Recognizing outstanding achievement in Professional Theatre in the Greater St. Louis Area, The Kevin Kline Awards honor theatre artists and productions in over 20 categories. The awards are named in honor of St. Louis' own Tony and Academy Award winner Kevin Kline.

Kline, who now lives in New York, is delighted. "I've long been under the impression that people didn't lend their names to awards until after they had died." he said, upon learning of the award. 'I'm in pretty good health right now, and feeling all the better for having received this lovely and unexpected honor. It's gratifying to think that I can continue to be associated with theater excellence in the city where so many of my earliest theater impressions were formed."

The first annual Kevin Kline Awards were presented on March 20, 2006 in the beautifully restored Robert's Orpheum Theatre (formerly the American Theatre).