Producing Artistic Director Mark Plesent, Board Member Lavender Rouzier & Honoree Chris Erikson at the 2010 Ceremony

Tom Viola at the 2008 Annual Awards Ceremony

Labor on Broadway: A Salute to Mine Workers, Dec. 2007

Lewis Black at Labor on Broadway, Dec. 2005

Lillian Roberts at the 2007 Annual Awards Ceremony


Barbara Bowen at the 2006 Annual Awards Ceremony


Bill Henning and Randi Weingarten
at the 2004 Annual Awards Ceremony


Roger Toussaint and Susan Sarandon
at the 2003 Annual Awards Ceremony


Hector Figueroa and Frank Goldsmith
at the 2002 Annual Awards Ceremony


John Randolph at the 1991 Annual Awards Ceremony

Annual Awards Ceremony

Every Spring, Working Theater hosts a gala event honoring a few extraordinary New Yorkers for bridging the gap between the arts, labor and community. This inspiring evening consists of a cocktail reception, live entertainment, dinner and a ceremony honoring those individuals whose work embodies the values and mission of Working Theater.

- Our 2011 Annual Awards Ceremony was held at Sardi's and honored
George Gresham (President, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers)

Click here for photos of the 2010 Annual Awards Ceremony

- Our 2009 Ceremony was held at SEIU 32BJ and honored:

Thomas Mackell, Jr. (Chairman, United Benefit & Pension Services) and

Bhairavi Desai (Executive Director, NY Taxi Workers Alliance)

- Our 2008 Ceremony was held at Sardi's and honored:
Local One, I.A.T.S.E. (James Claffey, Jr., President)

Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS (Tom Viola, Executive Director)

and

The Actors Fund of America (Joseph Benincasa, Executive Director)

Click here for photos of the 2008 Annual Awards Ceremony

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If you would like to donate an item or service to the Awards Ceremony Silent Auction, please call Laura at (212) 244-3300 or email laura@theworkingtheater.org.

Click Here for More Past Honorees

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Labor on Broadway

2007

The 2007 event, A Salute to Mine Workers, celebrated the tremendous contributions mine workers have made to culture, industry, and workers rights. The evening's festivities featured irresistible bluegrass, roots and country music inspired by the lives of miners from Appalachia, the Ozarks, and beyond!

Daniel Kane of the United Mine Workers of America spoke at the event.  

Past Events

2006

Labor Off-Broadway featured a special performance of Mike Batistick's Port Authority Throw Down and was followed by dinner at Colors, Manhattan's first cooperatively-owned restaurant.

2005

Lewis Black headlined an evening of comedy and music, which featured legendary singer/songwriter Phoebe Snow, and was hosted by Tony-nominated actor Lee Wilkof.

2001

Tribute to Yip Harburg was presented in partnership with the Harburg Foundation to celebrate the life and music of this remarkable lyricist and activist. He was known as "the social conscience of Broadway" and penned such classics as Brother Can You Spare A Dime, the songs of The Wizard of Oz, and Finnian's Rainbow.

Past Annual Awards Ceremony Honorees:

2007
AT&T, the only unionized wireless company
Lieutenant Governor David Patterson
Lillian Roberts, Executive Director, District Council 37
Gordon Parks, with a special tribute to his life and art

2006
Barbara Bowen, President, Professional Staff Congress
Lois Gray, Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Stanley Plesent, Partner, Hogan and Hartson
Actors Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson

2005
Esther Cohen, Executive Director, Bread and Roses
Betsy Gotbaum, Public Advocate for the City of New York
Patrick Quinn, Actor and National President, Actors' Equity Association
Tony Watson, Chairman and CEO, HIP Health Plan

2004
Mitra Behroozi, Executive Director, 1199/SEIU National Benefit and Pension Funds
C. Virginia Fields, Manhattan Borough President
Randi Weingarten, President, United Federation of Teachers
William Wise, Actor, Original Working Theater Member

2003
Michael Goodwin, International President, OPEIU
Bill Perkins, New York City Council Deputy Majority Leader
Susan Sarandon, Actor
Eleanor Tilson, Executive Director, Local 1199 SEIU National Benefit and Pension Fund

2002
Jose M. Serrano, Council Member
Hector Figueroa, Secretary-Treasurer, Building Services Local 32B-32J
Sylvia Gutierrez-Grant, Local 1199/SEIU
Ronald Luraschi, Amalgamated Bank

2001
Kathleen Hughes, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
Roger Toussaint, Transport Workers Local 100
Jonathan Parker, The Segal Company
Jorge Ortoll and Ralph Peña, Ma-Yi Theatre Company

2000
Hon. Christine Quinn, City Council Member, City of New York
Denis Hughes, President, New York State AFL-CIO
Arthur French, Actor

1999
Hon. Ronnie Eldridge, City Council Member, City of New York
Ernesto Jofre, Manager, Local 169 UNITE
Peter Caponi, Director, Audience Extras

Martin Luther King Jr. Award: Moe Foner, Executive Director, Bread and Roses Project (Local 1199 National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees)
Theatre in the Schools Award: Vanguard High School, Louis Delgado, Principal and School for the Physical City, Mark Weiss, Principal
Special Award: Bernie Minter, Rank and File Member, Local 1199

1998
Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Member of Congress (NY), House of Representatives
Eugene Eisner, Esq., Eisner & Hubbard
OyamO, Playwright

Sanford Meisner Service Award: Wynn Handman, Artistic Director, American Place Theater

1997
Hon. Thomas Duane, City Council Member, City of New York
Josie McMillian, President, New York Metro Area Postal Workers Union
Thomas I. Acosta, Senior Vice President,
Smith-Barney Investment Advisors
Andre de Shields, Actor

Sanford Meisner Service Award: Virginia Louloudes, Executive Director, Alliance of Resident Theatres/NY

1994 (April)
Arthur Cheliotes, President, Local 1180 Communications Workers of America
Martin Luther King Jr. Award: Don Kao, President, Committee Opposed to Violence Against Asian Americans

1994 (December)
Dolores Huerta, Vice President, United Farm Workers of America
Martin Luther King Jr. Award:
Reverend David Dyson, Pastor, Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn NY

1993
Martin Luther King Jr. Award: Charles Ensley, President, Local 371, District Council 37, AFSCME

1992
John Sayles, Actor, Producer, Director and Playwright
Woody King Jr., Artistic Director, New Federal Theatre
Lino Brocka, Director and Producer, Film and Theatre (in memorium)

1991
John Randolph, Actor
Barbara Koppel, Film maker