The Broadway League presented its annual League Awards on May 20. Part of the 2016 Spring Road Conference, in which Broadway and touring producers convene annually to discuss and strategize, the League Awards recognize members and partners who have demonstrated exceptional service and are seen as innovators to the touring Broadway industry.
The 2026 League Awards recognized J. Lynn Singleton, recipient of the Distinguished Lifetime Service Award; Rich Jaffe, recipient of the Samuel J. L’Hommedieu Award for Outstanding Achievement in Presenter Management; Amy Katz, recipient of the George MacPherson Road Award; Brett Baker, recipient of Outstanding Achievement in Road Group Sales; Jennifer DiBella, recipient of Outstanding Achievement in Education and Engagement; and John Gilmour, recipient of Outstanding Achievement in Road Marketing and Press.
In addition, the late George Alvord, Merle JO Finks, Timi Kaufman, Jack Koraleski and Carol Massey were honored with the Star of Touring Broadway award, honoring board members, government officials, donors and volunteers who have helped promote or enrich the Broadway Series locally.
Distinguished Lifetime Service Award recipient Singleton has served as president of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) since 1983, during which time he brought the not-for-profit theater back from the brink of bankruptcy, tripling its event programming and increasing its attendance to over 350,000 patrons annually. PPAC has also undergone more than $50 million in renovations and restorations during his tenure, and has been the site of 27 national tours’ openings, including “The Phantom of the Opera” in 2013, “Les Misérables” in 2017, “Pretty Woman” in 2021 and “Tina” in 2022. As a co-producer, PPAC has received three Tony Awards for Best Musical (for “Moulin Rouge!,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Dear Evan Hansen”).
Samuel J. L’Hommedieu Award for Outstanding Achievement in Presenter Management recipient Jaffe is the CEO of Broadway Across America (BAA) and CMO of the John Gore Organization (parent company to Broadway News), where he oversees BAA’s presenting business, venue operations, marketing and communications, including the weekly TV series “The Broadway Show.”
George MacPherson Road Award recipient Katz is a road press agent who has served as a publicist for the original tours of “Beauty and the Beast,” “Rent,” “Movin’ Out,” “On Your Feet!,” “Aladdin” and “Frozen.” She has also served as executive vice president of marketing at Troika Entertainment and associate director of press at Manhattan Theatre Club.
Baker, honored for his Outstanding Achievement in Road Group Sales, is in his 23rd year with the Ambassador Theatre Group’s (ATG) San Francisco wing. A former marine biologist, he now leads all group and corporate sales in the San Francisco market, and led the launch of ATG Group Sales for ATG Entertainment in New York. Baker has also contributed to pre-Broadway engagements of “Wicked,” “Legally Blonde” and “Beautiful,” and national tours like “Hamilton,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and “Jersey Boys.” Baker also served on the planning committee for the 2026 Spring Road Conference.
Gilmour, honored for his Outstanding Achievement in Road Marketing and Press, serves as the tour press representative for the national tours of “Hamilton” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” He has also led the marketing and press efforts for tours of “The Book of Mormon,” “Motown the Musical,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” “In the Heights” and “Avenue Q” in his previous position with TMG — The Marketing Group/Allied Live/Allied Touring.
DiBella, honored for her Outstanding Achievement in Education and Development, is the director of education at Roundabout Theatre Company, for which she has worked since 2005. Roundabout’s educational programs include school partnerships, workforce development support and community engagement programming, which reach over 40,000 people each year.
