Harvey Fierstein to Receive 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

UPDATE (April 28): PBS’ Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42 and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts are set to receive 2025 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. Established in 1990, Tony Honors are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories. 

PREVIOUSLY (April 24): Actor and writer Harvey Fierstein will receive the 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at the 78th annual Tony Awards. The show, with first-time host Cynthia Erivo, will broadcast live on both coasts on Sunday, June 8 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Fierstein has won four Tony Awards — two for Torch Song Trilogy (best play and best actor in a play) and one each for La Cage Aux Folles (best book of a musical) and Hairspray (best actor in a musical). He also wrote the Tony-winning hit Kinky Boots. Other Broadway credits include Newsies, Legs Diamond and the revival of Funny Girl. He revised the book for the latter show, which had a hit run on Broadway following its London production.

Some of the luminaries previously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award include Carol Channing, Graciela Daniele, Joel Gray, Jane Greenwood, Sheldon Harnick, Julie Harris, Rosemary Harris, Jerry Herman, James Earl Jones, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, Marshall W. Mason, Terrence McNally, Jack O’Brien, Harold Prince, Chita Rivera, Marian Seldes, Stephen Sondheim, Tommy Tune, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Wheeler and George C. Wolfe.

Fierstein, 72, received a Primetime Emmy nod in 1992 for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for a guest spot on Cheers.

The Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the first time in three years. Nominations will be announced on Thursday, May 1, at 9 a.m. ET live on the Tony Awards’ YouTube Page.

The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, and White Cherry Entertainment. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss are executive producers and showrunners for White Cherry Entertainment. Weiss will serve as director.

A limited number of tickets to the show are now on sale to the general public. Ticket prices begin at $595 for seats in the second and third mezzanines and are available for purchase at the Tony Awards’ website and Ticketmaster. There is a six-ticket limit and all ticket sales are final (Ticketmaster services charges will apply).