Broadway League Names Recipients of the 2024 Leadership Awards

The Broadway League has revealed the three recipients of the 2024 Broadway League Leadership Awards that were presented during the League’s Annual Meeting. The honorees include: Lauren Reid (Member of the Year), David Stone (Distinguished Service), and Michael David (Lifetime Achievement).

 These awards recognize the outstanding efforts of these League members and their commitment to producing and presenting the best in live theatre for Broadway and Touring Broadway.

“Lauren Reid, David Stone, and Michael David exemplify the very best of the Broadway League community.   We honor their leadership and service to our industry and thank them for dedicating their time to bringing live theatre to audiences in New York and across the country," said Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League. "As a membership organization, The Broadway League is only as strong as its members, and these three truly represent us at our finest.”

The League Leadership Award recipients were determined by a League Awards Selection Committee comprised of Full Members representing all Membership categories. The Awards were presented to the recipients by industry legends. Miles Wilkin, Vice Chairman of The John Gore Organization, presented Member of the Year to Lauren Reid, Nick Scandalios, Chief Operating Officer of the Nederlander Producing Company of America, presented the Distinguished Service Award to David Stone, and Rocco Landesman, former president of Jujamcyn Theaters and a founding member of the Dodgers, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Michael David.

According to the most recent studies produced by the League, Broadway productions garnered 12.3 million admissions in the last season, and 93% of theatregoers said they plan to attend another Broadway show in the future.

MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD 

Lauren Reid, President of the John Gore Organization (JGO), has channeled her lifelong passion for live entertainment into a three-decade career working at the highest levels of the theater industry to extend the reach of Broadway. Throughout her tenure at JGO, Lauren has helped steer the company to become a leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of commercial theater from coast-to-coast, with a proven track record of managing, promoting, and delivering high-quality productions. In addition to its productions on Broadway, JGO presents theater in more than 45 markets across North America and reaches more than 50 million fans each year through its variety of digital platforms. JGO’s family of companies, all of which are under Lauren’s operational oversight, includes Tony Award-winning Broadway Across America, Emmy Award-winning Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Broadway Brands and Group Sales Box Office.

Additionally, Lauren played a crucial role as the immediate past Chair of the Board of The Broadway League from 2020 to 2023.  Her leadership was particularly significant as she helped guide the organization through the unprecedented pandemic shutdown of Broadway, and then helped manage the industry’s successful reopening in New York City and across the country.  As a fierce advocate for creating access to professional opportunities across the entertainment industry, Lauren has spearheaded and championed a range of early career training and mentorship programs. She co-created the Broadway League’s Rising Stars program, forged a partnership between Broadway Across America and Black Theatre Coalition to create the BAA/BTC Apprenticeship program, and helped organize the UTNY internship program, to name a few. Lauren also serves on the boards of trustees for The Entertainment Community Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, The Hobby Center in Houston, and Texas Performing Arts in Austin. 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

David Stone is currently represented on National Tour by Kimberly Akimbo and around the world (on stage and screen) by Wicked. He has also produced Kimberly Akimbo, Topdog/Underdog, The Boys in the Band, War Paint, If/Then, Next to Normal, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Three Days of Rain, Man of La Mancha, The Vagina Monologues, Fully Committed, Lifegame, The Diary of Anne Frank, Full Gallop, The Santaland Diaries and Family Secrets.  David serves on the boards of The Broadway League and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.  He also serves on the advisory boards of V-Day and Second Stage Theatre.  David has lectured on theatre at Yale, Princeton, Columbia and his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

David Stone has been a Member of the Broadway League for 30 years. He has served on the Board of Governors since 2004, the Tony Administration Committee since 2005, the Executive Committee since 2008, the Membership Committee since 2006 – serving as Chair since 2010 and he has served on countless ad hoc committees and task forces for well over 20 years.

 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 

MICHEAL DAVID is the president of Dodger Properties (the “Dodgers”), a theatrical producing partnership hatched at BAM in 1979 by six friends. The Dodgers migrated to Joe Papp and the New York Shakespeare Festival, and eventually to off and on Broadway where they are responsible for over two hundred productions in New York City, North America, London, Europe and Australasia—and have shared in a host of awards, from Tonys (56), Obies, London’s Oliviers, Australia’s Helpmanns and the like.

On Broadway, Dodgers were lead producers of Jersey Boys, Matilda (with RSC), 42nd Street, Urinetown, High Society, The Who’s Tommy, Into the Woods (original ’87 and ’02), Titanic, Prelude to a Kiss, Nathan Lane’s…Forum, The King and I, Ralph Fiennes’ Hamlet, Guys and Dolls, Jelly’s Last Jam, The Secret Garden, Footloose, Music Man, Gospel at Colonus, 1776, Bronx Tale, Big River, among others. Currently, Michael is the Executive Producer of Broadway’s MJ. The Dodgers have offices in Times Square, and Covent Garden, England.

From 1970-79, Michael was the Executive Director of New York's Chelsea Theater Center, while an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Drama, of which he is a graduate. He was president of the disorderly Independent Producers Group, a board member of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, served on the Executive Committee of the Broadway League, and is currently a member of the Tony Administration Committee.

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