Recipients have been revealed for the 2023 Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, awarded annually to institutions, individuals, and organizations that have shown extraordinary achievement in theatre but are not otherwise eligible within the 26 competitive Tony Awards categories.
Recognized this year are production stage manager Lisa Dawn Cave, Theatre Development Fund Executive Director Victoria Bailey, and theatrical accountant Robert Fried.
“It is our absolute honor to present Lisa Dawn, Victoria, and Robert with the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre,” says American Theatre Wing President and CEO Heather Hitchens and Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin in a joint statement. “We are thrilled to recognize their outstanding achievements in each of their respective fields; and their unwavering dedication to our Broadway community.”
Cave is currently production supervisor for Disney's The Lion King and Frozen worldwide, along with the newly re-imagined Aida currently making its premiere in the Netherlands. She worked for a decade as a performer on Broadway, appearing in such shows as Cats, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, and Bubblin' Brown Sugar before becoming a stage manager, where she's spent the bulk of her career. Cave is also on the board of Broadway Cares and is a founding member of both Black Theatre United and Broadway & Beyond: Access for Stage Managers of Color.
Bailey has served as executive director for TDF since 2001, helping the organization work to develop audiences for live theatre by eliminating barriers to attendance. Bailey was integral to the creation of the TKTS booth in Duffy Square, saw a 100% increase in the number of NYC high school students served in TDF's education programs, and helped launch the Autism Theatre Initiative, among other achievements at the Fund. Prior to her time with TDF, Bailey was a longtime general manager with Manhattan Theatre Club.
Fried has worked as an accountant for almost four decades, providing tax, consulting, and accounting services to a client list almost exclusively within the theatre industry. He's also worked with hundreds of theatrical productions, part of his lifelong passion for the theatre industry. Part of Withum Smith & Brown, Fried counts Wicked, Hamilton, Book of Mormon, MJ, Some Like It Hot, and many other Broadway shows among his clients, along with industry leading producers and general managers.
Nominations for the 2023 Tony Awards will be announced May 2 by Funny Girl star Lea Michele and 2022 Tony winner Myles Frost in a live-streamed event at Sofitel New York. Visit Playbill beginning at 8:30 AM ET on May 2 for the latest in Tony Awards coverage as nominations are revealed.
Winners will be named in a starry ceremony at Washington Heights' United Palace Theatre June 11. The Tony Awards: Act One, a 90-minute pre-show of live and exclusive content, will stream on Pluto TV beginning at 6:30 PM ET, with hosts and further details to be announced. The main awards ceremony will follow at 8 PM ET, hosted by West Side Story Oscar winner Ariana DeBose. The awards portion will broadcast live on CBS, and stream live (for premium-level subscribers) via Paramount+. All Paramount+ subscribers will have on demand access to the broadcast beginning June 12.
