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Updated: November 9, 2009, 11:15 am	Share    Print    Email

The Casting Society of America 25th Annual Artios Awards® ceremony was hosted in New York by Janeane Garofalo. Image courtesy of Google Images

New York City - The Casting Society of America announced this year's winners at the New York 25th Annual Artios Awards® ceremony held at The Times Center, in the newly built New York Times Building (620 Eighth Avenue) and hosted by comedian Janeane Garofalo. (The Los Angeles award ceremony was held simultaneously at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

Celebrity guest presenters in New York were Christine Ebersole ("Grey Gardens"), Vincent Kartheiser ("Mad Men"), Jennifer Morrison ("House"), Carrie Preston ("True Blood"), Bill Pullman ("Oleanna"), Elizabeth Reaser ("Twilight"), Michael Shannon ("Little Flower of East Orange"), and Patrick Wilson ("Little Children," "Angels in America"). Stanley Tucci, presented the coveted New York Big Apple Award to Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron (their new theatrical production, "Love, Loss, and What I Wore," just opened to rave reviews in New York).

Presented yearly for outstanding achievement in casting, awards are given on the criteria of originality, creativity and contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project. The term "Artios" is from the ancient Greek word meaning "perfectly fitted."

Each year, in addition to the awards presented to casting directors for their achievements in Theater, Television and Film casting, the Casting Society of America also recognizes Industry notables with a Career Achievement Award, The New York Apple Award and bestows the Hoyt Bowers Award on one of its own. In addition to Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, this year's honorees were (at the Los Angeles ceremony) Laura Ziskin who received the Career Achievement Award, and John Frank Levey, who received the Hoyt Bowers Award.

The Artios Awards were first given in 1985 to honor excellence in casting and was held at the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel attended by 500 industry leaders. The first New York awards were given three years later.

The CSA is the premiere organization of theatrical casting directors in film, television, and theater, and is passionately committed to establishing a recognized standard of professionalism in the industry; enhancing the stature of the profession in the industry; freely exchanging information and ideas among members; providing the opportunity to honor the outstanding achievements of its members; and providing members with profession support and resources. CSA members are a united professional society that society that consistently set the level of professionalism in casting on which the entertainment industry has come to rely. With more than 425 members, the CSA has representation not only in the United States, but also Canada, England and Australia.

For more information, go to www.castingsociety.com.