Skip to main content Skip to footer site map

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Cash prizes totaling $5,000 were bestowed on seven Palm Beach County students from two local high schools.

Celebrating its 13th year of awarding local Title I high school students for their Shakespearean performances, the Lebow Awards were presented on January 20 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Participating students and their families, teachers and Kids' Dreams supporters attended the awards ceremony where cash prizes totaling $5,000 were bestowed on seven Palm Beach County students from two local high schools followed by the evening's performance of Aquila Theatre Company's production of Julius Caesar.

See photos below!

"This award at the Kravis Center is a fitting tribute to Alan Lebow, a man whose passion in life involved theater, film, art and literature," said Tracy C. Butler, Director of Education at the Kravis Center. "We are pleased to honor the accomplishments of the 2023 Lebow Award recipients as well as the commitment of their teachers. Without their guidance and support, the students would not be prepared to participate in this outstanding program. So, on behalf of the Kravis Center and Kids' Dreams we thank them for all that they do."

The Kravis Center awards program engages students from Title I high schools and provides the opportunity for them to perform short selections from William Shakespeare's works before a panel of distinguished judges. In 2015, Kids' Dreams made a gift to the Kravis Center to permanently endow the Lebow Award.

The student adjudication took place on December 10, where the participants performed their selected works and were evaluated and scored by three judges in five categories of performance: concentration, emotional commitment, energy, evidence of understanding and overall performance. The Lebow Award judges included Courtney Anello, Desmond Gallant and Karen Stephens.

The two top winners were from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, sophomore Irene Brown and first-year participant and junior, Torian Watson. Each won a prize of $1,000. Junior Robert Key and sophomore Akeelah Murray, both from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, were awarded $750 as an Honorable Mention. Distinguished Participants who received $500 included Forest Hills High School freshman, Kevin Soto and senior, Yerliz De Jesus, as well as senior Anahry Sosa from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School.

The Kravis Center is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, FL. The Center's mission is to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by presenting a diverse schedule of national and International Artists and companies of the highest quality, by offering comprehensive arts education programs - serving 3 million students since its inception; by providing a Palm Beach County home for local and regional arts organizations to showcase their work; and by providing an economic catalyst and community leadership in West Palm Beach, supporting efforts to increase travel and tourism to Palm Beach County.

For more information on the Kravis Center Education programs, please visit the website at www.Kravis.org.

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow and Palm Beach Lakes High School teacher Rebecca Donovan Bain

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Robert Key

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow, Yerliz De Jesus, and Ava L. Parker

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow, Anahry Sosa, and Ava L. Parker

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow, Robert Key, and Ava L. Parker

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow, Akeelah Murray, and Ava L. Parker

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow, Irene Brown, and Ava L. Parker

Photos: Lebow Awards Celebrates 13th Year at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Patricia Lebow, Torian Watson, and Ava L. Parker



Photos: Linda Purl with Billy Stritch Play Cafe Centro Photo
If there was any doubt that Cafe Centro was a bona fide Cabaret Venue it was dispelled last night.  Billy Stritch was seated at the Cafe’s Grand Piano and Linda Purl was the songstress headlining on the cabaret stage of the South Florida restaurant. 

South Florida Symphony Orchestras 25th Anniversary Season Concludes With Rachmaninoff and  Photo
​​​​​​​ South Florida Symphony Orchestra will close out its triumphant 25th anniversary season with a grand finale concert featuring  Rachmaninoff's demanding Piano Concerto No. 3 performed by Svetlana Smolina; along with Bruckner's choral masterpiece, Te Deum, featuring the South Florida Symphony Chorus and vocalists Elaine Alvarez, soprano; Rehanna Thelwell, mezzo-soprano; Neil Nelson, bass-baritone; and Arnold Rawls, tenor.

Classical Superstar Joshua Bell Joins Palm Beach Symphony, April 16 Photo
Grammy Award-winner Joshua Bell, one of the most celebrated violinists of his era, joins Maestro Gerard Schwarz and Palm Beach Symphony in an evening of Mendelssohn and Beethoven at the Kravis Center on Sunday, April 16 at 8 p.m. 

Lips Fort Lauderdale Launches New Saturday All-Inclusive Dragalicious Brunch Photo
Saturday afternoons in South Florida just got more glamorous! Lips Fort Lauderdale is launching a new Saturday Dragalicious Brunch beginning April 22, at 1:30 p.m.


More Hot Stories For You


South Florida Symphony Orchestra's 25th Anniversary Season Concludes With Rachmaninoff and BrucknerSouth Florida Symphony Orchestra's 25th Anniversary Season Concludes With Rachmaninoff and Bruckner
March 30, 2023

​​​​​​​ South Florida Symphony Orchestra will close out its triumphant 25th anniversary season with a grand finale concert featuring  Rachmaninoff's demanding Piano Concerto No. 3 performed by Svetlana Smolina; along with Bruckner's choral masterpiece, Te Deum, featuring the South Florida Symphony Chorus and vocalists Elaine Alvarez, soprano; Rehanna Thelwell, mezzo-soprano; Neil Nelson, bass-baritone; and Arnold Rawls, tenor.

Jeff Hamilton Trio Comes To Broward Center for the Performing Arts This AprilJeff Hamilton Trio Comes To Broward Center for the Performing Arts This April
March 29, 2023

This exuberant and lively musician, with reviews that reflect the riveting performances he offers, will share “Rim Shots” along with Tamir Hendelman on Piano and Jon Hamar on Bass at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Wednesday, April 12!

Lips Fort Lauderdale Launches New Saturday All-Inclusive Dragalicious BrunchLips Fort Lauderdale Launches New Saturday All-Inclusive Dragalicious Brunch
March 29, 2023

Saturday afternoons in South Florida just got more glamorous! Lips Fort Lauderdale is launching a new Saturday Dragalicious Brunch beginning April 22, at 1:30 p.m.

COWBOY Extended Through June At The Actors Temple TheatreCOWBOY Extended Through June At The Actors Temple Theatre
March 29, 2023

Cowboy, a story about Bass Reeves, will extend through June. The first full western on stage  in New York City in nearly 80 years.

TRYING by Joanna McClelland Glass to Close Out Palm Beach Dramaworks' 2023-24 SeasonTRYING by Joanna McClelland Glass to Close Out Palm Beach Dramaworks' 2023-24 Season
March 29, 2023

Joanna McClelland Glass’ Trying, a huge hit for Palm Beach Dramaworks in 2007, has been added to the company’s 2023-24 schedule, replacing Lynn Nottage’s Crumbs from the Table of Joy as the final play of the season.