Broadway League Honors J.L. 'Lynn' Singleton with Distinguished Lifetime Service Award
The longtime Providence Performing Arts Center leader was recognized for his contributions to touring Broadway and venue management.
J.L. “Lynn” Singleton, President and CEO of Professional Facilities Management, Inc. (PFM), has been honored with The Broadway League's Distinguished Lifetime Service Award. Singleton was recognized during The Broadway League Awards Ceremony on May 20 in New York City. He previously received the Samuel J. L'Hommedieu Award for Outstanding Achievement in Presenter Management from The Broadway League in 2004.
Singleton transitioned from his role as President and CEO of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) on January 1, 2026, to focus exclusively on leading PFM, a subsidiary of PPAC specializing in venue management and booking. PFM currently manages nine venues nationwide, including The VETS in Providence, the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, and the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina.
“On behalf of the PPAC and PFM staffs, we congratulate Lynn on this well-deserved recognition from The Broadway League,” said Alan J. Chille, President and CEO of PPAC. “His visionary leadership and his commitment to excellence helped transform PPAC into one of the most well-respected theatres in the nation and as one of the founders of PFM, his influence has extended to many other venues.”
Singleton became President and CEO of PPAC in 1983 and led the organization through decades of growth, transforming the theater from a struggling operation into one of North America's leading nonprofit performing arts venues. During his tenure, annual attendance grew to more than 350,000 patrons, and the theater underwent extensive restoration and expansion projects totaling more than $50 million.
Among his achievements was advocating for Rhode Island's expansion of film tax credits to support pre-Broadway and post-Broadway national tours. Since 2008, PPAC has launched 27 national tours, including productions of LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL, LES MISÉRABLES, PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL, TINA - THE Tina Turner MUSICAL, and A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE Neil Diamond MUSICAL.
As a co-producer and investor through the Independent Presenter's Network and as a Tony Awards voter, PPAC has been associated with Tony Award-winning productions including MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, THE BAND'S VISIT, KINKY BOOTS, ONCE, and DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Singleton also received an Emmy Award for Art Direction for A&E's presentation of PETER PAN starring Cathy Rigby.
The Distinguished Lifetime Service Award was accepted on Singleton's behalf by Janice Anderson, Director of Theatrical Programming at PPAC and PFM. In remarks shared at the ceremony, Singleton reflected on the evolution of the industry and emphasized the importance of ensuring a strong future for Broadway and touring theater. He also dedicated the recognition to colleagues Gary McAvay, Pat Halloran, and Larry Payton.
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