Each year as the theatrical season draws to a close, the theatre industry seems to become flooded with awards ceremonies. With critics' awards, regional awards, the Tony Awards and more, you might wonder why the Actors' Equity Foundation would want to wade into the fray with its own ceremony, as it has done for the last few years. But the Foundation Awards offer something no other awards body does: the opportunity to recognize artists not only for their great performances, but for bodies of work and the humanitarian impact they have had on and through the theatre community. This attention to the intersection of love for craft and love for one's fellow artists speaks to the Foundation's purpose of representing the union's values.
As a recap: The Actors' Equity Foundation's is the non-profit spin-off of Actors' Equity Association that supports the professional theatre community, able to run philanthropic programs that labor law forbids the union from engaging in directly. To that end, its initial purpose was to receive donations by members who wanted to donate money to their union. That began as (and still centers) grant money for arts institutions, but beginning in the early 1970s, members began approaching the Foundation about leaving bequests for awards for their fellow members in their name, and the Foundation evolved to meet that need.
"These Equity members want to leave their mark by uplifting their colleagues," said Judy Rice, president of the Actors' Equity Foundation (as well as an Eastern principal councilor for the union). "It's a beautiful way to establish a legacy and the Foundation is proud to facilitate it."
These awards do not follow the industry standard categories like "Best Actor in a Musical." Each donor had a specific vision for what their awards should recognize, so they stand out in a crowded theatrical awards season. Created by theatre artists, they often reflect an appreciation for the scope of a career or specific forms of performance. The current slate of Foundation Awards includes:
The Clarence Derwent Award, which goes to two actors in recent promising performances. (The Derwent Award dates to 1945, long before the Foundation existed, but was adopted by the non-profit decades ago.) Many Derwent Award winners have gone on to have extraordinary careers, from its first recipient, Judy Holliday, to Morgan Freeman to Gene Wilder, and many more.
The Richard Seff Award, on the other hand, only a bit over 20 years old, goes to actors 50 or older, who have been Equity members for at least 25 years, for a performance on or Off-Broadway. These actors, some household names and some not, have been perfecting their craft for decades. Winners have included Kecia Lewis, Patrick Page and Margo Martindale, among others
.The Joe A. Callaway Award recognizes two actors specifically for classical roles in the New York area. This gives special attention to the accomplishment that is bringing to life old texts that have been tackled countless times. The first recipients were Alfre Woodard and Victor Garber, who received the honor in 1989.
The Michael McCarty Recognition Award is not even a decade old. Like the Seff Award, it also honors Equity members over 50, but in this case, it's for members based in Los Angeles who have made their life in the theatre. In addition to not being tied to any one production and recognizing a great career, it is also inclusive of stage managers. Recent honorees include Peter Van Norden, Mary K Klinger and Helen Geller.
"These are some of the best performers we have, but they're not always the kind who get awards," said Time Out New York theatre critic Adam Feldman, who has served on the committee that selects the winners for well over a decade. "It gives me great pleasure to look down our lists of past winners and see that they've gotten some of the recognition they deserve."
Additionally, there are humanitarian awards:
The Patrick Quinn Award for Distinguished Service to Actors was established in 2007 in memory of Quinn, Equity's former president and intended executive director. It honors an individual who works for the betterment of actors and stage managers. The work of recipients has ranged from advocating for diversity in the industry to running non-profits that offer resources to theatre artists when they are their most vulnerable. Among the recipients: Jeanna Belkin, Conrad Fowkes and Tom Viola.
The Paul Robeson Award has been jointly awarded by the Foundation and the Actors' Equity Association (and selected by a union committee) for over 50 years, recognizing an individual or organization that fulfills Robeson's values of equality and uplifting others. Robeson himself received the first award, with subsequent honorees including Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee, Pete Seeger and Baayork Lee.
"Being a theatre worker means your job is inherently about touching the humanity of others," said Rice. "Many artists go above and beyond, and by honoring our colleagues' humanitarian efforts, we emphasize that we are here to support and care for one another."
Until just a few years ago, the Foundation Awards were presented at meetings of the union's National Council and Regional Boards throughout the year. More recently, the Foundation has made them an intimate but celebratory night out with an exciting emcee: the first two were Bebe Neuwirth and Danny Burstein. This year's ceremony, to be hosted by BD Wong (and streamable live), is coming up on June 23 in Manhattan. Foundation advocates note how special it feels to have an evening for and by Equity members.
"When people come up to make their speeches, they talk often about how much their union means to them and how much it means to be accepting this in front of their union colleagues," said Joan Glazer, executive director of the Foundation.
"Being recognized by your peers carries a special significance, and people on that dais have won Tony Awards and they've won Oscars," said Paige Price, vice president for the Foundation. "And yet when they are given an award by the union that many of them started out with, it brings them back to their roots. And the fact that the award is given in the embrace of an intimate celebration with their peers and the other honorees – it just has a special feeling."
The Foundation Awards are an important night to celebrate talent and compassion alike, and as the Foundation evolves, both of these values are at the forefront. Whether it means honoring a beloved figure in the Broadway community or offering a grant to a small theatre far from New York, the organization is looking for opportunities to offer its help.
"I think the Foundation is just beginning to recognize how it can impact the field, especially at a time when the theatre industry is recalibrating how it seeks recognition and support," said Price. "We are discussing how we can become a more robust support system for artists and theatres alike."