The Tony Awards administration committee has announced that the 1/52 Project, Jake Bell, Kenn Lubin and Loren Plotkin will receive 2026 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. The awards, established in 1990, recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement but are not eligible in established competitive Tony Award categories.
“There are countless teams and individuals who contribute to the success of each show, many extending beyond our traditional award categories, and we are thrilled to bestow some much-deserved recognition upon some of these masterminds this year,” said Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, in a joint statement. “The creation and execution of each play and musical is a true labor of love, and these Tony Honor recipients have set the standard throughout their illustrious careers.”
The Obie Award-winning 1/52 Project provides financial support to early-career designers from historically underrepresented groups. Founded in 2022 by Tony-winning scenic designer Beowulf Boritt, the initiative relies on working Broadway designers donating one week of their additional weekly compensation (aka 1/52 of their yearly additional weekly compensation) — although additional donations have come from a range of theater professionals. The project has distributed over half a million dollars to 35 designers across multiple disciplines. Past grant recipients have gone on to work on Broadway productions such as “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” “Job” and “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.”
Bell began his career as a stage manager for shows including “A Chorus Line” before transitioning to production management. In the 1980s, producer Cameron Mackintosh hired Bell to lead his technical team, a role he held for 35 years. Bell oversaw massive logistics for Broadway, national touring and international touring productions of “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Misérables” and “Miss Saigon” and facilitated the first Broadway show in mainland China. He formed his own company in 2002, managing productions like “Wicked” until his retirement in late 2025.
Lubin is a designer known for his front-of-house Broadway branding. After beginning in film and television advertising, Lubin became a key creative leader at Serino Coyne before expanding into independent theatrical branding. Over a four-decade career, he has contributed to the visual identity of more than 2,000 productions, shaping displays for shows including “SIX,” “Hadestown” and “Moulin Rouge!” His work as creative director of Fine Art Imaging encompasses complex marquee installations, illuminated signage and experiential branding across Times Square.
Plotkin is a production attorney who began his career with time in the Army followed by a judicial clerkship. He then practiced business law and litigation by day and studied filmmaking at New York University by night. Plotkin first transitioned to entertainment law in 1973 to help friends Barry Brown and Fritz Holtz produce a West End production of “Gypsy” starring Angela Lansbury. Plotkin then made his Broadway debut with the show’s 1974 transfer and has since represented nonprofit theaters and approximately 100 Broadway productions, including “Rent,” “Hamilton” and “SIX.” The law firm he helped create now employs seven theatrical attorneys. He is also the trustee of the Alan Jay Lerner Testamentary Trust, representing the Lerner family for over 25 years.
The Tony Honors will be celebrated alongside the competitive awards during the 2026 Tony Awards ceremony on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall. Hosted by P!NK, the ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+, with nominations scheduled to be announced on May 5.
