The Actors’ Equity Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the union representing professional actors and stage managers, has announced recipients of its 2024 awards. The noncompetitive honors acknowledge performances given during the 2023-2024 season.
2024 Tony Award nominee Kecia Lewis and Ciaran O’Reilly were awarded the Richard Seff Award for their respective performances in Broadway’s “Hell’s Kitchen” and the Off-Broadway revival of “Philadelphia, Here I Come!” The award honors two veteran performers, over the age of 50 and a 25-year-plus member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), for the best performance in a featured or unfeatured supporting role in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production.
The Clarence Derwent Award, given to early-career artists for the most promising performances of the season, was awarded to Hannah Cruz and Andrew Durand. Cruz was honored for her performances in both “Suffs” on the Main Stem and the Off-Broadway mounting of “The Connector,” while Durand is being acknowledged for his turn in Off-Broadway’s “Dead Outlaw.”
Performances in two different productions of “Uncle Vanya” were awarded the Callaway Award for the best performances in a classical play. Tony nominee Marin Ireland was acknowledged for her turn in OHenry Productions’ loft production of the Anton Chekhov classic, while Tony nominee Jonathan Hadary was awarded for his performance in Lincoln Center Theater’s Broadway mounting.
“It is our great pleasure to be able to honor these hardworking artists,” said Judy Rice, president of the foundation, in a statement. “The foundation celebrates them in a theater season filled with unforgettable performances.”
The awards will be presented in a ceremony on June 24.
The judges panel for these awards includes Joe Dziemianowicz (New York Theatre Guide), Adam Feldman (Time Out New York), Elysa Gardner (New York Sun, New York Stage Review), Harry Haun (The Observer), Kobi Kassal (Theatrely) and Frank Scheck (Hollywood Reporter, New York Stage Review).
