BWW TV: Kevin Spacey Receives EDWIN BOOTH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

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Academy Award® winner, Kevin Spacey, CBE, was presented with the Edwin Booth LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD at a special fundraising gala at the landmarked mansion at 16 Gramercy Park South, (East 20 off Park Ave,) New York City on January 10, 2011.

"The Players FOUNDATION FOR THEATRE EDUCATION is an organization devoted to promoting the arts and its ability to enrich lives," Martello said. "Kevin's work thus far as an actor, director, producer, singer, patron of the arts, and educator is the embodiment of everything Edwin Booth did and The Players FOUNDATION and the Club still do strive to represent."

Classical actor Edwin Booth founded The Players in 1888. The Edwin Booth LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD honors a theatre luminary for his/her body of work. Past Award recipients include Edward Albee, Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes, Jose Ferrer, Jack Lemmon, Christopher Plummer, Marian Seldes, and Jason Robards (to whom Mr. Spacey presented the Booth Award.)

In 1888, Edwin Booth, America's pre-eminent Shakespearean actor, and 15 other incorporators, including Mark Twain and General Tecumseh Sherman, founded The Players. Its purpose: "The promotion of social intercourse between members of the dramatic profession and the kindred professions of literature, painting, architecture, sculpture and music, law and medicine, and the patrons of the arts." Today, The Players continues to preserve its heritage by remaining a repository of both American and British theater history, memorabilia and theatrical artifacts. The Players FOUNDATION FOR THEATRE EDUCATION was established to foster an understanding and appreciation of the American Theatre, particularly utilizing the unique history of The Players and the myriad personalities who have contributed to that history. The Players FOUNDATION FOR THEATER EDUCATION is a 501 (c)(3) organization. For more information: http://www.theplayersnyc.org.

Kevin Spacey is Artistic Director of The Old Vic Theatre Company in London. He directed its inaugural production "Cloaca", before appearing in "National Anthems", "The Philadelphia Story", "Richard II", "A Moon for the Misbegotten", which subsequently transferred to Broadway, and "Speed-the-Plow" with Jeff Goldblum. Previous theatre includes "The Iceman Cometh" (Evening Standard and Olivier Awards for Best Actor) directed by Howard Davies (Almeida, Old Vic and Broadway); "Lost in Yonkers: (Tony Award, Best Supporting Actor); "Long Day's Journey into Night" with Jack Lemmon, directed by Jonathan Miller (Broadway and West End) and "The Seagull" (Kennedy Center). His most recent stage appearance was in The Old Vic production of "Inherit the Wind", which marked his second production with Trevor Nunn.

Films include "The Usual Suspects" (Academy Award, Best Supporting Actor), "American Beauty" (Academy and BAFTA Awards, Best Actor), "Swimming with Sharks", "Se7en", "LA Confidential", "Glengarry Glen Ross", "The Negotiator", "K-Pax", "The Shipping News", "Superman Returns", and "Beyond the Sea". He was most recently seen in "Shrink" with Robin Williams, and "The Men Who Stare at Goats" with George Clooney. This fall he will be seen starring as Jack Abramoff in the feature "Casino Jack", directed by George Hickenlooper, which will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. He most recently completed production on the films "Margin Call" with Jeremy Iron, Paul Bettany, Demi Moore, Zach Quinto and Simon Baker; and as Jason Bateman's horrible boss in "Horrible Bosses", with Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell for Warner Brothers, directed by Seth Gordon.