2006 Tony Honors Go to BMI, Forbidden Bway, Liff + Stewart

The Tony Awards Administration Committee today announced the recipients of the 2006 Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre. The Awards will be presented to:

· BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop - For over 45 years, the workshop has developed new talent for the world of musical theatre and film. A Chorus Line, Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, Once on this Island, Grand Hotel, Nine, and Ragtime are just a few of the shows whose writers were trained at the BMI Workshop.

· Forbidden Broadway and its creator, Gerard Alessendrini - For more than 25 years this New York institution has been insuring our sense of humor about the Broadway theatre world.

· Samuel (Biff) Liff - As a member of the prestigious William Morris Agency, Mr. Liff has had a distinguished career as manager for David Merrick, as well as a representative of many of the Theatre's stellar creators including Jerry Herman and Sam Mendes

· Ellen Stewart - Founder/director of La MaMa E.T.C., a resident theatre that has performed over 2,000 productions since its inception in 1961. Ms. Stewart has staged, composed, directed, and written librettos for original folk-opera/spectacles, presented in America and all over the world.

The Tony Honors luncheon will be held on Tuesday, October 24th at Tavern on the Green. The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing.

The Tony Honors recognize contributions to the field of theatre for individuals and organizations that are not eligible in any of the established Tony categories.

The Tonys are presented by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing. At the League, Gerald Schoenfeld is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is Executive Director. At the Wing, Sondra Gilman is Chairman, Doug Leeds is President and Howard Sherman is Executive Director. For Tony Award Productions, Elizabeth I. McCann is Managing Producer and Joey Parnes is Coordinating Producer.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss/White Cherry Entertainment served as Executive Producers of the 2006 Tony Awards. Mr. Weiss will also Directed the 2006 Tony Awards.

The official Tony Awards web site, www.TonyAwards.com, is developed, designed, and hosted by IBM, an official partner of the Tonys. News and feature content is provided in cooperation with Playbill.com.