The Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theatre Arts Awards, a celebration that brings together Des Moines’ theater professionals, reflects its namesake. Leachman was a dynamic, versatile performer whose work spanned nearly eight decades and every acting medium. From dramatic roles (including Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show, which earned her an Academy Award) to her cult characters (such as Frau Blücher in Young Frankenstein), Leachman embraced challenges throughout her performance career, leaving an indelible legacy.
Stories about her early life in Des Moines abound. Leachman’s love of her hometown continued throughout her life, and she often returned to rekindle family and community connections.
The performing companies vying for top Cloris Awards honors each year embrace that constant striving for excellence. A defining return-to-origins happened when Leachman was the Honoree at the 2016 Cloris Awards. The Des Moines Community Playhouse, which Leachman joined in the ’40s (when it was known as the Kendall Theatre; Leachman appeared in productions of Ah, Wilderness and Love Rides the Rails), is a regular at the awards.
While long-standing companies have internally encouraged celebrating their own, the Cloris Awards are a meeting point. Both creatives and the public are invited to the ceremony, and to experience firsthand the collegiality of this network of producers and the talent…