She won a Tony Award for playing Grizabella in Cats, but Betty Buckley will have her own awards in 2001. Forth Worth's Casa Manana Theatre announced a $20,000 grant from the Junior League of Fort Worth to develop a new honor for high school students in Tarrant County.

Named for the Broadway songstress, a native of Fort Worth, the Buckleys will feature the traditional categories like Best Musical, Best Actor and Actress, etc. A panel of judges will view each eligible production and vote on the winners.

The first annual Betty Lynn Buckley Awards will be given April 16, 2001 at the Bass Performance Hall in Ft. Worth.

Buckley most recently appeared on Broadway as Hesione in Triumph of Love for which she was Tony Award nominated. Other roles have included Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (Olivier Award nomination), Carrie (Outer Critics Circle nomination), The Mystery of Edwin Drood and 1776.

-- By Christine Ehren