Photo Flash: Kathryn Hunter, Julie Taymor, Jonathan Cake and More Attend Theatre for a New Audience's Shakespeare Gala

Acclaimed classical actor Kathryn Hunter received the Samuel H. Scripps Award for Extraordinary Commitment to Promoting the Power of Language in Classical and Contemporary Theatre at Theatre for a New Audience's Spring Gala Celebrating Shakespeare's 452nd Birthday, last night at Capitale on the Lower East Side. Scroll down for photos from the event!

The Samuel H. Scripps Award was presented by Tony and Oscar Award-winning director Julie Taymor to internationally renowned, award-winning actor Kathryn Hunter.

Arts patrons Elayne P. Bernstein (1924-2011) and Sol Schwartz (1931-2015) were posthumously awarded the Theatre's Life in Art Award, which honors an individual, foundation or corporation for their impact on the arts as a philanthropic leader. Acclaimed classical actor John Douglas Thompson, who begins previews April 30 of two Theatre for a New Audience plays presented in rotating repertory, A Doll's House and The Father, presented the award.

Notable guests included actors Christian Camargo, Maggie Lacey, Michael Shannon, Sigourney Weaver, Raphael Nash Thompson, Zach Infante, Tina Benko, and Jeremy Shamos and director Arin Arbus.

The evening's Master of Ceremonies was Jonathan Cake, an award-winning actor, most recently seen at Theatre for a New Audience in the role of Benedick in the 2013 production of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Arin Arbus and featuring Maggie Siff, for which he received the 2013 Joe A. Callaway Award for Best Performance in a Classical Play by an Actor from Actors' Equity.

Established in 2005, the Samuel H. Scripps Award is a sculpture of Shakespeare designed by world-renowned artist and graphic designer Milton Glaser. Prior recipients include John Douglas Thompson, F. Murray Abraham, John Turturro, Julie Taymor and Elliot Goldenthal, Mark Rylance, Cicely Berry, C.B.E., Michael Boyd, Tony Kushner, Wallace Shawn, Robert Woodruff and Robert Neff Williams.

Jeffrey Horowitz, Founding Artistic Director of Theatre for a New Audience, explained, "Samuel H. Scripps, a member of our Board, enabled this Theatre to bring Shakespeare to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. It is an honor to present this award to Kathryn Hunter, one of the finest theatre artists I've ever known."

Theatre for a New Audience's Life in Art Award honors an individual, company or foundation whose support for theatre has set the standard for leadership and generosity, and whose example has inspired others to ensure that theatre remains a vibrant part of our cultural life. The award, a signed giclée print by Milton Glaser, is named after the autobiography of the great theatre artist, Constantin Stanislavski.

"Elayne and Sol's shared love of theatre and their passionate belief in our productions, as well as in their support of the Theatre's education programs that make Shakespeare accessible to people of all backgrounds, has been an example at all of the institutions from Florida to the Berkshires that they have so generously supported," said Mr. Horowitz. "We couldn't be more honored that after Elayne's passing, Sol and her family endowed an education fund at the Theatre in her memory."

The Gala Chairs for the evening were Theatre for a New Audience Board Members Kathleen Walsh and Philip Rotner and his wife, Janet Rotner. The Gala corporate Lead Sponsor was Deloitte LLP. The Hearst Corporation and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP were Co-Sponsors.

The evening began at 6:30 pm with a cocktail reception and silent auction and continued at 7:30 pm with a seated dinner and the presentations of the Samuel H. Scripps Award and the Life in Art Award.

The evening included a live auction of unique donated items conducted by Nicholas D. Lowry, President and Principal Auctioneer, Swann Auction Galleries. As one of the world's foremost authorities on vintage posters, Nicholas has spent nearly 20 years serving as poster appraiser on the PBS television show "Antiques Roadshow," and regularly appears on the program.

Live music was provided by the National Jazz Museum in Harlem All-Stars, led by Bryan Carter, a graduate of The Juilliard School who has played and recorded with many notable artists including Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Mulgrew Miller, Jon Faddis, Ted Nash, Terell Stafford, Bobby Watson, Lew Tabackin, Kenny Barron, Cyrus Chestnut, Michael Feinstein and Kurt Elling.

Photo Credit: Gerry Goodstein

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