Gary Austin

The Austin award is given annually in honor of a much-loved and much-missed member of the ANDTheatre Company community, Gary Austin.

Over thirty years ago, Gary Austin, the Founder of The Groundlings Improv Theatre in Los Angeles, came to New York to extend his successful workshops to this coast.  Here, he met Artistic New Directions, now known as ANDTheatre Company, and was asked to participate in our first Summer Improv Retreat where he met Michael J. Gellman and Carol Fox Prescott who, along with Jeffrey Sweet, became the basis for AND’s thrust into theatrical improvisation.

The Austin is given by AND's board of directors to honor distinguished artists who have graced our company by bringing their special talents to AND projects, much as Gary did for many years. 

Past Award Recipients

2022: Ken Levine (Playwright, Screen Writer)

2020: Marta Sanders (Singer, Diva)

2019:  Nambi E. Kelley (Actor, Playwright)

2019: Bill Tatum (Actor)

2018: Michele Pawk (Actor)

2017: Patricia Birch (Director, Choreographer)

​2017: Jeff McCarthy (Actor)