Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre

The Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre is a non-competitive award created by the American Theatre Wing in 1990. They are presented to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible to compete in any of the established Tony Award categories. The Tony Honors "are announced in the autumn, and they are bestowed at a separate ceremony that affords recipients a special moment in the spotlight."^[1] As explained in Playbill, "In 2003, a new tradition began for the Tony Honors, which were previously announced during the Tony Awards broadcast. Last year, however, the Honors were presented in the fall..."^[2]

The first recipient was Alfred Drake, who was recognized for his lengthy career in musical theatre.^[3]