Qween Jean is making history as the first openly Trans Tony winner!
The costume designer and LGBT+ rights activist won Best Costume Design of a Musical for her work on Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the 2026 Tony Awards on Sunday (June 7) at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Qween Jean has now become the first-ever openly Trans person to win a Tony award!
“This experience has been monumental,” she shared in her acceptance speech during the pre-show, The Tony Awards: Act One, via Playbill. “We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people. We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm.”
“So I just want to say, thank you all so much for this incredible honor,” Qween continued. “The world right now is deeply, deeply combating so many ailments, and we know as a society that when we come together, we can make real, permanent change.”
She wasn’t the only win for Cats: The Jellicle Ball. The musical also picked up the awards for Best Direction of a Musical for Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, and Best Choreography for Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons.
The show was also nominated for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Andre De Shields, Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Best Sound Design of a Musical and Best Orchestrations.
In addition, Qween Jean was nominated for Best Costume Design of a Play for her work on Liberation.
If you missed it, there was another historic win at the Tonys that night!
Check out the gallery below for more photos of Qween Jean at the 2026 Tony Awards…
Posted To:2026 Tony Awards Event Photos pride Qween Jean Tony Awards
