Photos: Tina Fey, Kelli O'Hara and More Honored at 26th Pell Awards

On June 10, 2025, Trinity Repertory Company held its 26th Pell Awards Gala, honoring Emmy Award-winning  comedian Tina Fey, Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kelli O’Hara, Tomaquag Museum Executive Director Lorén M. Spears, and Mixed Magic Theatre Executive Director Bernadet V. Pitts-Wiley. Check out photos from the ceremony.

Over 300 people attended this event at the Lindemann Performing Arts Center at Brown University, raising nearly $400,000 to support Trinity Rep’s artistic, education, and community  engagement programs. 

Established in 1997 to honor the legacy of U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI), The Pell Awards recognize excellence in artistry and  advocacy, both regional and national. Throughout his life, Senator Pell worked to support the arts: He was the principal sponsor of  landmark legislation that established the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities in 1965 and chaired the Senate  Education and Arts subcommittee. He also took a lead role in eliminating barriers to higher education with his legislation creating  the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants, which Congress named “Pell Grants” in 1980.