On May 01, Meryl Streep attended the Women’s Refugee Commission 25th Anniversary Voices Of Courage Awards luncheon as a guest speaker. Held at New York’s famed Cipriani restaurant, the event honoured three remarkable former refugees: Liberian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Sierra Leone’s Chernor Bah and Mary Tal from Cameroon. Pictures from the event can be found in the image library with more information, and additional gallery updates, below. Edit: Additional pictures from the Voices of Courage Awards have been added, plus a picture from last week’s Poetry & the Creative Mind with thanks to Joan for the heads-up.

Meryl took the time to pose on arrival with peace activist and one of the event’s honorees, Leymah Gbowee, as well as Women’s Refugee Commission board member Jocelyn Cunningham. The Women’s Refugee Commission is a research and advocacy organisation which aims improve the lives and protect the rights of women, children and youth displaced by war, persecution and natural disasters. Alongside the new additions, pictures from previous events have been uploaded as well. Many thanks for Claudia for sending in some of the Monte Christo Award additions.

Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – Poetry & the Creative Mind (April 24, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award – Ceremony (April 21, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – Indiana University – IU Cinema Panel (April 16, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – Indiana University – Master Class (April 16, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – UMass Lowell – A Conversation with Meryl Streep (April 01, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – UMass Lowell – Q&A with Theater Arts majors (April 01, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – “Sophie’s Choice” Anniversary Roundtable (March 05, 2014)

Three of Meryl’s stage productions have been updated in the image library. Most of the images have been replaced with better resolution images and some great additions have been made as well. There are rehearsal pictures from Meryl’s time at the Eugene O’Neil Theater Center (who has honored Meryl with their Monte Christo Award this week), pictures from the Public Theater’s 1979 production of “Taken in Marriage”, as well as some stunning new pictures from the Shakespeare in the Park production of “Taming of the Shrew”. Many thanks to Holly for submitting the latter pictures. Enjoy the new uploads.

Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Production Stills
Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Promotional Pictures
Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Rehearsals Pictures
Career – 1979 – Taken in Marriage – Posters & Key-Art
Career – 1978 – The Taming of the Shrew – Production Stills
Career – 1978 – The Taming of the Shrew – Behind the Scenes
Career – 1975 – Eugene O’Neil Theater Center – Production Stills
Career – 1975 – Eugene O’Neil Theater Center – Rehearsals Pictures

Additional pictures from the 14th Annual Monte Christo Award have been added to the image library.

Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award – Arrivals(April 21, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Last Uploads – 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award – Ceremony (April 21, 2014)

Many thanks to Luciana for sending in scans from the May 2014 issue of Marie Claire South America, featuring a great vintage picture of Meryl from the 1980s as well as an article. If you’ve finished reading, make sure to visit Luciana’s Winona Ryder fansite, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Meryl Streep was honored with the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s Monte Cristo Award on Monday evening. “I’m glad to see some old friends and celebrate this wonderful theater — it’s a home for new playwrights, writers, musicians, it’s a rare sort of conservatory for new talent and ideas,” she told reporters at the Edison Ballroom in New York City of the organization where she first worked as an actress after graduating from the Yale School of Drama. Lots of pictures from the arrivals and the ceremony have been added to the image library, with additional information on the honor below.

The Hollywood Reporter has an in-depth article on the evening. Judith Light shared sentiments on behalf of the late playwright Wendy Wasserstein, the past Monte Cristo Award honoree who featured Streep in Uncommon Women and Others: “I wish that Wendy were here with us tonight…she would be here, because she loved Meryl so much. Meryl, whom she regarded in the deepest respect and loved; Meryl, who is a very uncommon woman.” The evening also included tribute clips from playwrights of many stage projects Streep helped bring to the big screen. Angels in America’s Tony Kushner recalled that he eventually finished writing a new translation of Mother Courage and Her Children, and on closing night, “after I fumbled my way through my attempt to describe how magnificent she’d been in the role of Mother Courage, she said, ‘Thanks, this was a wonderful series for me, I’m so glad.’ We hugged, and then she added, ‘And just think how much greater it could’ve been if you had delivered the script on time!’ ” He also admitted that the line “There are four points on a compass, and I’ve been pricked in every direction” was a result of Streep’s improvisation. The complete article can be read here, more information and video clips will be posted next.

On Thurday, Meryl Streep became Indiana University’s newest alumna when she accepted an honorary doctoral degree from the Bloomington school Wednesday afternoon in front of an enthusiastic sellout crowd of 3,200 at IU Auditorium in Bloomington. The brief ceremony was all pomp and circumstance—Streep donned a velvet-trimmed IU cap and gown as a procession of four trumpeters welcomed her onstage, and she received a standing ovation when IU Cinema director Jon Vickers presented her with a red leather-bound Doctor of Humane Letters diploma. Streep accepted the award for her work as a role model and humanitarian in the arenas of women’s rights and social justice. IU provost Lauren Robel spoke to the selection, saying Streep was an “inspiring choice,” nominated for her “generous spirit and utmost sincere concern for public good.” There have been quite some appearances from this day – besides the Honorary Degree, Meryl has attended a panel at IU Cinema as well as a Master Class at Wells-Metz Theatre. All pictures can be found in the image library with more to come.

Appearances – 2014 – Indiana University – Honorary Degree (April 16, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Indiana University – IU Cinema Panel (April 16, 2014)
Appearances – 2014 – Indiana University – Master Class (April 16, 2014)

“August: Osage County” has been released on DVD and Blu-Ray today in the USA. If you haven’t seen it yet, or want to revisit Meryl’s latest Oscar-nominated performance, be sure to grab your copy. Screencaptures from the Blu-Ray have been added to the image library with many thanks to Lindsey.

Yesterday, Meryl has (finally) been a guest at the UMass Lowell’s Chancellor’s Speaker Series. Her appearance was originally planned for February 05, but got postponed. She answered questions, reflected on her storied career, offered advice for breaking into films, posed for countless photos, pulled an April Fools’ prank before a crowd of 3,600 and raised more than $230,000 for scholarships. Pictures from the event have been added to the image library. Scroll down for more information and a video. Edit: Pictures from the Q&A, which took place before the evening’s conversation, have been added as well.

Streep held court before a capacity crowd at the Tsongas Center in an event billed as “A Conversation with Meryl Streep” that was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Andre Dubus III. Earlier in the day, she held an hourlong question-and-answer session with 100 English and Theater Arts students at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, touching on subjects from how she prepares for roles to how she got her start as an actress. By turns witty, thoughtful and quick, she held her audience rapt as she discussed her career. Dubus, a New York Times bestselling author, wanted to know how she is able to disappear into her roles. “Acting is a very mysterious craft,” Streep said. “The (actors) I admire, I have no idea how they achieve what they do. When you are working with them there’s a seamless exchange of thought, emotion and physicality. You can’t parse it when you are in the moment.” UMass Lowell has posted a video with highlights from the conversation, which can be watched in the video archive.

The movie stills have been reorganized in the image library (many have been replaced with better quality pictures) and some nice additions have been made as well. Updates range from films between “Julia” to “Falling in Love”. Since almost everything has been updated, simply browse the albums for everything new, or click one of the previews below.

A couple of new pictures from the filming of “Suffragette” – taken on March 24 and March 25, have been added to the image library. With the current filming, more names are being confirmed to participate in the film, including Helena Bonham Cater and Brendan Gleeson.

Career – 2015 – Suffragette – On-Set Pictures (March 25, 2014)
Career – 2015 – Suffragette – On-Set Pictures (March 24, 2014)