Annette Bening Receives Bennett Recognition Award

Two Bennett recognition awards were recently used by Washington D.C.’s distinguished Shakespeare Theatre Company for a prestigious recognition awards ceremony. The first recognition award, the William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre (also known as the “Will Award”), was presented to renowned stage and screen star Annette Bening. The Will Award is a recognition award that is presented annually to recognize an artist who has made a significant contribution to classical theater in America.

The Will Award was established in 1988, and proceeds raised from this recognition awards presentation are used to support the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s education and outreach programs. Bening was recognized for her stage and film accomplishments in classical theatre. Her work with Shakespeare and other classic roles dates from her early career at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Past recipients of this award include Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Lyons, Dame Judi Dench, Christopher Walken, Mel Gibson, Kevin Kline, Ian McKellen, and many more. The unique awards design “Swan” was used for this achievement award.

A custom awards design created by Bennett Awards was used for the second recognition award, the Sidney Harman Award for Philanthropy in the Arts. These recognition awards honor individuals whose generosity has made a profound impact on the performing arts in Washington D.C. Bennett Awards created a new custom awards design for this award. This unique awards design features a 3D etching of Sidney Harman Hall in a clear crystal block.  This year’s recipient of this custom awards design was the HRH Foundation.

These recognition awards were presented at the Harman Center for the Arts Annual Gala, held October 3, 2010, at Sidney Harman Hall, and hosted by the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Since its founding in 1985, the Shakespeare Theatre Company has endeavored to be the nation’s leading force in the presentation and preservation of classic theater.