Ed Dwyer Receives Elinor Benedict Arts Acheivement Award, November 2
Each year, the Bonifas Arts Center’s Elinor Benedict Arts Achievement Award is presented to a volunteer who has made an exceptional contribution to the arts center’s effort to enrich daily life in the central Upper Peninsula. Ed Dwyer of Escanaba received this year’s award at the arts center’s annual meeting on November 7.

Dwyer was selected for the award by the Bonifas Arts Center staff and board of trustees because of his generous contributions of time and technical theater expertise for productions in the Bonifas Arts Center Theater.

"In addition to being an invaluable technical expert, Ed has overseen major technical updates and has helped to develop the Bonifas Theater into an efficient and professional performance facility," said 2001 Benedict Award winner Barbara Lindstrom at the award presentation. "The Bonifas Arts Center has relied on Ed to light many of their shows and concerts, including the Missoula Children’s Theater productions each summer. He has
been known as the ‘last minute savior’ for rushing to the arts center at short notice to
rescue a show or fix a technical problem."

In addition to his technical contributions, Ed has directed five shows and acted in many more since joining Player de Noc in 1988. He has introduced new types of productions to Players de Noc’s repertoire and offered training and assistance to young people interested in technical theater production. He has also worked with students and teachers to incorporate Players de Noc’s shows into high school and college classes.