The inaugural Conservatory Awards, co-chaired by Deedee McMurtry and Abby Schnair, took place on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, on the Imperial Floor of the Westin St. Francis Hotel. This new event honored outstanding alumni of A.C.T. and paid tribute to donors who have provided significant support to the A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program Scholarship Fund. Attendees included current M.F.A. Program students and alumni, loyal friends and benefactors of the A.C.T. Conservatory, and the award winners: Annette Bening, Elizabeth Banks, Julia Rodriquez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, Frannie and Mort Fleishhacker, and The Hearst Foundation.

Slated to become an annual A.C.T. tradition, the Conservatory Awards Luncheon not only honored Conservatory alumni and generous M.F.A. Scholarship Fund donors, but also raised over $154,000 for the M.F.A. Program. This funding enables A.C.T. to continue to attract the most talented actors in the country to study at its top-ranked M.F.A. Program.

For more information about the M.F.A. Program and next year's Conservatory Awards Luncheon, contact Helen Rigby, Associate Director of Development, Conservatory, at 415.439.2469 or hrigby@act-sf.org.

2012 Award Winners

Annette Bening
The Edward Hastings Career Achievement Award

Elizabeth Banks
The Rising Star Award

Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez Elliott, cofounders of A Noise Within
The Contributions to the Field Award

Frannie and Mort Fleishhacker
The Benefactor Award

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation
The Champion Award

L to R: Conservatory Awards Luncheon Co-Chairs Deedee McMurtry and Abby Sadin Schnair. Photo by Drew Altizer.	L to R: A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff with Ed Hastings Career Achievement Award recipient Annette Benin and Rising Star Award recipient Elizabeth Banks. Photo by Drew Altizer.	L to R: A.C.T. Board President Rusty Rueff, Champion Award recipient The William Randolph Hearst Foundation's representative Paul "Dino" Dinovitz, Benefactor Award recipient Frannie Fleishhacker, Rising Star Award recipient Elizabeth Banks, Ed Hastings Career Achievement Award recipient Annette Bening, Contribution to the Field Award recipients Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, and A.C.T. Board Chair Nancy Livingston. Photo by Drew Altizer.
The Fleishhacker family, gathered to celebrate Benefactor Award recipients Frannie and the late Mort Fleishhacker. Back row (L to R): David Fleishhacker, Becca Randall, Sandi Randall, Rick Gaylord, Leslie Gaylord, and Marc Fleishhacker. Front row (L to R): Delia Ehrlich Fleishhacker, Frannie Fleishhacker, and Vickie Fleishhacker. Photo by Drew Altizer.	Contribution to the Field Award recipients Julia Rodriquez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, cofounders of A Noise Within theater company. Photo by Drew Altizer.	Champion Award recipient The William Randolph Hearst Foundation's representative, Executive Director Paul "Dino" Dinovitz. Photo by Drew Altizer.

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