Qween Jean Makes History as First Openly Trans Tony Award Winner

Qween Jean has etched her name into Tony Awards history.

The costume designer and LGBT+ rights activist captured the Best Costume Design of a Musical award for her contributions to Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the 2026 Tony Awards ceremony held Sunday, June 7, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. With this win, Jean becomes the first openly trans person to claim a Tony Award.

During her acceptance remarks at The Tony Awards: Act One pre-show segment, Jean reflected on the significance of the moment. "This experience has been monumental," she said, per 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."

She added: "So I just want to say, thank you all so much for this incredible honor. 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."

Cats: The Jellicle Ball proved to be a major player on the night, collecting multiple accolades. Directors Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch took home Best Direction of a Musical, while choreographers Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons won for Best Choreography.

The production earned additional nominations across several categories, including 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.

Jean also received a nomination for Best Costume Design of a Play for her work on Liberation.