[2] They were given out by the non-profit arts service organization LA Stage Alliance and are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles.
[4] Hosts for the ceremonies have included Nathan Lane,[5] Lily Tomlin,[6] and Neil Patrick Harris.
[7] The 2021 awards ceremony featured several prominent mistakes taken as slights on marginalized communities.
[9] In response, over forty participating theatre companies revoked their membership in the LA Stage Alliance, citing the organization's disenfranchisement of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) as well as people of color (BIPOC) from the Los Angeles theatre community.
[8][10] The Alliance, facing existing financial and organizational difficulties,[8][9] initially released plans for institutional reform before deciding to disband altogether.