The Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts, initially referred to as the Golden Quill, is a prize established in 1994 which is presented by the America-based Shakespeare Guild, founded by John F. Andrews, OBE. The award is named in honor of the English actor Sir John Gielgud.
Background The Gielgud Award was created in April 1994 at a ceremony at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The ceremony contained speeches by Robert MacNeil, Tony Randall, and Susan Stamberg, who read a letter that Sir John had written for the occasion. It was announced that the award would, according to the Shakespeare Guild website, "preserve the heritage of Sir John Gielgud and pay tribute to the actors, directors, producers, and writers who are doing the most to perpetuate his legacy and that of the poet whose work he did so much to convey to succeeding generations of Shakespeare enthusiasts." The award was first presented in 1996 and has been given sporadically ever since.
Recipients Year Recipient Location 1996 Sir Ian McKellen Folger Shakespeare Library 1997 Sir Derek Jacobi Folger Shakespeare Library 1998 Zoe Caldwell Folger Shakespeare Library 1999 Dame Judi Dench Ethel Barrymore Theatre 2000 Sir Kenneth Branagh Middle Temple, London 2001 No Award 2002 Kevin Kline Lincoln Center 2003 Lynn Redgrave National Arts Club 2004 No Award 2005 No Award 2006 Christopher Plummer National Arts Club 2007 Michael Kahn British Embassy, Washington, D.C. 2008 Sir Patrick Stewart National Arts Club 2009 No Award 2010 F. Murray Abraham National Arts Club 2011 No Award 2012 No Award 2013 No Award 2014 Sir Donald Sinden (posthumously)received by Marc Sinden Guildhall, London 2015 Dame Eileen Atkins Guildhall, London 2016 Vanessa Redgrave Guildhall, London2017Sir David HareGuildhall, London2018Sir Richard EyreGuildhall, London2019Sir Cameron MackintoshGielgud Theater
References
External links Gielgud Award Official Webpage McKellen's Award Dench's Award Branagh's Award Kahn's Award Stewart's Award Abraham's Award