The Fourth Annual Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence (T.A.T.E) will be held June 24 at the Roxana Rozsa and Robert Eugene Lorton Performance Center at the University of Tulsa. The awards celebrate the year’s theatre productions and community advocates who have made those productions possible.
Tim Blake Nelson will receive the 2012 Distinguished Artist Award. A Tulsa native and 1982 Holland Hall graduate, Nelson is a highly acclaimed actor, writer, director and producer participating in more than forty films, plays and televisions shows. Appearances include
The Incredible Hulk, Meet the Fockers, Syriana, Holes, The Thin Red Line and O Brother Where Art Thou? Nelson directed
O, wrote and directed
The Grey Zone and
Leaves of Grass, in which he also played a supporting role. He resides in New York City with his wife and three sons.
The T.A.T.E. awards recognize and reward nonprofit, non-equity theatre companies operating in the city of Tulsa. Supported by George Kaiser Family Foundation, the organization aims to foster broad-based, community recognition for Tulsa’s burgeoning theatre scene.
“The purpose of the awards is to recognize the time, money and talent invested throughout the year by a volunteer army of dedicated citizens who serve as actors, artistic directors and board members for these organizations. Their collective efforts provide a wonderful cultural experience right here in our city,” said Shirley Elliott, chair of the T.A.T.E. organizing committee.
The Mary Kay Place Legacy Award will also be given during the event to recognize an individual who has advanced the standard of theatrical excellence in the Tulsa community through creative contribution, artistic vision, exemplary service and outstanding leadership.
Tickets are available online at
tateawards.org and
myticketoffice.com or by calling (918) 596-7111. Doors open at 6 p.m., and a conversation with Tim Blake Nelson will be held at 6:30 p.m. with a reception following. The ceremony begins at 8 p.m. For more information, please contact Becca Salmon at
becca@gkff.org.
About Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence:The Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence (T.A.T.E.) was initiated to celebrate local theatre and to recognize, reward and promote the efforts of those contributing to Tulsa’s vibrant theatre community. More than twenty Tulsa-area organizations and venues are eligible to participate in the T.A.T.E. awards. Individual organizations can nominate two of their productions each year for the awards.
About George Kaiser Family Foundation:George Kaiser Family Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through investments in early childhood education, community health, social services and civic enhancement. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, GKFF works primarily on initiatives developed in collaboration with Tulsa-based direct service organizations. For more information about George Kaiser Family Foundation, visit
gkff.org.
