CoreStates Presents the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, the greater Philadelphia region's first comprehensive theatre awards, is a program of the Performing Arts League of Philadelphia. On Monday, October 21, the second annual Barrymore Awards Ceremony and Gala will be held at the Annenberg Center at the University of Pennsylvania. At the ceremony, winners in 20 categories will be announced.
For a complete list of nominees, see Theatre News.
This year, 95 productions by 31 professional theatres were reviewed by the 40-member nominating committee. The committee chose five finalists in each of the categories from approximately 200 possible nominees.
In addition to the 20 Barrymore Awards, $25,000 will be given away in cash awards, due to the generosity of corporate sponsors:
The F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Theatre Artist is a $10,000 award presented to an emerging Philadelphia artist with each of the four runners-up receiving $1,000. The CoreStates Award for Outstanding Community Service presents $5,000 to a theatre company or individual artist who has helped build unique and effective relationships with a specific community.
The Advanta Award for Outstanding New Play awards a total of $4,000--$2,000 each to the winning playwright and to the winning theatre company.
The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News Award for Excellence in Theatre Education of $2,500 is presented to an organization or individual for exceptional educational efforts in theatre.
You can be a part of the theatre season's most exciting event and rub elbows with the glitterati of the national and local theatre scene. Make your reservation now to attend the Awards Ceremony with celebrity guests and entertainment interlaced with video segments on nominees. A Gala Party will follow the Ceremony with dancing, gourmet hors d'oeuvres and desserts and the Absolut Barrymore Cocktail.
To purchase your ticket to the ceremony and gala, call the Performing Arts League at 215-864-2632. Tickets packages to both the Ceremony and Gala Party begin at $75.
-- By Ira Kamens
Philadelphia Playbill
