MAD Congratulates Tom Viola

20/Apr/2010

Tom Viola – Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is being honoured:

On April 21, the Tony Awards Administration Committee announced the honorees for three sets of non-competitive special recognition awards: Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre to Alan Ayckbourn and Marian Seldes; the Isabelle Stevenson Award to David Hyde Pierce, and Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre to the Alliance of Resident Theatre/New York, B. H. Barry, and Tom Viola. These honors will be presented at the 2010 Tony Awards ceremony on Sunday, June 13.

Established in 1990, Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre recognize institutions, individuals and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories. This year’s Tony Honors will be presented to:

Tom Viola – Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the nation's leading industry-based not-for-profit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. Mr. Viola is being honored for his personal commitment to the fight against AIDS, which stretches back beyond his service as founding administrative director of Equity Fights AIDS in 1988. He saw the organization through its merger with Broadway Cares in 1992, and became BC/EFA’s executive director five years later. BC/EFA was previously honored with a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre in 1993.

MAD Chairman, David Pendlebury commented:

"On behalf of everyone at MAD and the British Theatre community, I want to express our sincerest and most heartfelt congratulations to Tom on hearing the news that he is to be honoured by the 2010 Tony Awards committee with an Honor for Excellence in the Theatre Award.

There is no one more deserving than Tom who should be recognised in this wonderful way. I know that his recognition in this way is a great tribute to all of the Broadway Cares staff, colleagues, volunteers, friends and community both past, present & future; but without his commitment, leadership and vision none of the immense success of BCEFA would have been realised. He is a truly remarkable gentleman, who touches so many lives, and we are extremely proud and honoured to be able to count him as one of our dearest friends.