Tony-Winner Beth Leavel To Receive Sarah Siddons Society Award At Annual Benefit

The Sarah Siddons Society will honor Tony Award-winning actress Beth Leavel with its 2025 Award at the annual Benefit on Monday, November 17, 2025 at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St. The evening will begin with a 6 p.m. reception, followed by a 7 p.m. program.

The award, presented annually, recognizes outstanding artistic achievement in theatre. Leavel’s Broadway credits include Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone, Baby It's You!, Lempicka, Bandstand, Elf, Mamma Mia!, Young Frankenstein, 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Civil War, and Show Boat, among others.

The program will feature musical selections from Leavel’s most memorable shows performed by leading Chicago theatre artists, directed by Christopher Pazdernik with music direction by Beckie Menzie. NBC 5 Chicago features reporter LeeAnn Trotter will host the evening, which will also include the induction of the 2025 Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship Recipients.

Ticket & Sponsorship Information

Single tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. Proceeds benefit the Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship Program, which supports promising theatre arts students at top Chicago-area universities. For more information, visit sarahsiddonssociety.org.

Sarah Siddons Society President Martin Balogh said, “It is an honor for the Sarah Siddons Society to present Chicago's oldest and most prestigious theatre award this year to Beth Leavel. Beth, with her powerful vocal skills and impeccable comedic timing, has brought an incredible authenticity to each of her fifteen Broadway roles. We could not be more pleased than to present the Sarah Siddons Society Award to this immensely talented individual.”

About Beth Leavel

Beth Leavel most recently appeared on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends. She was nominated for Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle awards for her performance in The Prom, and won Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and L.A. Drama Critics Awards for her title role in The Drowsy Chaperone. Her Broadway credits also include roles in Baby It’s You!, Lempicka, Bandstand, Elf, Mamma Mia!, Young Frankenstein, 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Civil War, and Show Boat. Leavel has numerous Off-Broadway, regional theatre, television, and commercial credits, including appearances on ER and The Walking Dead.

About the Sarah Siddons Society

The Sarah Siddons Society funds scholarships for promising theatre arts students at top Chicago-area universities, including The Theatre Department at Columbia College; The Theatre School at DePaul University; Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University; Northwestern University School of Communications; and the School of Theatre and Dance at Northern Illinois University.