Billy Porter is known for his talent, charisma, and passion for helping the LGBTQ+ community.
In celebration of the work Porter has done for others, the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League will honor him with the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award at the 2024 Tony Awards.
Porter's work as an ambassador for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has propelled him to reach people within and outside the theatre and LGBTQ+ community. He fights for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities through the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, HRC (Human Rights Campaign), GLAAD, Planned Parenthood, and many others.
Likewise, he is also a board of trustees member of the Entertainment Community Fund, formerly called The Actors Fund.
According to Theatre Mania, the Isabelle Stevenson Award "recognizes an individual from the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theatre."
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"Billy Porter has made extraordinary contributions as an activist for the LGBTQ+ community and we are truly honored to present him with this year's Isabelle Stevenson Award. He has lent tremendous time, effort and support to a variety of organizations including The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, the Entertainment Community Fund, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, all while becoming an unstoppable force on stage, screen and beyond," The Broadway League Interim President Jason Laks and American Theatre Wing CEO and President Heather Hitchens said in a joint statement.
Porter shared the announcement on his Instagram Stories, attaching an AIDS ribbon GIF and a praying emoji as he celebrates the honor.
Porter will be the fifteenth artist to receive the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award. He follows a long list of artists like Phyllis Newman, Bernadette Peters, Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz, playwright Larry Kramer, Rosie O'Donnell, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Julie Halston, among many others.
Porter is also a Tony Award winner. In 2009, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role in Kinky Boots. In 2022, he also won a Tony Award for Best Musical for A Strange Loop, as he served as a producer along with Jennifer Hudson and more for the show.
Porter will be honored at the 2024 Tony Awards, which will be held on June 16, 2024, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
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