Beloved stage and screen star Judith Light was honored at the 2017 Monte Cristo Award ceremony last night, presented by the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and held for the first time at 583 Park Avenue. Light’s LOMBARDI co-star Dan Lauria and “Ugly Betty” co-star Michael Urie joined in on the celebrations, and Director Thomas Kail presented Light with her honor.
An alum of the O’Neill, Judith first performed at the O’Neill’s 1977 National Playwrights Conference. The Monte Cristo Award is presented to a prominent theater artist each year in recognition of a distinguished career exemplifying Eugene O’Neill’s “pioneering spirit, unceasing artistic commitment, and excellence.” Past recipients of the Award include Meryl Streep, Christopher Plummer, Michael Douglas, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Harold Prince, Kevin Spacey, Neil Simon, Jason Robards, Jr., Edward Albee, August Wilson, Zoe Caldwell, George C. Wolfe, Brian Dennehy, Karl Malden, Arthur & Barbara Gelb, and Wendy Wasserstein.
Additional guests included Shakina Nayfack, Lena Hall, Tom Kitt, Margo Seibert, Tom Viertel, Susan Blackwell and more.