New York, New York (May 1, 2023) – The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that they will present the 2023 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre to three outstanding contributors to the Broadway industry – production stage manager, Lisa Dawn Cave; Victoria Bailey, Executive Director, Theatre Development Fund; and theatrical accountant, Robert Fried.

The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories.

“It is our absolute honor to present Lisa Dawn, Victoria, and Robert with the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre,” said Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League. “We are thrilled to recognize their outstanding achievements in each of their respective fields; and their unwavering dedication to our Broadway community.”

Lisa Dawn Cave was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She attended the H.S. of Performing Arts and received her BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase. Her professional theatre career started as a dancer/singer where she performed in Cats, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls, Bubblin’ Brown Sugar and Golden Boy.

After 10 years of performing on the stage, Lisa Dawn’s career transitioned to behind the scenes, where she has worked consistently in stage management. These credits include the Broadway productions of Frozen, Shuffle Along, Fun Home, Rocky, The Humans, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Bring It On, West Side Story (2009), Come Fly Away, The Color Purple, Hot Feet, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, The Woman In White, Julius Caesar, Caroline or Change, Hollywood Arms, Into the Woods, Wild Party, Parade, Smokey Joe’s Café and the 1994 revival of Showboat.

Lisa Dawn is currently the Production Supervisor for Disney’s The Lion King and Frozen worldwide, along with the re-imagined Aida, which is currently playing in the Netherlands. In addition to her theatre credits, Lisa Dawn serves on the Board of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. She is a founding member of both Black Theatre United and Broadway & Beyond: Access for Stage Managers of Color and has served as an elected Councilor for Actors Equity Association for 11 years.

Victoria Bailey has been the Executive Director of TDF since 2001. TDF sustains live theatre and dance by engaging and cultivating a broad and diverse audience and eliminating barriers to attendance. It envisions a world where the transformative experience of attending live theatre and dance is essential, relevant, accessible, and inspirational. TDF fulfills its mission by expanding access through ticketing, accessibility, and information initiatives; by cultivating communities through school and community engagement programs and by supporting theatre makers through training, professional development programs, and national audience research.

Highlights of Ms. Bailey’s tenure include playing a key role in the construction of the award winning TKTS booth at Duffy Square, a 100% increase in number of NYC high school students served in TDF’s Education Programs; the launch of Autism Theatre Initiative, the Access.NYC website in partnership with Broadway League and the Veterans Theatregoing Program; the creation of Community Engagement Programs, the implementation of the Passports Program to support The New York City Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit ticketing requirements and a 100% increase in TDF members.

Ms. Bailey completed a national research project in partnership with Brad Erickson from Theatre Bay Area titled Triple Play, examining ways to strengthen the relationship between playwrights, theatres, and audiences as a means to increase audience appetite for new and risky work. Previously, she was instrumental in the execution of a comprehensive study of the lives of American playwrights and the production of new American Plays. The study culminated in Outrageous Fortune: The Life and Times of the New American Play, written by Todd London with Ben Pesner and Zannie Giraud Voss:

Prior to her appointment at TDF, she had a nearly 20-year association with Manhattan Theatre Club where she served as General Manager for close to 150 productions. Ms. Bailey is Theatre Management and Producing Advisor and Adjunct Professor at the School of the Arts at Columbia University, and a member of the board at the Times Square Alliance. She has served several terms on the Tony Awards Nominating Committee. In addition, she has served on several Broadway League Committees, most recently the Equity, Diversion and Inclusion Committee. Ms. Bailey received a B.A. in history from Yale College.

Robert Fried, a practicing certified public accountant for almost four decades, has provided tax, consulting and accounting services almost exclusively to the theatre industry for over 32 years. Working on hundreds of theatrical productions during his career, his childhood aspirations of being a professional musician grounded him in the arts and helped drive his passion for the theatre industry.

During the early part of his career, while a partner at the accounting firm that tabulated the Tony Awards ballots, Robert attended the annual Tony Awards ceremony and handed winner envelopes to presenters backstage. In 2002 he founded his own firm with his partner Karen Kowgios, focusing solely on the commercial and not-for-profit theatre industry. Together their firm represented the majority of commercial productions and not for profit theaters in New York City. They also launched an association with UK professionals, which significantly expanded their services internationally. Robert currently works on the majority of productions that transfer from the US to the UK, and for theatrical producers whose shows from the UK are produced within the US. In addition to UK taxes and planning, Robert specializes in cross border planning with Australia, Germany and other foreign jurisdictions.

In his current position with the firm of Withum Smith & Brown, which has a team of over thirty five professionals dedicated to the theatre industry, Robert works with and represents some of the most prominent and successful Broadway musicals including Wicked, Hamilton, Book of Mormon, New York, New York, MJ, Some Like it Hot, Bad Cinderella, & Juliet, Funny Girl, Hadestown, Harry Potter, Six, Kimberly Akimbo, Moulin Rouge, A Beautiful Noise, Sweeney Todd, Shucked, Parade, and others. He also works with and advises many of the industry leading producers and general managers.

Alongside the Broadway League, Robert has participated in successful US Congressional lobbying efforts which ultimately amended tax laws that impacted the commercial theatre industry. During the theatrical closure due to COVID, he provided significant consultation and coordination with the industry, obtaining relief through insurance claims as well as federal funding under the PPP and SVOG programs. He worked closely with the League Government Relations committee, helping to draft and interpret legislation for the NYC Theatrical tax credit.

An adjunct professor for Columbia University for over 20 years in their MFA program, Robert teaches theatrical accounting, and was instrumental in co-founding an exchange program between Columbia University and Stage One in the UK. Through this collaboration, Columbia students receive intensive training about producing in the UK, and Stage One participants receive the same intensive reciprocal learning about producing in the US. Robert serves as Vice Chair and Treasurer of Theatre Development Fund (TDF). He is also a trustee and chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee of the Rogosin Institute, a prominent health care organization affiliated with the New York Presbyterian Hospital system.

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Hosted by Ariana DeBose, the American Theatre Wing’s 76th Annual Tony Awards, presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will air LIVE on Sunday, June 11, 2023 from the historic United Palace in Washington Heights, in New York City from 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/5:00-8:00 PM, PT on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+*.

CBS and Pluto TV will present The Tony Awards: Act One, a pre-show of live, exclusive content leading into the 76th Annual Tony Awards. The celebration commences at 6:30-8:00 PM, ET/3:30-5:00 PM PT, on Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service (FAST). Viewers can access the show on their smart TV, streaming device, mobile app or online by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the “Pluto TV Celebrity” channel (no payment, registration or sign-in required).

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About the Tony Awards

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Lauren Reid is Chair and Charlotte St. Martin is President. At the American Theatre Wing, Emilio Sosa is Chair and Heather A. Hitchens is President & CEO.

Sponsors for The Tony Awards include: Carnegie Mellon University - the first-ever, exclusive higher education partner; City National Bank - the official bank of The Tony Awards; Playbill;  Rainbow Room - the official partner of the Tony Nominee Luncheon; Sofitel New York - the official hotel of The Tony Awards; United Airlines - the official airline of The Tony Awards for over 20 years; Zacapa Rum - the official partner of the Tony Awards; Baccarat - the official partner of the Tony Awards; and Ketel One Vodka - the official partner of the Tony Awards.