About the event
Since its inception in 1989, The Awards for Excellence in the Arts have recognized distinguished artists and visionaries who have proven their dedication, talent, and leadership in support of the arts. All proceeds are placed in The Theatre School Scholarship Fund, enabling the next generation of theatre artists and leaders to continue their training in pursuit of their dreams.
In addition to the Awards for Excellence in the Arts presented to a select few inspiring artists, a Corporate Award was established in 1998 to honor exemplary corporate philanthropy to the arts. Also, in 2007, a Leadership Award was established to honor the vision of extraordinary individuals, and their commitment to strengthening the arts in our community.
Past Honorees
The award for excellence in the arts
* denotes an alumni of the Goodman School of Drama or The Theatre School
| F. Murray Abraham |
Richard Gilliland |
Ray Liotta |
Jean Smart |
| Theoni V. Aldredge* |
Sharon Gless |
Patti LuPone |
Steve Smith* |
| Tom Aldredge* |
Judy Greer* |
Shirley R. Madigan |
Meshach Taylor |
| Joan Allen |
Pam Grier |
Michael Maggio |
Regina Taylor |
| Tom Amandes* |
John Guare |
John Mahoney |
Emma Thompson |
| Don Ameche |
Vincent Guastaferro* |
Karl Malden* |
Concetta Tomei* |
| Gillian Anderson* |
Irma P. Hall |
Catherine Malfitano |
Constance Towers |
| Kevin Anderson* |
Julie Harris |
Joe Mantegna* |
Daniel J. Travanti |
| Alana Arenas* |
Sondra A. Healy* |
Marlee Matlin |
Vince Vaughn |
| Ed Asner |
Zach Helm* |
Mercedes McCambridge |
Ben Vereen |
| Alec Baldwin |
Katherine Helmond |
Tarell Alvin McCraney* |
Eli Wallach |
| Martin Balsam |
Marilu Henner |
Rita Moreno |
Sam Wanamaker* |
| Angela Bassett |
Gregory Hines |
Lois Nettleton |
Zoe Wanamaker |
| W. Earl Brown* |
Hal Holbrook |
Mike Nussbaum |
William Warfield |
| E. Faye Butler* |
Celeste Holm |
Edward James Olmos |
The Rev. Jack Warner* |
| Dixie Carter |
Bonnie Hunt |
Estelle Parsons |
Ted Wass* |
| Richard Christiansen |
Linda Hunt* |
Maria Tallchief paschen |
Wendy Wasserstein |
| Gary Cole |
Bella Itkin* |
Elizabeth Perkins* |
Lois Weisberg |
| Fred Ebb |
Anne Jackson |
William Peterson |
George Wendt |
| Blythe Danner |
James Earl Jones |
David Hyde Pierce |
Fred Willard |
| Brian Dennehy |
John Kander |
Amy Pietz* |
Jacqueline Williams* |
| Melinda Dillon* |
David Koechner |
Aidan Quinn |
Howard Witt* |
| Ann Dowd* |
Harvey Korman* |
Phylicia Rashad |
Alfre Woodard |
| Dennis Dugan* |
Bill Kurtis |
John C. Reilly* |
Charlayne Woodard* |
| Scott Ellis* |
Donna La Pietra |
Harold Reskin |
Jane Wyman |
| Dennis Farina |
Martin Landau |
Lloyd Richards |
Larry Yando* |
| Laurence Fishburne |
Nathan Lane |
Michael Rooker* |
Louis Zorich* |
| Dennis Franz |
Sherry Lansing |
Victoria Rowell |
|
| William Friedkin |
Michael Leavitt* |
Michael Shannon |
|
| Victor Garber |
Tracy Letts |
Molly Shannon |
|
The Corporate Award for Excellence in the Arts
| American Airlines |
McDonald’s Corporation |
| Bank of America |
Sara Lee Corporation |
| BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois |
SBC Communications Inc. |
| Richard H. Driehaus |
Exelon Corporation |
| Kraft Foods North America |
Northern Trust |
| Illinois Tool Works Inc. |
The Leadership Award for Excellence in the Arts
| Shirley Madigan |
Lois Weisberg |
| Bill Kurtis & Donna La Pietra |
Carol & Gordon Segal |
| Christopher G. Kennedy |
|
Additional information about our complete history of honorees is available upon request.
For reservations and inquiries:
DePaul University, Office of Advancement Events
(312) 362-8455 eventRSVP@depaul.edu
For more information:
Anna Ables, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, The Theatre School. (773) 325-7938 aables@depaul.edu
Andrea Tichy, Manager of PR & Special Events, The Theatre School
(773) 325-7819 atichy@depaul.edu