The Lilian Baylis Award - Bethany Reilly
ALRA congratulates Bethany Reilly on receiving a Lilian Baylis Award. Every year these awards are given to a talented student from each of the eleven accredited drama schools entering their final year of study to help alleviate financial hardship.
Bethany was presented the award by Dame Janet Suzman DBE; one of the most respected classical stage actresses of her time whose performance as the Empress in her first film 'Nicholas and Alexandra' (1971) earned nominations for several awards.
The awards are dedicated to the memory of Lilian Baylis (1874-1937) who ran The Old Vic Theatre from 1912 until her death. She was an important figure developing several theatres that are still important and popular today.
Lilian Baylis committed herself to ensuring that The Old Vic productions were of the highest quality and that the doors were open to many who could not afford the more established theatres.
In the spirit of the Award the student nominated must fulfil all three of the following criteria:
- Promise: The student shows promise which suggests the potential to make a significant contribution to the development of theatre.
- Hardship: The completion of the student's course is in jeopardy without additional finance.
- Study: Students should have completed two years of a three-year course, or one year of a two-year course.
Bethany Reilly says "I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have been awarded the Lilian Baylis Award, and privileged to have been put forward to represent ALRA. With my last year of drama school approaching the financial support is greatly appreciated in more ways than I can describe. It's so rewarding to feel like all the hard work is paying off by being awarded something that has such a prestigious legacy and reputation to it."
Congratulations, once again, to Bethany!
Click here for more information about the Lilian Baylis Awards.