Brandon Uranowitz to Receive 2026 Jewish Queer Icon Award

JQY (Jewish Queer Youth) will honor Tony Award-winning actor Brandon Uranowitz with the Jewish Queer Icon Award this March. They will also present Tony Award-winning producer Riva Marker with the JQY Trailblazer Award, a recognition that will be presented at their annual gala for the first time. 

Uranowitz and Marker will be honored for their dedication to telling stories about Jewish and queer people through artistry and ensuring people with marginalized identities, including Jewish queer people, see representations of themselves on stage and screen. 

They will be recognized at JQY’s annual gala at Lincoln Center on March 16, 2026, co-chaired by award-winning marketing and communications specialist Duvi Stahler and inaugural Jewish Queer Icon Awardee, Tony Award-winning producer Rachel Sussman.

The gala raises funds for JQY’s programs, including free mental health services, community-building events, and critical support for LGBTQ youth in need. Further details about the gala can be found here.

“Brandon Uranowitz and Riva Marker each inspire us through their dedication to impacting the lives of LGBTQ and Jewish people in our New York community and beyond,” said Rachael Fried, executive director of JQY. “As queer voices are silenced and Jewish institutions are targeted, empowering queer Jewish youth is more important than ever. We are proud to recognize Brandon as our Jewish Queer Icon and Riva as our JQY Trailblazer as we build support for our vital programs.”

Uranowitz is a Tony Award-winning actor, currently appearing as Tateh in Lincoln Center Theater’s acclaimed Broadway revival of RAGTIME. Previous Broadway credits include Tom Stoppard’s LEOPOLDSTADT (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Lanford Wilson’s BURN THIS (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations), THE BAND’S VISIT, PRINCE OF BROADWAY, FALSETTOS (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations), and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (Tony Award nomination). 

Off Broadway, Brandon has appeared as Rabbi Jonah in BECOMING EVE at New York Theater Workshop, among other productions. On television, Brandon has appeared in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, “Fosse/Verdon”, “Blue Bloods”, “Dietland”, “Inside Amy Schumer”, and “Law and Order: Criminal Intent.”

Marker is a Tony award-winning producer of film, television, and stage and the CEO of Linden Productions, the premiere production arm of Linden Entertainment.  For film, Linden has Aleshea Harris’ directorial debut IS GOD IS slated for Orion Pictures first wide release May 15th, 2026.  The film stars Kara Young, Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox and Janelle Monae.  The company is also in pre-production on ONE ATTEMPT REMAINING for Netflix starring Jennifer Garner.  Marker is also a consulting producer on Julia Loktev’s Oscar short-listed documentary MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART 1, and she produced Tina Satter’s Peabody award-winning film REALITY starring Sydney Sweeney for HBO Films. 

Prior to Linden, Marker co-founded Nine Stories with Jake Gyllenhaal.  Some of her previous credits include Cary Fukunaga’s SAG and Spirit award-winning film BEASTS OF NO NATION, Antoine Fuqua’s THE GUILTY, David Gordon Green’s STRONGER, Natalie James’ RELIC, Michael Showalter’s HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS, Antonio Campos’ star studded THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME, Paul Dano’s directorial debut WILDLIFE, nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, and Lisa Cholodenko’s Academy Award nominated THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT.

For the stage, Marker’s shows have received 29 Tony nominations, including Best Play for David Adjmi’s Tony award-winning STEREOPHONIC, which Marker produced under Linden Productions. Linden is also currently producing Joe White’s play BLACKOUT SONGS, running at MCC. Other productions include: Jeremy O. Harris’ groundbreaking SLAVE PLAY and Simon Stephen and Nick Payne’s SEA WALL / A LIFE; and the critically acclaimed Stephen Sondheim revival of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE starring Gyllenhaal.