Julie Taymor Honors Kathryn Hunter at the Theatre for a New Audience Gala

Theatre for a New Audience celebrated Shakespeare's 452nd birthday last night at the company's spring gala, held at Capitale on the Lower East Side and hosted by actor Jonathan Cake. During the event, Tony-winning director Julie Taymor presented classical actor Kathryn Hunter with the Samuel H. Scripps Award for Extraordinary Commitment to Promoting the Power of Language in Classical and Contemporary Theatre.

Arts patrons Elayne P. Bernstein (1924-2011) and Sol Schwartz (1931-2015) were posthumously awarded the Theatre's Life in Art Award, which honors an individual, foundation or corporation for their impact on the arts as a philanthropic leader. Presenting the award was John Douglas Thompson, who begins previews April 30 in two Theatre for a New Audience plays presented in rotating repertory, Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House and August Strindberg's The Father.

The evening's guests also included Christian Camargo, Maggie Lacey, Michael Shannon, Sigourney Weaver, Raphael Nash Thompson, Zach Infante, Tina Benko, Jeremy Shamos, and Arin Arbus.

For tickets to A Doll's House and The Father, click here.