Guthrie Gala

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During this year’s gala, we are honored to present the inaugural Tyrone Guthrie Distinguished Artist Award to former Artistic Director Joe Dowling, who faithfully advanced the mission of the Guthrie from 1995 to 2015 and ensured the theater remained a vital cultural resource for the community.

In 1959, Sir Tyrone Guthrie envisioned a resident theater outside of Broadway that would draw world-class artists to perform the classics with the highest professional standards. After putting out a call for interested cities in The New York Times, Guthrie chose the Twin Cities because of its location in the heartland of America, the vitality of the cultural community and the enthusiasm for the project. On May 7, 1963, the Guthrie Theater opened with a production of Hamlet directed by Guthrie himself, who served as Artistic Director from 1963 to 1966 and returned to direct each year until 1969.

The Tyrone Guthrie Distinguished Artist Award is inspired by our founder’s groundbreaking vision and celebrates the career of a contemporary theater artist who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to their craft and made a significant impact on the Guthrie Theater.

Joe Dowling began his career as an actor at Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theater, eventually becoming the youngest Artistic Director of the Abbey in 1978. He also founded and directed the Gaiety School of Acting, Ireland’s first theater school. In 1995, he became Artistic Director at the Guthrie Theater where he served for 20 years and oversaw the building of its current three-stage complex on the banks of the Mississippi River. Dowling has directed extensively in his native Ireland, on Broadway, in London’s West End and at many theaters in the U.S. and Canada. He holds honorary degrees from several universities, including National University of Ireland, University of Minnesota, Gonzaga University and University of St. Thomas.