MTI CEO Freddie Gershon Photo: Marcus Woollen/MTI
The Tony Awards® Administration Committee has announced this year’s recipients of Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre and we are thrilled that MTI’s CEO Freddie Gershon, (whose work includes the creation of the MTI Broadway Junior Collection) is among the honorees.
Joining Freddie in this honor is Artie Siccardi, a production supervisor who has overseen more than 200 Broadway shows and TDF Open Doors, a program that introduces New York City public high school students to theatre through mentorships with theatre professionals.
The Honors will be presented at the annual Tony Eve Cocktail Party, which is hosted by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. The event will take place on June 9, the evening before the 2012 Tony Awards, at the InterContinental Times Square Hotel.
“The Tony Eve Cocktail Party gives us the opportunity to not only celebrate the year’s Tony nominees, but to also give our sincere thanks and appreciation to the everyday heroes in our community,” said Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of the Broadway League. Heather Hitchens, Executive Director of the American Theatre Wing, added, “This year’s recipients of the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre — Freddie Gershon, Artie Siccardi and the TDF Open Doors Program — have all made extraordinary contributions to our community and are true champions to be celebrated.
In 1994, Freddie Gershon conceived MTI’s Broadway Junior Collection – introducing elementary and middle schools to the joys of musical theatre through 30- and 60-minute author-approved versions of Broadway works adapted for performance by students. This American art form is kept alive as students experience the process of performing their own productions of an authentic Broadway musical while collaborating with their fellow students on costumes, sets & other theatre crafts. Since 1994, over 70,000 separate productions have taken place in America, involving 4,000,000 children. You can read more about Freddie on his official website, www.FreddieGershon.com.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
We just finished doing a production of HONK Jr — it was fabulous! As were so many other productions — Annie, Jr, Fiddler on the Roof, Jr, Once on this Island, Jr, Into The Woods, Jr, and many, many more that we’ve done with kids over the years. The adapted scripts are so manageable and offer a wonderful process and awesome result. We are ever grateful to Freddie Gershon and all who collaborate for providing this vehicle for kids to imagine, dream and discover through the arts!
Hello!
Just wanted to pass along my congratulations and incredible gratitude to Freddie Gershon. Because of Freddie’s vision, we have been able to build a business providing younger children in our area with Musical Theatre experiences that they might not otherwise have until Middle or High School, if at all. The support from our community (State College, PA) has been outstanding, and we now have about 200 students participating in 8 different productions this Spring semester! The joy and personal growth that these performing experiences bring to our students and their families is unmeasurable. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Here’s to Musical Theatre lighting up the world one child at a time.