Tony winners Hugh Jackman and Bernadette Peters will now have additional Tony trophies to add to their mantles as they will be recipients of special 2012 Tony Awards.
Peters will receive the Isabelle Stevenson Award for her work with her animal charity Broadway Barks. Each year the award is given to an individual from the theater community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations. Co-founded by Peters and Mary Tyler Moore, the annual adoption event has resulted in more than hundreds of adoptions from animal shelters acoss the city. Peters is a Tony winner for Song and Dance and Annie Get Your Gun, and has also received five additional nominations.
Jackman is being honored with the Special Award for his contributions to the Broadway community, both as a performer and humanitarian and for his "tireless dedication to charitable works of many types, and his personal generosity of spirit." A Tony winner for The Boy From Oz, Jackman has twice served as host of the awards ceremony. He appeared on Broadway earlier this season in his solo show Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway.
A Special Award will also be presented to Actors' Equity Association, which celebrates its 100th anniversay in June.
Full 2012 Tony nominations will be announced May 1, with the ceremony taking place June 10 at the Beacon Theatre.