The Clarence Derwent Award Felicia P. Fields, Jason Ritter Receive Equity's Clarence Derwent Awards Click to read/download the full transcript (Word Doc) Felicia P. Fields Photo Credit: John Quilty Felicia P. Fields and Jason Ritter received the annual Clarence Derwent Award honoring the most promising female and male performers on the New York metropolitan scene at Equity's Eastern Regional Board Meeting on August 1. The honorees were awarded $2,000 each plus an engraved crystal trophy. Ms. Fields was recognized for her performance as Sofia in THE COLOR PURPLE. A native Chicagoan, this was her Broadway debut. Mr. Ritter was cited for his performance in the Lincoln Center Theatre production of Wendy Wasserstein's THIRD. Jason Ritter Photo Credit: John Quilty The Derwent Awards are the oldest awards on Broadway. They were established in 1945 by Clarence Derwent, a distinguished actor and former President of Actors' Equity. Past recipients include Philip Bosco, Annette Bening, Kristin Chenoweth, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Allison Janney, Ann Reinking, Frances Sternhagen, Christopher Walken and Fritz Weaver. The Judges' Panel included: Betty Corwin, Director of Special Projects, Theatre on Film & Tape Archive of the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts; Adam Feldman, Time Out NY; Arne Gundersen, President of the Actors' Equity Foundation; Harry Haun, staff writer, Playbill Magazine; Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press; Patrick Quinn, President of Actors' Equity Association; David Rosenberg, Back Stage; Michael Sommers, The Star Ledger; and Douglas Watt, The Daily News. Click to read/download the full transcript (Word Doc)

Award pages: Bayfield Callaway Derwent Jordan LeNoire Robeson Seff Arizona Sturtevant Quinn Unknown to anyone but his sister and lawyer, Clarence Derwent had stipulated in his will that two five hundred dollar prizes were to be given out annually to the best individual supporting performances on Broadway. He had originally planned to have the awards given out only after his death, but, he reflected, “The amount of fun one can have from one’s money when underground is strictly limited…” So the Derwent Awards began in 1945. To read more about Clarence Derwent click here...

Recipients of the Clarence Derwent Award are:

Year	Recipient	Role	Play
1945	Frederick O'Neal	Frank	ANNA LUCASTA
	Judy Holliday	Alice	KISS THEM FOR ME
1946	Paul Douglas	Herry Brock	BORN YESTERDAY
	Barbara Bel Geddes	Genevra Langdon	DEEP ARE THE ROOTS
1947	Tom Ewell	Fred Taylor	JOHN LOVES MARY
	Margaret Philips	Birdie Bagtry	ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST
1948	Lou Gilbert	Charlie	HOPE IS A THING WITH FEATHERS
	Catherine Ayers	Susie	MOON OF THE CARIBBEAN
1949	Ray Walston	Traveling Salesman	SUMMER AND SMOKE
	Leora Dana	Irma	THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT
1950	Douglas Watson	Young Liberal	WISTERIA TREES
	Gloria Lane	Secretary	THE CONSUL
1951	Logan Ramsey	Willie Pentridge	HIGH GROUND
	Frederic Warriner	Soames	GETTING MARRIED
	Phyllis Love	Rose Delle Rose	THE ROSE TATTOO
1952	Iggie Wolfington	Chef	MRS. McTHING
	Anne Meacham	Ensign Jane Hilton	THE LONG WATCH
1953	David J. Stewart	The Baron	CAMINO REAL
	Jenny Egan	Mary Warren	THE CRUCIBLE
1954	David Lewis	Joe Wicks	KING OF HEARTS
	Vilma Murer	Hilda Kranzbeck	THE WINNER
1955	Fritz Weaver	Flaminero	THE WHITE DEVIL
	Vivian Nathan	Charwoman	ANASTASIA
1956	Gerald Hiken	Telegen	UNCLE VANYA
	Frances Sternhagen	Shavian Heroine	THE ADMIRAL BASHVILLE
1957	Ellis Rabb	Alceste	THE MISANTHROPE
	Joan Croydon	Housekeeper	THE POTTING SHED
1958	George C. Scott	Richard III	RICHARD III
	Colin Wicox	Ellen Wells	THE DAY THE MONEY STOPPED
1959	David Hurst	Police Inspector	LOOK AFTER LULU
	Lois Nettleton	Sheila O'Conner	GOD & KATE MURPHY
1960	William Daniels	Peter	ZOO STORY
	Rochelle Oliver	Lily Berniers	TOYS IN THE ATTIC
1961	Eric Christmas	Rector Olive	LITTLE MOON OF ALBA
	Rosemary Murphy	Dorothea Bates	PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT
1962	Gene Wilder	Dutch Hotel Valet	COMPLAISANT LOVER
	Rebecca Drake	Helen Cobb	WHO'LL SAVE THE PLOWBOY
1963	Gene Hackman	Football Player	CHILDREN FROM THEIR GAMES
	Jessica Walter	Secretary	PHOTO FINISH
1964	Richard McMurray	Magazine Editor	A CASE OF LIBEL
	Joyse Ebert	Andromache	THE TROJAN WOMEN
1965	Jame Sanchez	Jesus	CONERICO WAS HERE TO STAY
	Elizabeth Hubbard	Monica	THE PHYSICIST
1966	Christopher Walken	King Phillip of France	THE LION IN WINTER
	Tom Ahearne	Mayor	HOGAN'S GOAT (special citation)
	Jean Hepple	Serving Girl	SGT. MUSGRAVES DANCE
1967	Austin Pendleton	Irwin Ingham	HAIL SCRAWDYKE
	Philip Bosco	Lincoln Center Rep	THE ALCHEMIST (special citation)
	Reva Rose	Lucy	YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
1968	David Birney	Troubled Youth	SUMMERTREE
	Catherine Burns	Monica	THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE
1969 25th Award	Ron O'Neal	Gabe	NO PLACE TO BE SOMEBODY
	Marlene Warfield	Discarded Mistress	THE GREAT WHITE HOPE
1970	Jeremiah Sullivan	Gravedigger	A SCENT OF FLOWERS
	Pamela Paton-Wright	Tillie	THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS ON MAN-IN-THE-MOON MARIGOLDS
1971	James Woods	Lenny	SAVED
	Katherine Helmond	Bananas	THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
1972	Richard Backus	Wesley	PROMENADE ALL
	Pamela Bellwood	Jill Tanner	BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE
1973	Christopher Murney	Sylvester	TRICKS
	Mari Gorman	Jackie	HOT L BALTIMORE
1974	Thom Christopher	Waiter	NOEL COWARD IN 2 KEYS
	Ann Reinking	Maggie	OVER HERE
1975	Reyno	Lou	THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER
	Marybeth Hurt	Prue	LOVE FOR LOVE
1976	Peter Evans	Richie	STREAMERS
	Nancy Snyder	Joan of Arc	KNOCK, KNOCK
1977	Barry Preston	The Eccentric Dance	BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR
	Rose Gregorio	Agnes	THE SHADOW BOX
1978	Morgan Freeman	Zeke	THE MIGHTY GENTS
	Margaret Hilton	Eve	MOLLY
1979	Richard Cox	Dan Danger	PLATINUM
	Laurie Kennedy	Violet	MAN AND SUPERMAN
1980	Eric Peterson	Billy Bishop	BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR
	Dianne Wiest	Elizabeth Barrow	ON THE ART OF DINING
1981	Bob Gunton	21 Characters	HOW I GOT THAT STORY
	Mia Dillon	Babe Botrelle	CRIMES OF THE HEART
1982	Larry Riley	Private J. Memphis	A SOLDIER'S PLAY
	Joann Camp	Skye Bullene	GENIUSES
1983	John Malkovich	Lee	TRUE WEST
	Dana Ivey (for both)	Monica Reed	PRESENT LAUGHTER
		Melanie Garth	QUARTERMAINE'S TERMS
1984	Peter Gallagher	Billy	THE REAL THING
	Joan Allen	Hellen Stott	AND A NIGHTINGALE SANG
1985	Bill Sadler	Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey	BILOXI BLUES
	Joanna Gleason	Pam	A DAY ON THE DEATH OF JOE EGG
1986	John Mahoney	Artie Shaughnessy	THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES
	Patti Cohenour	Rosa Bud	THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
1987	Courtney B. Vance	Cory Maxson	FENCES
	Annette Bening	Holly Dancer	COASTAL DISTURBANCES
1988	B.D. Wong	Song Lilong	M. Butterfly
	Christine Estabrook	Sheila	THE BOYS NEXT DOOR
1989	John Pankow	Eamon	ARISTOCRATS
	Mercedes Ruehl	Kate Sullivan	OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY
1990	Michael Jeter	Otto Kringelein	GRAND HOTEL
	Mary-Louise Parker	Rita	PRELUDE TO A KISS
1991	Danny Gerard	Arty	LOST IN YONKERS
	James McDaniel	Paul Portier	SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
	Jane Adams	Deirdre McDavey	I HATE HAMLET
1992	Patrick Fitzgerald	Sean O'Casey	GRANDCHILD OF KINGS
	Tonya Pinkins	Anita	JELLY'S LAST JAM
1993	Joe Mantello	Louis Ironson	ANGELS IN AMERICA
	Ann Dowd	Miss Proserpine Garnett	CANDIDA
1994	Robert Stanton	Various roles	ALL IN THE TIMING
	Jeanne Paulen	Joleen Rowen	THE KENTUCKY CYCLE
1995	Billy Crudup	The Tutor	ARCADIA
	Calista Flockhart	Laura	THE GLASS MENAGERIE
1996	Ruben Santiago Hudson	Canewell	SEVEN GUITARS
	Lisa Gay Hamilton	Veronica	VALLEY SONG
1997	Alan Tudyk	Alan, Multiple roles	BUNNY, BUNNY
	Allison Janney	Liz Essendine	PRESENT LAUGHTER
1998	Sam Trammell	The Son	AH! WILDERNESS
	Juliana Soelistyo	Golden Child	GOLDEN CHILD
1999	Robert Sella	Clifford	SIDE MAN
	Kristin Chenoweth	Sally Brown	YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
2000	Derek Smith	The King Bastard	GREEN BIRD KING JOHN
	Sherie Rene Scott	Amneris	AIDA
2001	David Burtka	Boy	THE PLAY ABOUT THE BABY
	Spencer Kayden	Little Sally	URINETOWN
2002	Sam Robards	Gustav Eberson	THE MAN WHO HAD ALL THE LUCK
	Anne Hathaway	Lili	CARNIVAL
2003	Denis O'Hare	Mason Marzac	TAKE ME OUT
	Kerry Butler	Penny Pingleton	HAIRSPRAY
2004	Anika Noni Rose	Emmie Thibodeaux	CAROLINE, OR CHANGE
	John Tartaglia	Princeton and Rod	AVENUE Q
2005	Ari Graynor	Alison	BROOKLYN BOY
	Christian Borle	Historian, Not Dead Fred, French Guard, Minstrel and Prince Herbert	MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT
2006	Felicia P. Fields	Sofia	THE COLOR PURPLE
	Jason Ritter	Woodson Bull, III	THIRD