Awards and Recognition

2020

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for Playwright-in-Residence Carlyle Brown.

2014

Bonnie and Michael are profiled in Twin Cities PBS MN Original Season 7, episode 13.
Ivey Award for Lifetime Achievement is given to Bonnie Morris and Michael Robins.

2012

Ivey Award presented to ILLUSION for the production of Transatlantic Love Affair’s Ballad of a Pale Fisherman.

2011

MN Citizens of the Arts gives the The Larry Award to Michael Robins. The Larry Award is presented “to the unsung heroes in the arts community who work behind the scenes to improve arts access to everyone across Minnesota.”

2010

Ivey Award presented to playwright Allison Moore for the adaptation of Willa Cather’s My Antonia commissioned and premiered by ILLUSION.
Ivey Award presented to Kate Guentzel for her role as Antonia.

2009

Ivey Advertising Award for Excellence for ILLUSION’s brochure created by ILLUSION’s Board member Jeff Rabkin’s agency Wowza.

2007

Autistic License

2006

Ivey Award for the “emotional impact” of ILLUSION ’s premiere of Jane Martin’s Sez She.
Sez She is a finalist for the American Theater Critics Association’s Best New Play Award.

2002

ILLUSION is a finalist for the Leadership for a Changing World Award sponsored by the Advocacy Institute and the Ford Foundation.

2001

Bonnie Morris receives the George B. Walter Service to Society Award from Lawrence University.

200o

Kent Stephens and Patty Lynch’s play Mrs. McKenzies’ Beginner’s Guide to the Blues developed and premiered at ILLUSION receives the Roger L. Stevens Award at the Kennedy Center.
The Coming Up Taller Award is presented to ILLUSION in recognition for our work with youth. This award is from the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
WCCO Radio Good Neighbor Award presented to Bonnie and Michael. “The Theater transforms news headlines and social issues into entertainment that challenge people to think, question, imagine and change.”

1999

The Minneapolis Award presented to Bonnie and Michael for their “outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the city of Minneapolis.”
Bonnie and Michael receive the Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Vision for “ILLUSION’s impact on Minnesota’s cultural and arts landscape.”
ILLUSION is invited to present a workshop on its Peer Education Model at the Regional European Conference on the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) held in Jerusalem Israel.
Like Waters Rolling Down, a musical about justice in housing is created in a partnership with MICAH. Performed in 14 Faith communities across Minnesota it receives the Federal Office of Housing and Urban Development Best Practices Award. The play portrays “the subtleties of housing discrimination and the damages it causes. The play catalyzed meaningful dialogue in the communities where it was performed.”

1996

Kim Hines’ play I’ll Believe I’ll Run On and See What the End is Going to Be commissioned by and premiered at ILLUSION, and is then presented at the Kennedy Center’s New Visions, New Voices Festival. Michael Robins directs.

1992

David Feldshuh’s Miss Evers’ Boys is named runner up to the Pulitzer Prize. It is the most produced play in America in 1992 and began its development with ILLUSION THEATER in 1989 with three developmental readings and was one of the first productions in 1991.
Best Plays Volume 1991-1992 Miss Evers’ Boys.

1991

Best Play New Play Award of American Critics Association Miss Evers’ Boys.

1990

Ping Chong’s Snow is published in Theater Communication Group’s 1990 Plays in Progress. ILLUSION commissioned and premiered SNOW in 1988.

1989

Sundance Institute Workshop Miss Evers’ Boys.
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation New American Play Award Miss Evers’ Boys.
Humana One Act Play Award names Christopher’s Shirt by Eric Anderson as a finalist for Best New One Act Play Award at Actor’s Theater of Louisville. ILLUSION commissioned and premiered Christopher’s Shirt.
National Council on Family Relations Award for TOUCH.
City Pages Unsung Heroes Award.

1988

Rockefeller Foundation Award Jon Klein to support the residency of Jon Klein to develop SOUTHERN CROSS with ILLUSION THEATER.
ILLUSION commissioned and premiered SOUTHERN CROSS.

1987

Urban Guerrilla Award given to Bonnie and Michael for their work in “bringing quality arts” to Minneapolis.

1986

Sundance Institute Workshop for The Einstein Project by Jon Klein and Paul D’Andrea. ILLUSION commissioned and premiered The Einstein Project.

1985

Emmy Award-Public Service Award to WCCO-TV Minneapolis for PROJECT ABUSE.
ILLUSION acts as consultants with WCCO-TV to create PROJECT ABUSE, a two-week television initiative exploring the issues of sexual abuse. It includes a statewide broadcast of TOUCH, NO EASY ANSWERS, a documentary about adults who had experienced sexual abuse when they were children and a Town Hall Meeting moderated by Don Shelby.
Twin Cities Mayor’s Arts Award for Project Abuse.
Committee on Children Award for TOUCH for “pro-social use of theater and for work in developing a standard of excellence in prevention programs.”
Alyce Seymour Award-Family and Children’s Services for TOUCH.

1984

Friends of Education Award-Minnesota Education Association for TOUCH.
The Robert ten Bensel Award - the Minnesota Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse Minneapolis MN.
Minnesota Education School Bell Award for Project Abuse, TOUCH Film, theatrical presentations of TOUCH and No Easy Answers

1984

Family Life Film Award -National Council on Family Relations for TOUCH film and No Easy Answers video

1983

Los Angeles Critic’s Dramalogue Award for Arthur Giron’s Becoming Memories. ILLUSION commissioned and premiered Becoming Memories

1980

Distinguished Service to the Family Award — Minnesota Council on Family Relations.