Industry Pro Newsletter: P!NK to Host the Tonys + DOJ Settles With Broadway Across America

On Broadway, the Justice Department's resolution of its investigation into Broadway Across America signals growing scrutiny of market power in the touring industry, while the Tony Awards season heats up with eligibility decisions, a surprise celebrity host announcement in P!NK, and a $100 million facelift planned for Studio 54. Beyond New York, the Chicago theater community is grappling with a values reckoning after a controversial Jeff Awards decision prompted more than a dozen companies to sever ties with the organization, and San Jose mourns the loss of the beloved 3Below Theaters. Across the Atlantic, London's 50th Olivier Awards delivered a landmark celebration of the West End's past and present. Amid it all, Sheryl Lee Ralph's Paul Robeson Award recognition serves as a timely reminder of what draws so many to this industry in the first place: the belief that theater can be a force for good in the world.

SUBSCRIBE NOW - Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox every Monday? Make sure and subscribe using the form at the top or bottom of this page to join the Industry Pro mailing list.

Employment Opportunity

Seeking New Artistic Director for the Orlando Gay Chorus - Orlando Gay Chorus

For more than three decades, the Orlando Gay Chorus has used music to uplift, educate, and build bridges throughout the community. As the organization looks ahead, it seeks an Artistic Director who will honor its legacy while bringing fresh creativity and vision.

Industry Trends

Department of Justice Resolves Investigation Into Practices of Broadway Across America

The investigation centered on concerns that Broadway Across America used its market influence to limit competition, specifically through an agreement with another entertainment company — reportedly ATG Entertainment — that restricted where that company could present shows. Rather than pursuing criminal charges, the Justice Department entered into a non-prosecution agreement with Broadway Across America. As part of that agreement, the company committed to following an enhanced antitrust compliance and ethics program; Broadway Across America stated it had acted on good-faith legal advice from outside counsel, which was taken into account in the decision not to prosecute.

Sheryl Lee Ralph to Receive 2026 Paul Robeson Award From Actors' Equity

Actors' Equity Association and the Actors' Equity Foundation have announced that Emmy Award-winning actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph will receive the 2026 Paul Robeson Award, per BroadwayWorld.com. The award recognizes ongoing work in communities to leverage theatre beyond the stage and uphold Paul Robeson's belief in the artist's responsibility to society. Ralph, who originated the role of Deena Jones in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls and currently stars as Barbara Howard on ABC's Abbott Elementary, founded The D.I.V.A. Foundation, which focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness, gender and race equality, LGBTQ+ issues, and food and housing insecurity. She will receive the award at a ceremony later this year.

Broadway/New York

Tony Awards Committee Determines Eligibility for EVERY BRILLIANT THING and More

The Tony Awards Administration Committee met for the third time this season to determine eligibility for three Broadway productions for the 79th Annual Tony Awards. Every Brilliant Thing, despite never having previously played Broadway, will be considered eligible in the Best Revival of a Play category, with authors Duncan MacMillan and Jonny Donahoe also ruled eligible. Additionally, Ebon Moss-Bachrach was ruled eligible for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his role in Dog Day Afternoon, effectively placing co-star Jon Bernthal in the lead category. Tony Award nominations will be announced on May 5, 2026, ahead of the June 7 ceremony at Radio City Music Hall.

P!NK Will Host the 2026 Tony Awards

Music superstar P!NK will host the 79th Annual Tony Awards on June 7, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall, as announced exclusively by BroadwayWorld.com. The three-time Grammy Award winner, who has never appeared on Broadway, will bring her performance skills to the ceremony, which will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from 8–11 PM ET.

Roundabout's Studio 54 Will Undergo $100 Million Renovation

Roundabout Theatre Company's Studio 54 is set to undergo a $100 million renovation to address long-standing structural and operational issues. Renovation plans include upgrades to sound and lighting, creation of a permanent stage, and a new marquee; seating will decrease from approximately 1,001 to around 990, with balcony seats removed to improve front-of-house sightlines. Construction is targeted to begin in 2029, and Roundabout has raised $45 million toward the goal so far, with $14.5 million of a requested $30 million from New York City already secured.

Regional

15 Chicago Theaters Cut Ties With Jeff Awards

At least 15 Chicago theater companies have publicly severed ties with the Joseph Jefferson Awards (the Jeffs), Chicago's prestigious theater honors, following the organization's decision to name Invictus Theatre Artistic Director Charles Askenaizer "Best Director" at its 52nd Non-Equity ceremony on March 23, 2026. Askenaizer is the subject of an ongoing independent investigation into allegations of emotional abuse and harassment stemming from Invictus Theatre's 2021 production of Hamlet, which he has denied. Two members of the Jeff Awards committee have since resigned, and the organization announced a working group to review its judging and voting practices. The theaters that have cut ties — including Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, Visión Latino Theater Company, Corn Productions, and Babes With Blades — have rallied under the slogan "Abuse is not art."

San Francisco Chronicle: 3Below Theaters to Close, Cites Issues with Landlord

Downtown San Jose's 3Below Theaters, a cinema, café, and live theater venue, announced its closure following the final performances of its production The Bardy Bunch, which runs through April 26, 2026, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Owners Shannon and Scott Guggenheim, who previously operated Saratoga's Retrodome Theater, transformed the former Camera 3 Cinemas into a home for musicals and live events in 2017. In their statement, the owners said they "explored every possible way to persevere, but a combination of immense challenges and unresolved issues related to the facility ultimately make it impossible to continue."

International

PADDINGTON Wins Big At the Oliviers - Check The Full List of Winners Here

Yesterday was London’s big night - the 50th Annual Olivier Awards hosted by Nick Mohammed. The ceremony included performances from Cunard Best New Musical nominees Paddington The Musical, Shucked, and The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, and Best Musical Revival nominees Evita, Into The Woods and The Producers. A special performance marking 40 years of Cameron Mackintosh's production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom Of The Opera opened the show, and a dazzling finale celebrated 20 years of Wicked in the West End. Dame Elaine Paige received this year’s Special Award. 

Missed our last few newsletters?

April 6, 2026 - BroadwayWorld Now Speaks 20 Languages — and More Big News

This week's theater news spans continents and crosses languages — quite literally. In New York, Rattlestick Theater announces a meaningful tribute to one of Off-Broadway's greatest champions, renaming its West Village home in honor of the late playwright Terrence McNally, while Broadway Cares celebrates the generosity of the theater community with a record-breaking fundraising run on Governors Island. Across the Atlantic, the beloved West End hit Paddington the Musical prepares to bring its score to audiences worldwide with an eagerly anticipated cast recording release. And speaking of reaching audiences worldwide, BroadwayWorld announces a major expansion of its multilingual platform, now available in 20 languages ahead of a landmark year for international visitors to the U.S. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the theater community is grappling with hard questions about legacy, accountability, and who gets to define excellence, as the city's storied Jeff Awards face growing calls for reform.

March 30, 2026 - Sardi's Sold, Broadway Booms & Phantom Makes History in Sydney

This week's theater news spans the globe, from a massive outdoor Phantom of the Opera making history on Sydney Harbour to Shakespeare's birthday celebrations in Chicago, a landmark West End awards night in London, and a new home for one of New York's most celebrated Off-Broadway companies. Closer to home, Broadway is reporting record-breaking grosses and attendance even as international tourism dips, while one of the Theatre District's most beloved institutions — Sardi's — prepares for a temporary farewell as it changes hands. And as the world marked World Theatre Day on March 27, the stories this week serve as a fitting reminder of just how alive and far-reaching the art form remains.

March 23, 2026 - Broadway's Star-Studded Spring + A Historic Pittsburgh Merger

On the business side, the independent acquisition of Serino Coyne signals a shift away from the consolidation model that has defined much of the advertising world, while the merger of Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO illustrates how financial pressure is prompting institutions to find strength in unity. On the creative side, BroadwayWorld's Spring Preview paints an exciting picture of a season packed with star power and long-awaited arrivals. Internationally, UK theatremakers are pushing for greater recognition of emerging craft disciplines at the Oliviers, and a landmark Irish experiment offers compelling evidence that investing directly in artists yields measurable cultural and economic returns.

BroadwayWorld Resources

BroadwayWorld Stage Mag - A Fully Interactive Show Program

The digital solution to your show program needs - want to see what's possible? Check out the Stage Mag's for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and for The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)! Then start building your own at stagemag.broadwayworld.com.

Add Your Show to our Regional Events Calendar

As audiences get set to return to in-person performances, and as your company works to market your own return to the stage, make sure you've got your upcoming shows in our regional events calendars. Listings are free of charge, with boosting options available. Get your show listed now

Want this newsletter in your inbox every week? Subscribe here.

Want more information about marketing options with BroadwayWorld? Request a media kit here and a member of our sales and marketing team will reach out promptly.