The PBS series Great Performances, longtime Goodspeed Musicals leader Michael Price, New 42, and the New York Library for the Performing Arts will receive Tony Honors at this year's Tony Awards, organizers announced April 28. The honors recognize outstanding contributors to the Broadway industry.
鈥淥ur Tony Honors recognize the fact that there are a multitude of people and organizations working behind the scenes who contribute to great theatre, making the journey from page to stage, beyond our traditional categories,鈥� say Broadway League President Jason Laks and American Theatre Wing President and CEO Heather Hitchens in a joint statement. 鈥淲e are thrilled to celebrate these behind the scenes heroes on Broadway鈥檚 biggest night."
Great Performances is being recognized for more than 50 years of bringing performing arts programming to PBS stations nationwide, with more available online. Over its run so far, the series has has earned 67 Emmy Awards and six Peabody Awards. Even in just the next few months, the series is set to premiere live filmings of Yellow Face and Girl From the North Country from Broadway, and Kiss Me, Kate and Next to Normal from London.
READ: How PBS Captures Broadway Shows for Great Performances
Price has served as executive director of Goodspeed Musicals since 1968, the longest tenure in the American theatre. Under his leadership, the Connecticut theatre has become renowned for developing new work as well as reinventing older classics, including 19 productions that have transferred to Broadway and earned a cumulative 13 Tony Awards. The company has already received two special Tony Awards, and Price is an inductee to the Theater Hall of Fame.
New 42 was created to revitalize 42nd Street in 1990, first working as an urban redevelopment organization and later transitioning into a cultural nonprofit. Among the company's work: children's theatre The New Victory and new work incubator New 42 Studios. Tenants of that rehearsal studio have included 16 Best Musical or Best Play Tony winners.
Located at Lincoln Center, the New York Library for the Performing Arts houses a rich archive of dance, theatre, music, and recorded sound, including the Theatre on Tape and Film Archive. The center is one of the NYPL's research centers, and among the world's largest collections focused on the performing arts, holding upwards of eight million items. The library is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
The 78th annual Tony Awards ceremony will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall June 8, beginning at 8 PM ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. Wicked film star and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo is set to host the evening.
The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, and White Cherry Entertainment. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss are executive producers and showrunners for White Cherry Entertainment. Weiss will serve as director.
The American Theatre Wing鈥檚 Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At the Broadway League, Kristin Caskey is chair, and Jason Laks is president. At the American Theatre Wing, Emilio Sosa is chair, and Heather Hitchens is president and CEO.
