Gijs Scholten van Aschat awarded the Frans Banninck Cocq Medal
This evening, Gijs Scholten van Aschat gave his final performance as a permanent member of the ITA Ensemble in Client E. Busken. It marked the end of his sixteen-year association with the acting company. After the performance, Mayor Femke Halsema presented him with the Frans Banninck Cocq Medal, an honour awarded by the City of Amsterdam to people who have made a long-standing and exceptional contribution to the city. The medal was awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the cultural sector in Amsterdam and the Netherlands.
In addition to the Frans Banninck Cocq Medal, Gijs received another special tribute this evening. With the support of colleagues at ITA and a contribution from donors, artist and filmmaker Alex van Warmerdam created a portrait of him. The portrait will be given a permanent place in the portrait gallery of the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, where it will hang alongside other figures who have played a significant role in the theatre and its history.
Gijs’s departure as a permanent colleague at ITA brings a sixteen-year chapter to a close. Since joining Toneelgroep Amsterdam in 2010, he has appeared in a great many productions that hold an important place in ITA’s history. Productions such as Roman Tragedies, After the Rehearsal / Persona, The Hidden Force, Lehman Trilogy, Client E. Busken and Prophet Song demonstrate the breadth of his work: from classical repertoire to contemporary stories, and from large-scale productions to intimate character studies.
Over the course of his career, Gijs has built an impressive body of work, both at ITA and beyond. His work has received numerous awards and nominations, including a nomination for the Louis d’Or for The Year of the Cancer and an Arlecchino nomination for the Russians!.
-|-The Frans Banninck Cocq Medal also underlines his impact beyond the stage. The City of Amsterdam praises his versatility as an actor, his commitment to the cultural sector as former president of the Society of Arts and his contribution to passing on knowledge to new generations of theatre-makers. He is also recognised for his dedication to both classical and modern repertoire and for the major contribution he has made to cultural life in Amsterdam.
We are grateful to Gijs for everything he has meant to our company over the past sixteen years. For the roles he has played, the stories he has helped to tell and the inspiration he has offered to colleagues and audiences alike.
Fortunately, this is not a final farewell. Although Gijs is bringing his time as a permanent ensemble member to a close, he will remain connected to ITA as a guest actor. We look forward to welcoming him back to our stage in the future.
Thank you, Gijs.
