“Believe me when I say, theatre doesn’t get any better than this!”
-Fran Heller, Cleveland Jewish News

  • 2024 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Awards for Best New Play By a Local Playwrigh for The Prospect of Equality by Rachel Zake. (First ever commission by Ensemble Theatre. Produced in May of 2024).

    • Cleveland Crticis Circle Award for Best World Premiere in the Cleveland Area.

  • 2023 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Performers for Katie Simón Atkinson & Robert Grant III for “Lungs” (Duncan Macmillan) and Nnamdi Okpala & Robert Williams for “The Island” (Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona)

  • 2022 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Production for “Describe The Night” by Rajiv Joseph.

    • Superior Achievement mention for Laura Perottta* (Best Actress) Joe Pine (Best Actor) & Celeste Cosentino (Best Director) .

  • 2018 :: Broadway World Top 15 Cleveland Theatrical Achievements to Celeste Cosentino for Producing & Directing both parts of Tony Kushner’s Award Winning Angels in America.

  • 2017 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Actress for Lara Mielcarek* for Lisa Kron’s Well.

    • Superior Achievement mention in Directing for Celeste Cosentino

  • 2017 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Scenic Design by Walter Boswell for Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape.

    • Superior Achievement mention for Lighting Design by Andrew Eckhert.

  • 2016 :: The Cleveland Jewish News Best Actor in a Comedy Award as well as a Cleveland Critics Circle mention for Superior Achievement for Michael Mauldin* in Eric Coble's Margin of Error.

  • 2016 :: The Cleveland Jewish News Best Actor in a Drama Award and Cleveland Critics Circle mention for Superior Achievement for Geoff Knox as Thoreau in Lawrence & Lee's The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail..

    • Superior Achievement mention (Cleveland Critics Circle) in Directing for Celeste Cosentino.

  • 2015 :: Cleveland Scene Magazine Best Actor Award for Greg White in George Stevens Jr.'s Thurgood.

  • 2014 :: Cleveland Jewish News & Cleveland Scene Magazine Best Actor Award for Greg White in O'Neill's Anna Christie.

  • 2013:: Robert Rauschenberg Foundation SEED Grantee. Chosen to be among only 16 organizations chosen nationally to receive three annual $10,000 SEED grants for capacity and programming that ensures growth and longevity for ground breaking non-profits!

  • 2013 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Director for Ian Wolfgang Hinz for O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh.

  • 2012 :: Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Production for Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart.

    • This production also garnered 2012 Cleveland Critics Circle Awards for: Best Actor for Brian Zoldessy*, and Best Director for Sara May.

  • 2011 :: News Herald's Best Actor in a Drama for Dana Hart* in Connor McPherson's St Nicholas.

  • 2005 :: Times Tribute Award for Best Set Design for Ron Newell for Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folley.

  • 2005 :: Times Tribute Awards for Best Production , Directing (Licia Colombi), and Performance (Andrew Cruse & Annie Kitral) for O'Neills Long Days Journey into Night.

  • 2004 :: Times Tribute Awards for Best Production for Thornton Wilder's Our Town.

  • 2003 :: Times Tribute Awards for Directing (Licia Colombi), Performance (Charles Kartali* and Julia Kolibab*) and Lighting Design (Vincent Polowy) for McNally's Frankie & Johnny and The Claire de Lune.

  • 2003 :: Times Tribute Awards for Sound Design (Corby Grubb) and Performance (Sherri Britton) for Bunin's The Credaux Canvas.

  • 1995-96 Winner of Northern Ohio Live's Theatre Achievement Award for Robert Schenkkan's The Kentucky Cycle.

    • "... with Ensemble's production of The Kentucky Cycle, small professional theatre in Cleveland has come of age."- Marianne Evett, The Plain Dealer.

  • 1993-94 Winner of Cleveland Magazine's Readers' Poll for Best Production for D. L Coburn's The Gin Game.

  • 1992-93 Winner of Northern Ohio Live's Theatre Achievement Award for Horton Foote's  A Trip to Bountiful. 

  • 1990-91 Ensemble created the series Panorama of African-American Theatre, which was filmed by PBS, syndicated nationally and chosen for their "First View Award", selecting it as one of the top 25 educational programs in the country!