Annual Awards Program

The League of Historic American Theatres
Awards for Excellence

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2013 awards was April 15. If you submitted a nomination, we will confirm receipt no later than April 24 and notify you of the jury's decisions no later than June 1.

The 2013 Outstanding Historic Theatre and Outstanding Individual Contribution awards will be presented during the 37th Annual Conference and Theatre Tour in Minneapolis. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, July 17 at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN.

Read about the 2012 winners

Read about other past LHAT Award recipients

About the League's Awards Program

The League’s Awards Program inspires excellence by recognizing theatres and individuals for their significant accomplishments or distinguished service to our field. There are two Annual awards:

The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award recognizes a theatre that demonstrates excellence through its community impact, quality of programs and services, and quality of the restoration or rehabilitation of its historic structure. An award-winning theatre will have demonstrated excellence through significant achievement, the impact of its services and breadth of populations served, and the length of time and/or intensity of its activities.
The Outstanding Individual Contribution Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates vision, dedication, selflessness and excellence through his or her contribution to historic theatres and their communities. The recipient of this award will have demonstrated excellence through his or her significant contributions, the impact of his or her services and breadth of populations served, and the length of time and/or intensity of contributions that benefit the field of historic theatres.

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2012 Award Recipients

View Palace Theatre Video

On July 18, 2012, The League of Historic American Theatres, celebrating excellence in the preservation, restoration and sustainable operation of historic theatres throughout North America, presented its:

2012 Outstanding Historic Theatre Award to the PALACE THEATRE TRUST in Manchester, NH.
2012 Outstanding Individual Contribution Award to DULCIE GILMORE,
Director of the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago, IL.

In honor of legendary performances, The League also gave a standing ovation to an artist who will always be a favorite player on our historic stages by presenting the 2012 MARQUEE Award to actor HAL HOLBROOK in honor of his 70 years on stage and in film and television. Many of our member theatres have hosted Mr. Holbrook over the years with his one man show Mark Twain Tonight! Mr. Holbrook has performed this show every year for 58 years and the League and its members honor the man and his craft.

The awards were presented during the Welcome Luncheon of the League's 36th Annual Conference & Theatre Tour in San Diego, CA, hosted by San Diego Theatres.

The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award recognizes the Palace Theatre has demonstrated excellence through its significant community impact, quality of programs and services, and quality of the restoration or rehabilitation of its historic structure.

In his speech to accept the award, Palace Theatre Artistic Director, Carl Rajotte stated, “Personally, I have been thrilled to show our audiences the production value we have achieved to date both artistically and technically. I am so proud of what we have accomplished and I am thrilled that the League of Historic American Theatres has seen fit to recognize those accomplishments.”

The Outstanding Individual Contribution Award recognizes the vision, dedication, selflessness and excellence Dulcie Gilmore has demonstrated through her many contributions to the historic theatre field. Dulcie served on the League's board of directors for nine years, most recently as Immediate Past President from 2007-2011 and President 2005-2007.