1/52 Project, Jake Bell, Kenn Lubin, and Loren Plotkin Will Receive 2026 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that the 2026 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to 1/52 Project, Jake Bell, Kenn Lubin, and Loren Plotkin. 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 theater, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories.

The OBIE Award-winning 1/52 Project was founded in January, 2022 by Tony Award-winning scenic designer Beowulf Boritt to provide financial support to early career designers from historically excluded groups, including all women of all ethnicities. Boritt had the idea that if every designer with a show running on Broadway was willing to donate one week’s additional weekly compensation (1/52 of their yearly AWC), it would add up to a significant amount of money to support early career designers.

Jake Bell began as a stage manager on Broadway and for national touring companies, beginning with A Chorus Line. Later he began production management on many of the longest-running Broadway shows in American history. In the 1980s, after stage managing Cats, Chess, and Dreamgirls, he was hired by producer Cameron Mackintosh to lead his technical production management team for his repertoire of Broadway and national tour successes for the next 35 years. In 2002, Bell opened his own company, Jake Bell Production Services, while he continued to manage the Mackintosh shows. He retired on December 31, 2025.

Kenn Lubin is a designer, creative director, and collaborator. He began his career in film and advertising, producing title design and graphics for major television programs before launching his own design firm. Lubin became deeply involved in Broadway advertising and production as a key creative leader at Serino Coyne before moving on to work with other companies to produce front-of-house branding. Over the course of his career, Lubin has contributed to the visual identity of more than 2,000 Broadway and off-Broadway productions.

Loren Plotkin graduated law school in 1966 at the age of 23. In 1973, he took over as production counsel for Gypsy in the UK starring Angela Lansbury. Plotkin’s first Broadway production, in 1974, was the transfer of Gypsy from the West End to Broadway starring Angela Lansbury again. From that time to the present, he has represented non-profit theaters and about 100 Broadway productions, as well as multiple US tours and West End productions. Now at 83, he’s reduced much of his work, but the law firm he helped create continues to be a presence in the entertainment world, particularly on Broadway.

This year’s Tony Awards will return to Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7, hosted by P!NK. Nominations for the competitive categories will be announced on Tuesday, May 5.