The nonprofit organization Jewish Queer Youth (JQY) will host its annual gala on May 19 at Lincoln Center. JQY will honor Broadway producer Rachel Sussman with its inaugural Jewish Queer Icon award, in recognition of her ongoing commitment to the nonprofit.
Sussman, who has been involved with the nonprofit for over a year now, won a 2023 Best Revival of a Musical Tony Award for producing “Parade.” Sussman has received five additional Tony nominations, including a 2024 Best Musical nod for shepherding “Suffs” to Broadway, and recently received a 2025 Tony nomination as part of the producing team of this season’s “Gypsy.”
Established just over two decades ago, JQY is an organization dedicated to providing free mental health services, community and resources to Jewish queer teens and young adults, allowing them to live healthy, joyful lives.
“Now more than ever, it’s critical to celebrate queer and Jewish identities, and double down our efforts to provide meaningful support for queer Jewish teens and young adults,” said JQY executive director Rachael Fried in a statement. “We have seen first-hand the life-saving impact of our support system, and we’ll continue to expand our efforts until every Jewish queer person can live as their authentic selves.”
The JQY 2025 gala will be hosted by 2023 Tony nominee and 2025 Actors’ Equity Foundation Award recipient Julia Lester, and will feature performances by Tony winners Nikki M. James (who appeared in “Suffs”) and JJ Maley, as well as Zachary Noah Piser, Ben Levi Ross, Esther Fallick and Dana Goldberg. Leigh Silverman, who received a Tony nomination for helming “Suffs,” will direct the evening, while Julianne B. Merrill will serve as music director.
The gala host committee comprises Tony-winning “Suffs” composer and book writer Shaina Taub, as well as Tony winner Ben Platt, special Tony recipient Alex Edelman, Rachel Brosnahan, Molly Bernard and Julie Klausner, among others.
Additional information about the gala can be found here.
