Dowling wins lifetime honor at Ivey Awards
Updated: Sept. 22, 10 a.m. | Posted: Sept. 21, 8 p.m.
Former Guthrie Director Joe Dowling received lifetime achievement honors at the Ivey Awards ceremony Monday night.
Dowling ran the Guthrie for two decades, and is credited with making the flagship theater a national destination for theater lovers. He led the company's move to the riverfront and the construction of its iconic blue home in 2006. Dowling handed over the helm this summer to Joseph Haj.
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In his acceptance speech, Dowling said that he was confident the local theater scene would continue to thrive, because its community remembers that it's for "both the audiences of today and the audiences of tomorrow. People who, like us, believe that theater can transform lives, can change ideas, can introduce us to new concepts, to new cultures." he said. "And long may it do so."
Mikell Sapp won the emerging artist award for numerous critically acclaimed performances over the past year.
Sha Cage walked away with an Ivey for her performance in Frank Theater's production of "Grounded," about a pilot commanding drones.
An annual awards program established in 2004, the Iveys aims to increase public awareness of the theater community and celebrate its efforts.