playbill.com, April 6, 2011 2012 Freddie Gershon Entertainment attorney Artie SiccardiTechnical supervisor the TDF Open Doors Program 2013 Michael Bloomberg NYC Mayor Career Transition For Dancers William "Bill" Craver Literary Agent Peter Lawrence Production Stage Manager The Lost Colony Historical outdoor drama produced since 1937 in Manteo, North CarolinaSophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro The four actresses who share the lead in Matilda the Musical. 2014 Joseph P. Benincasa Actors Fund of America President Joan Marcus Photographer Charlotte Wilcox General manager"2014 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre Announced' TonyAwards.com, April 8, 2014; retrieved on December 27, 2014 2015 Arnold Abramson Scenic designer Adrian Bryan-Brown Public relations consultant Gene O'Donovan Theatre technician 2016 Seth Gelblum Entertainment attorney Joan Lader Vocal coach Sally Ann Parsons Costume shop proprietor 2017 General managers Nina Lannan and Alan Wasser 2018 Sara Krulwich New York Times photographer Bessie Nelson Costume beader Ernest Winzer Cleaners 2019 Broadway Inspirational Voices Peter Entin Retired vice president of Theatre Operations for the Shubert Organization Joseph Blakely Forbes Founder and president of Scenic Art Studios, Inc, a Scenic painting shopFDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 2021 Delayed due to COVID-19 Pandemic 2021 Fred Gallo President of PRG Scenic Technologies, a scene shopIrene Gandy Press agent & ProducerBeverly Jenkins Stage managerNew Federal Theatre 2022 Asian American Performers Action Coalition Broadway for All Emily Grishman Music copyist Feinstein's/54 Below United Scenic Artists (Local USA 829, IATSE) 2023 Lisa Dawn Cave Stage managerVictoria Bailey Executive Director, Theatre Development FundRobert Fried Accountant 2024 Wendall K. Harrington Scenic projection designerColleen Jennings-RoggensackExecutive director of ASU Gammage and longtime member of the Broadway LeagueJudith O. RubinOutgoing board chair of Playwrights HorizonsDramatists Guild FoundationSamuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts2025Michael P. PriceLongest serving artistic director of a professional theatre in the United States.Great PerformancesNew 42New York Public Library for the Performing Arts20261/52 ProjectProviding financial support for early-career designers.Jake BellProduction managerKenn LubinPrint and marquee designerLoren PlotkinEntertainment lawyer See also Regional Theatre Tony Award Special Tony Award Isabelle Stevenson Award
References
External links Official Tony Awards website