LaChanze, Patricia Delgado & Justin Peck & More Will Be Honored at Made in NY Awards

Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman today announced the honorees for the first-ever “Made in NY” Awards Ceremony for Theatre and Live Performance, celebrating individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the theatre and live performance industry in New York City. Mayor Eric Adams and Commissioner Kaufman will host the inaugural ceremony to celebrate the honorees at Gracie Mansion on September 15, 2025. The honorees are Tony Award® winning actor and producer as well as co-founder and president of the Black Theatre United LaChanze; founder and artistic director of Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse Susan Feldman; public relations executive and founding co-chair of the NYC Theatre and Live Performance Industry Council Ken Sunshine; and Tony Award® Winning Choreographers of Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck.

The evening will also include an orchestra trio featuring musicians from current Broadway shows Maybe Happy Ending and Hell’s Kitchen. These musicians are participants of the Broadway Musicians Equity Partnership, which aims to support musicians who have historically been underrepresented on Broadway, with access, learning opportunities and resources on playing in the musical theatre industry.

“Whether you’re an eager understudy waiting for your big break, an acclaimed actress at the top of your game, or a long-time theater lover who has seen every show, New York City’s arts and live performance scene is unparalleled. It is where barriers have been broken, stars have been born, and generations have been inspired,” said Mayor Adams. “With this new awards ceremony, we will honor that legacy and the people who have helped build it. Congratulations to LaChanze, Susan, Ken, Patricia, and Justin on this honor and your extraordinary careers in the field.”

“We are very excited to announce that the first-ever ‘Made in NY’ Award Ceremony, held exclusively to celebrate our city’s vibrant Theatre and Live Performance community will honor LaChanze, Susan Feldman, Ken Sunshine, Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck – all of who are names well known for decades of commitment to their crafts and making NYC a global creative capital,” said MOME Commissioner Kaufman. “The contributions of these honorees are widespread, from performing to educating to incubating to promoting, and we look forward to the moment where we can gather the artists, administrators and community leaders of this industry together for a special night.”

Created by MOME in 2006, the “Made in NY” awards shine a light on individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the city’s entertainment and digital media industries. The upcoming theater-focused event follows the 2025 “Made in NY” Awards, which were held for the first time in ten years at Gracie Mansion and celebrated the film and television industry. This month’s event will bring the total of “Made in NY” Awards presented throughout the commendation’s existence to a total of 82. Previous honorees include Joe Benincasa, Danielle Brooks, Alan Cumming, Neil Patrick Harris, John Leguizamo, Audra McDonald, Patina Miller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and The New Victory Theatre.

Since coming into office, Mayor Adams, MOME, and the entire Adams administration have worked to bolster the city’s theater and live performance sector, including convening the first-ever Live Performance Industry Council to gather leaders in live performance and government together to address challenges and identify strategies for growth; partnering with Seats on the Spectrum to make mainstream theater performances more welcoming to audience members on the autism spectrum; and ongoing support for the “Made in NY” Stagecraft Bootcamp in partnership with the Roundabout Theater Company Theater Workforce Development Program, which has trained and placed over 150 New Yorkers in good paying jobs in the theater, many of which joined unions or who are on track for membership.