Deadline reports exclusively that Tony Award winner and Actors Fund board chair Brian Stokes Mitchell will be presented with the 2015 Distinguished Achievement Award at the New Dramatists' 66th Annual Spring Luncheon. The event will be held on May 14 in New York City with producers Roger Berlind and Bob Boyett, and Shubert Organization chairman Philip J. Smith serving as chairs.
Commented
New Dramatists a.d.
Emily Morse, "Working in a community of playwrights, one becomes aware that the life of artists and the making of art is anything but effortless and yet, any performance given by
Brian Stokes Mitchell appears effortless. With his deep, resonant voice, and commanding stage presence, he not only sings a song, he makes it soar. Additionally, through his work at The Actors Fund,
Mr. Mitchell is dedicated to serving fellow artists."
Past luncheon honorees have included
Susan Stroman,
Seth Gelblum,
Bernadette Peters,
Roger Berlind,
Julie Taymor,
Horton Foote,
Edward Albee,
Harvey Fierstein,
Chita Rivera,
Meryl Streep,
Angela Lansbury,
Julie Andrews,
Glenn Close, and
Stephen Sondheim.
Stokes' Broadway career includes performances in "Man of La Mancha" (Tony nomination and
Helen Hayes Award); "Kiss Me Kate" (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards); "Ragtime" (Tony nomination);
August Wilson's "King Hedley II" (Tony nomination); "Kiss of the Spider Woman;" "Jelly's Last Jam;"
David Merrick's "Oh, Kay!" and "Mail," which earned him a Theatre World award for outstanding Broadway Debut.
In 2011, Stokes returned to Broadway after a 7-year absence to do concerts, film and TV and spend some
FAMILY TIME with his young son. The show was Lincoln Center Theatre's production of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" which also starred
Patti LuPone. Based on the
Pedro Almodovar film of the same name, Stokes played the philandering Ivan. The cast album was released the same year.
At Encores he has starred in "Do, Re, Mi" and "Carnival" most recently starring in "Kismet." In 1998 he joined the likes of
Helen Hayes, Sir
John Gielgud,
Alec Guinness and
James Earl Jones when he became the sole recipient of that year's Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League, the nation's oldest theatrical honor, for his performance in "Ragtime."
His long television career began with a seven year stint on "Trapper John, MD." Numerous film and TV appearances more recently include "One Last Thing" which debuted at this year's Toronto Film Festival, recurring roles on "Crossing Jordan" and "Frasier," PBS' "Great Performances," DreamWorks' "The Prince of Egypt" (singing "Through Heaven's Eyes"), and his "Presidential Debut" in "The Singer and the Song" from the White House.
In May of 2011, Stokes appeared in the film "Jumping The Broom" playing opposite
Angela Bassett for the 2nd time (The first being "Ruby's Bucket of Blood" for Showtime). Stokes played
Mr. Watson, the well-to do father of the bride.
Stokes has continued to stay active in the recording world as well. He has appeared on more than 20 albums as a cast member or special guest. In 2006 he released his self-titled album as the inaugural artist on the newly-formed Playbill Records label. In addition to singing, Stokes produced the album and also wrote many of the arrangements and orchestrations. It was mixed by 15 -time Grammy winner Al Schmitt and the liner notes were penned by
John Williams.
In late 2012, Stokes released his Sophomore album "Simply Broadway." Inspired by classic piano/vocal albums of the American Songbook, Stokes decided to use this same simple approach using songs from the Broadway Cannon. Stokes and his pianist,
Tedd Firth, coarranged and recorded 25 songs, 12 of which made it onto "Simply Broadway" (a release of the other songs is sure to follow). The recordings were made in the "old style" - singer and pianist recording together in the same room at the same time without overdubs.
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