A St. Louis native and Priory School graduate, Kevin Kline won Tony Awards for On the Twentieth Century and The Pirates of Penzance before leading roles in Sophie's Choice (1982) and The Big Chill (1983) made him a Hollywood star. Adept at comedy and drama on stage and screen, Kline won an Academy Award for his madcap performance in A Fish Called Wanda and received accolades for his stage interpretations of Richard III and Hamlet. Refusing to abandon his passion for theater while working in films as diverse as Dave and Cry Freedom, Kevin Kline often has been called the "American Olivier." He most recently received a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV at Lincoln Center.

Awards:

1978: Drama Desk Award: Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, On the Twentieth Century
1978: Tony: Best Featured Actor in a Musical, On the Twentieth Century
1981: OBIE Award: Performance, The Pirates of Penzance
1981: Drama Desk Award: Outstanding Actor in a Musical, The Pirates of Penzance
1981: Tony: Best Actor in a Musical, The Pirates of Penzance
1986: OBIE Award: Sustained Excellence in Performance
1988: Academy Award: Best Supporting Actor, A Fish Called Wanda
1997: IFP Gotham Actor Award
1998: Kline was named Man of the Year by the Harvard Hasty Pudding Club

Education:

St Louis Priory School, St Louis, Missouri
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; majored in speech and drama
The Juilliard School, New York, New York; majored in drama

The Professional Theatre Awards Council was formed in 2004 to promote and celebrate excellence in St. Louis professional theatre, and is a non-profit, 501c(3) organization.

Executive Director: Steve Isom

Board of Directors:
President: Peter Sargent, Dean, Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts, Webster University;

Vice President: Sara B. Burke, Owner/Director, The City Studio Dance Center

Vice President: Charlie Robin, Executive Director, Edison Theatre, Washington University

Secretary: Mary McHugh, Freelance Publicist and Writer;

Treasurer: John Russell, Sr. VP, Stifel Nicolaus