THE BACKGROUND
The Sarah Siddons Society was founded in 1952 by a small group of eminent Chicago theater-goers. Modeled after the fictional Society of the same name featured in the 1950 film All About Eve, the Society was named for one of England’s most prominent 18th-century tragediennes, and presented an annual award to the actress and later actors deemed most outstanding in a production based or touring in Chicago. The criteria no longer requires the awardee be featured in a production based or touring in Chicago. The first of these Actress of the Year Awards was presented to Helen Hayes for the 1952-1953 theater season, for her role in "Mrs. McThing." Awards were presented this and each subsequent year at a Gala event attended by Society members, members of the Chicago theater community, special guests, and members of the press, and continue to be presented annually. In 1987 the Society also began a Leading Lady Award to outstanding Chicago-based actresses, honoring such performers as Laurie Metcalf for a role at the Steppenwolf Theater, of which she was a founding member and most recently Jackie Taylor, founder of the Black Ensemble Theater.
Shortly after its founding, the Society also began sponsoring scholarships for promising local drama students of the Goodman School of Drama (located first at the Art Institute of Chicago and now known as The Theatre School at DePaul University) and, more recently, students of Northwestern University, Columbia College and Roosevelt University.
Recent endeavors include an annual Susan Glick Grant to the Black Ensemble Theatre’s Plays with a Purpose, a series of musical productions reaching hundreds of school children, written to teach children positive life lessons for the purpose of fostering development, self-esteem, confidence and self-respect. In past seasons, the Society supported Chicago Humanities Spring Festival—Stages, Sights and Sounds—exposing disadvantaged students to theatre going experiences.
In addition to presenting these awards and hosting its annual Gala, the Society has organized year-round events for its members, including theater outings with talks, and trips, often involving members of the local and national theater community.
Officially incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1960, the Sarah Siddons Society is governed by an elected President and Board of Governors. Membership is open to the public, through an annual membership fee.
