Kravis Center hosts annual Shakespeare competition reception and awards presentation
(WEST PALM BEACH, FL) — Celebrating its 13th year of awarding local Title I high school students special recognition for their Shakespearean performances, the Lebow Awards were presented on January 20 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Participating students and their families, teachers and Kids’ Dreams supporters attended the awards ceremony where cash prizes totaling $5,000 were bestowed on seven Palm Beach County students from two local high schools followed by the evening’s performance of Aquila Theatre Company’s production of Julius Caesar.
“This award at the Kravis Center is a fitting tribute to Alan Lebow, a man whose passion in life involved theater, film, art and literature,” said Tracy C. Butler, Director of Education at the Kravis Center. “We are pleased to honor the accomplishments of the 2023 Lebow Award recipients as well as the commitment of their teachers. Without their guidance and support, the students would not be prepared to participate in this outstanding program. So, on behalf of the Kravis Center and Kids’ Dreams we thank them for all that they do.”
The Kravis Center awards program engages students from Title I high schools and provides the opportunity for them to perform short selections from William Shakespeare’s works before a panel of distinguished judges. In 2015, Kids’ Dreams made a gift to the Kravis Center to permanently endow the Lebow Award.
The student adjudication took place on December 10, where the participants performed their selected works and were evaluated and scored by three judges in five categories of performance: concentration, emotional commitment, energy, evidence of understanding and overall performance. The Lebow Award judges included Courtney Anello, Desmond Gallant and Karen Stephens.
The two top winners were from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, sophomore Irene Brown and first-year participant and junior, Torian Watson. Each won a prize of $1,000. Junior Robert Key and sophomore Akeelah Murray, both from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, were awarded $750 as an Honorable Mention. Distinguished Participants who received$500 included Forest Hills High School freshman, Kevin Soto and senior, Yerliz De Jesus, as well as senior Anahry Sosa from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School.
The Kravis Center is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, FL. The Center’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by presenting a diverse schedule of national and international artists and companies of the highest quality, by offering comprehensive arts education programs – serving 3 million students since its inception; by providing a Palm Beach County home for local and regional arts organizations to showcase their work; and by providing an economic catalyst and community leadership in West Palm Beach, supporting efforts to increase travel and tourism to Palm Beach County.
For more information on the Kravis Center Education programs, please visit the website at www.Kravis.org.