The Sarah Siddons Society is pleased to present its 2025 Award to Tony Award-winning actress Beth Leavel, whose numerous Broadway credits include Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone, Baby It’s You!, Lempicka, Bandstand, Elf, Mamma Mia!, Young Frankenstein, 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Civil War, Showboat and others.
The Society’s annual Award is presented to an individual who has achieved outstanding artistic achievement in theatre. Ms. Leavel will be honored at the Society’s 2025 Benefit on Monday, November 17, 2025 at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St. in Chicago. (6 pm reception, 7 pm program).
Following a reception, the evening’s program will include musical selections from Ms. Leavel’s most memorable shows performed by some of Chicago’s most acclaimed theatre artists under the direction of Chistopher Pazdernik and music direction of Beckie Menzie. The evening, hosted by NBC 5 Chicago features reporter LeeAnn Trotter, will also feature the induction of the Sarah Siddons Society 2025 Scholarship Recipients.
Single tickets and a variety of sponsorship opportunities are currently available here. All proceeds benefit the Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship Program, dedicated to funding scholarships for promising theater arts students at top Chicago area universities.
Sarah Siddons Society President Martin Balogh comments, “It is an honor for the Sarah Siddons Society to present Chicago’s oldest and most prestigious theatre award this year to Beth Leavel. Beth, with her powerful vocal skills and impeccable comedic timing, has brought an incredible authenticity to each of her fifteen Broadway roles. We could not be more pleased than to present the Sarah Siddons Society Award to this immensely talented individual.”
About Beth Level
Beth Leavel was most recently seen on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. She was nominated for a 2019 Tony®, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle award for her performance in the critically acclaimed Broadway show The Prom. She received Tony®, Drama Desk, NY Outer Critics Circle and L.A. Drama Critics Awards for her performance as the title character in The Drowsy Chaperone. Beth also received Tony®, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominations for her role as Florence Greenberg in Baby It’s You! Other Broadway roles include The Baroness in Lempicka, Mrs. June Adams in Bandstand, Emily in Elf, Donna in Mamma Mia!, Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Dorothy Brock in the revival of 42nd Street, Tess in the original company of Crazy For You, Mrs. Bixby in The Civil War, Ellie in Hal Prince’s Showboat and Anytime Annie (her Broadway debut) in 42nd Street. She has numerous Off-Broadway, regional theatre, commercials and TV credits, including the final episode of ER and The Walking Dead.
About Sarah Siddons Society
Since its inception, the mission of the Society has been to fund scholarships to promising theater arts students at top Chicago area universities including; The Theater Department, Columbia College; The Theatre School at DePaul University; Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, Northwestern University School of Communications and the School of Theatre and Dance at Northern Illinois University. For additional information, visit sarahsiddonssociety.org.