The celebration has started early for the 2026 Tony Awards special honorees. Among the distinguished recipients is the 1/52 Project, an Obie Award-winning organization earning a 2026 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. The Tony Awards have released the official acceptance speech from representatives of 1/52 Project ahead of the June 7 ceremony, highlighting how the theater community is coming together to diversify its backstage ranks. See below.
Conceived in 2022 by Tony-winning scenic designer Beowulf Boritt, the project calls upon established Broadway designers to donate 1/52nd of their annual choice theatrical royalties, the equivalent of one week’s compensation, to fund financial grants for early-career designers from historically underrepresented backgrounds. The impact of the program is already on full display on Broadway through past grant recipients like video and projection designer Stefania Bulbarella, who went on to earn a Tony nomination in the sound design category for her work on “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” Bulbarella now serves on the 1/52 Project’s steering committee. The program has rapidly become a vital career accelerator, launching diverse new voices into Broadway lighting, costume, scenic and projection departments.
Click below to watch the acceptance speech from the 1/52 Project, and make sure to catch the 2026 Tonys on June 7.
