Photo Flash: Marilyn Sokol, the Pizzas, the Lanes and More at 2013 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence

The 2013 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence were held Monday night, June 3rd, at The Players Club. Honorees at the evening's ceremony included the Distinguished Service to the Theatre Award given, posthumously, to Helen Guditis and The Theatre Arts Education Award presented to Emerson College. The evening also included a special tribute to the Palace Theater in honor of its 100th anniversary. The Palace Tribute was a trip back in time to the vaudeville era. Scroll down for photos from the arrivals, ceremony and more!

The Theatre Museum honored its longtime President, Helen Guditis for her dedication and leadership of The Theatre Museum and her commitment to theater education and preservation. Stewart F. Lane, Chairman of the Theatre Museum, presented the award which was accepted by Helen's brother, Albert Guditis. Helen Guditis passed away in December 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Helen had a long and successful life in the theatre, at first as a performer and later as a teacher of speech and drama. In 1986, Guditis founded the "Broadway Theatre Institute", which would become "The Theatre Museum" in 2003.

The Theatre Arts Education Award was given to Emerson College and accepted by Obie Award winning faculty member, Melia Bensussen.Emerson College owns more theater and performing space than any other institution in Boston and all spaces are available for their students' education. Emerson College is a diverse, and multifaceted degree-granting institution with campuses in Boston, Los Angeles and the Netherlands. Emerson College students study with professional artists in the theaters and performances spaces that include the newly renovated 600 seat Paramount Center and the 1200 seat Cutler Majestic Theater. These exciting theater pieces provide culturally enriching theater for the community while training the next generation of theater artists.

The Theatre Museum also paid tribute to the 100th Anniversary of the Palace Theatre. Presenters, performances and appearances included, Joe Benincasa, Bonnie Comley, Joe Franklin, Will Jordon, Rod Kimball & Company, Leah Lane, Chris McDaniel, Ariela Pizza, Rebecca Joy Fletcher, Todd Robbins and Trav S.D. Vintage 1920s and 30s vaudeville film footage was provided by Ron Hutchinson and the Vitaphone Project. Todd Robbins and many of the new vaudeville performers can bee seen in Monday Night Magic (www.mondaynightmagic.com)

The 2013 award ceremony was produced by Trav S.D. and Alyssa Renzi. The Awards Gala committee included: Olga and Vladimir Balaeskoul, Elie Hirschfeld and Sarah Schlesinger, Lauren and Joe Pizza, CeCe Black, Rob Patton & Goldman Sachs, Olha Paluch & Citi National Bank, Jeffrey Matusow & J. P. Morgan, Benjamin Juarez & Boston University.

For more information, visit www.thetheatremuseum.org.

Photo Credit: Rob Rich