TAPS College Honors Awards

Every year, the Committee on Theater and Performance and Studies, in collaboration with the College, grants the below awards to graduating students.

Presented to the graduating major in Theater and Performance Studies who has best demonstrated the integration of artistic and academic excellence. Their B.A. project shows the farthest level of completion and development, and their work during their final undergraduate year shows the highest level of motivation and discipline. In addition, their academic and theatrical production participation over their collegiate career demonstrates the highest level of artistic excellence and dedication.

Recipients:

2024: Laura Tutondele Mahaniah
2023: Spencer Ng
2022: Reagan Brown
2021: Abigail Henkin
2020: Hope Gundlah
2019: Ted Bourget
2018: Grace Bolander
2017: Emily Corson Barnard
2016: Daniele Wieder
2015: Scarlett Kim
2014: Kathleen Cawley
2013: Thomas Schmidt-Arenales
2012: William Bishop
2011: Ethan Dubin
2010: Alli Urbanik
2009: Augie Praley
2008: Victoria Bartley
2007: Angeline Gragasin
2006: Reid Aronson
2004: Margaret Irvin

Presented to the graduating senior who has made the most significant contributions to University Theater.

Recipients:

2024: Danielle Yablonvskiy and Jessica Aaron
2023: Colin Cooper
2022: Allegra Hatem
2021: Caitlyn Klum
2020: Jess Robinson
2019: Margaret Glazier and Olivia Malone
2018: Sarah Stark
2017: Emily Corson Barnard
2016: Gwendolyn Wiegold
2015: Maria Decker
2014: James Fleming
2013: Jesse Roth
2012: Amanda Fink
2011: Ellenor Riley-Condit
2010: Aileen McGroddy & Viraj Talwar
2009: Katherine Greenleaf
2008: Kate Welham
2007: Drew Dir
2006: Meredith Ries
2005: Fay Lamanna
2004: Bruce Steinberg
2003: Chad Kenward and Elizabeth Levy
2002: Melanie MacBride
2001: Heidi Thompson Saunders
2000: David Wolf

In support of the graduating student who has made the most significant design and technical contributions to the University Theater during their collegiate experience.

Recipients:

2024: Sophie Regales
2023: Lena Maghraoui
2022: Gigi Hancock
2021: Leo Wehner
2020: Tess Gundlah
2019: Maya Jain
2018: Avi Sheehan
2017: Tiffany Wang
2016: Ben Sulser
2015: Caroline Gully Brown
2014: Tess Drummond
2013: Kathryn Lesko
2012: Sarah Collonge
2011: Benjamin Schapiro

Recognizes graduating seniors who have made outstanding mentorship contributions to the university through their work with performing arts organizations.

Recipients:

2024
Harper Learmonth
Emily Zhang
Ananya Saravanan

2023
Ariana Baginski
Reese Klemm
Jingwen Zhang

2022
Alexander Liang
Mary Mouton
Carlyn Yang

2021
Maxine King
Ethan Schondorf
Fred Dan

2020
Giovanna Hooton
Emily Lynch
Leonardo Guilhoto

2019
Olivia Malone
Maya Jain
Jacob Goodman

2018
Natalie Pasquinelli
Brianna Pinder
Sydney Purdue

2017
Itzel Blancas
Dee Nitz
Mariel Shlomchik

2016
Brandon Callender
Ty Easley
Julia Santha

2015
Sasha Ayvazov
Marisa Chilberg
Himabindu Poroori

2014
Nora Bingham
James Ekstrom
Ben Heller

Awarded to an original play of one or more acts authored by a student in the graduating class.

Recipients:

2024
First Prize: A Greater Chance for Glory by Carissa Greene
Second Prize: White Roses by Taiz Rodriguez

2023
First Prize: Gutter Baby by George Corrin
Second Prize: Queen of Spades by Amelia Simonoff

2022
First Prize: Ah Wing and the Automaton Eagle by Brandon Zang
Second Prize: Yivdak by Jonathan White

2021
First Prize: Olga's Strike by Abigail Henkin
Second prize: The Aviatrix by Caitlyn Klum

2020
First Prize: The Poet in White by Hope Gundlah
Second Prize: Friday Night Association by Emily Lynch

2019
First Prize: No Remedy by Ariella Carmell
Second Prize: The Yips by Jacob Goodman

2018
First Prize: Herland by Grace McLeod
Second Prize: Cuentos de Sobrevivencia by Christian Nicholas Castro Romero

2017
First Prize: Two-Legged Ghost by Ellen Wiese
Second Prize: Fresh Out of the Closet by Gavin Pak

2016
First Prize: Joshua Harris’ 5 Dead Detectives
Second Prize: Dan Ackerman’s That Islamic State of Mind

2015
First Prize: Christopher Deakin The Naming of the Band Kansas: A Hyperthesis
Second Prize: Carol Ann Tan Domestic Departure

2014
First Prize: Eric Shoemaker PLATH/HUGHES
Second Prize: Zev Hurwich Three Exit Interviews Conducted Inside Rudy's Psyche Preceding the Event of his Death

2013
First Prize: Isabel Olive Star of Egypt
Second Prize: Connor Settlemire The Calamities

2012
First Prize: Molly FitzMaurice Psyche's Cherry
Second Prize: Emmett Rensin The Failures

2011
First Prize: Harrison Adams Stowaways
Second Prize: William Glick The Winter Farm

2010
First Prize: Tamara Silverleaf Limbs and Lungs
Second Prize: Jacqueline McLaren How To Build a Bomb

2009
First Prize: Kit Novotny re/collect
Second Prize: Mitch Salm Saints

2008
First Prize: Jessica Wright Under Ground
Second Prize: Rachel Landau After

2007
First Prize: Martyna Majok wander/standing
Second Prize: Drew Dir Spacewriters

2006
First Prize: Caitlin Doughty Goblin Market
Second Prize: Christopher Martin Big Ben Has Fallen

2005
First Prize: Jack Tamburri Two-Fisted Tales from the Four-Color City
Second Prize: Kathryn Hottinger Nana Underwood
Second Prize: Gabriela Ortiz Of Mole and Men

2004
First Prize: Esther Sullivan One Week in October
Second Prize: Mark Winston

2003
First Prize: Katharine Perdue If Only You Had a Little Discipline You
Second Prize: Elizabeth Levy Leaving Phoebe: A Solo Performance

Recognizes the graduating student who has best demonstrated the spirit of collaboration between two or more arts groups on campus.

Recipients:

2021: Maxine King
2020: Chahat Kapila
2019: Vrinda Agarwal
2018: Tempest Wisdom
2017: Mariel Shlomchik
2016: Eleanor Clifford
2015: Adam Kratoska
2014: Arielle Von Hippel

Recognizes the graduating student who has best demonstrated arts leadership in a single performing art organization on campus.

Recipients:

2024: Arianna Wooten
2021: Nicola Lustig
2020: Vanessa Ma
2019: Addison Jeske
2018: Val Bodurtha
2017: Leilani Douglas
2016: Elisabeth Del Toro
2015: Hamid Bendaas
2014: Hilary Clifford