At the annual Spring Road Conference of the Broadway League, the trade organization revealed winners of its 2025 League Awards. These citations, which recognize achievement, exemplary contribution to and service to the Broadway touring industry, have been a tradition since the League’s inaugural road conference in 1992.
Jeff Chelesvig was named winner of the Distinguished Lifetime Service Award. Chelesvig has led the Des Moines Performing Arts (DMPA, which owns and operates the Des Moines Civic Center touring house) since 1995 as president and CEO, and served as president of the Independent Presenters Network (IPN) from 2019 to 2022. Chelesvig recently announced he will retire from his DMPA position at the end of summer 2025. Chelesvig’s award was jointly presented by former IPN president Al Nocciolino, who is president of NAC Entertainment, and current IPN president John Ekeberg, who is executive director, Broadway and cabaret at Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Jeff Loeb received the Samuel J. L’Hommedieu Award, which acknowledges outstanding achievement in presenter management. As president of Broadway in Hollywood, Loeb oversees the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and the Nederlander West Coast Regional Season Ticket Office that manages the season ticket operations for seven Nederlander Broadway touring markets. This award was presented by Nick Scandalios, Chief Operating Officer at Nederlander Producing Company of America.
The George MacPherson Road Warrior Award was given to Anita Dloniak, who has represented touring Broadway for over 35 years, first as general manager of Theatre League of Cleveland, Inc., and then running her namesake road marketing publicity firm, Anita Dloniak and Associates, Inc. Dloniak previously won the League’s Outstanding Achievement in Road Marketing Award in 2000. Tony Award-winning producer Sue Frost presented Dloniak with her award.
Joi Brook, who served as Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s first-ever group sales manager, and now serves the organization as its senior manager of sales, was cited with the Outstanding Achievement in Road Group Sales Award. Anne McNiff-Gaeta, director of group services at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, presented Brook with the award.
Bob Bucci was honored with the award for Outstanding Achievement in Road Marketing and Press. As president, marketing and content at the John Gore Organization (the parent organization of Broadway News), Bucci oversees content for Broadway.com, the Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal and the marketing efforts of national touring presenter Broadway Across America. Bucci’s award was presented by Dloniak.
The award for Outstanding Achievement in Education and Engagement was given to Jairo Ontiveros. Ontiveros is the executive producer and Dorothea Green chair of education and community engagement at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Ontiveros, who joined the Arsht in 2007, oversees programs that serve 80,000 K-12 students (and thousands more adult learners) in arts-learning experiences. Ontiveros’ award was presented by Susie Krajsa, president of Broadway Across America.
Finally, the Star of Touring Broadway Awards recognize board members, government officials, donors and volunteers who support and champion the touring Broadway series offered in their hometowns. The 2025 honorees are East Lansing’s Wharton Center for Performing Arts advocate and philanthropist Dr. Bonnie Knutson; Cincinnati’s Graeter’s Ice Cream, a partner of the Aronoff Center for the Arts’ Broadway series; John Hazen White Jr., whose company Taco Group Holdings, Inc. and family foundation sponsor the Broadway series of Providence Performing Arts Center; financial services company Johnson Financial Group, title sponsor of the Broadway series at Milwaukee’s Marcus Center for the Performing Arts; and Zions Bank, title sponsor of the Broadway series presented at both the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City and at the Morrison Center in Boise.
“Touring Broadway is the cornerstone of how we share the magic of theater with audiences across North America,” said League president Jason Laks in a statement. “In the 2024-2025 season, touring Broadway recorded approximately 14.9 million attendances, connecting communities, supporting local economies and inspiring audiences nationwide. Each season, the community demonstrates remarkable dedication, resilience and creativity. The League Awards shine a spotlight on the individuals and organizations who make that possible. These honorees exemplify the passion and innovation that continue to drive our industry forward.”
