Sam Donnenberg Receives 'Giuseppe Bausilio Award'

Actor/director/filmmaker Sam Donnenberg has been presented with the 13th Street Repertory Company's "Giuseppe Bausilio Award." The award--named in honor of the young actor who starred on Broadway in "Billy Elliot" and co-starred at the Rep in "Irving Berlin's America" while simultaneously appearing on Broadway in "Newsies" and continuing his career as a world-class ballet dancer-is intended to honor a rising young multi-talented artist, who is simultaneously making his mark in more than one field.

One of the busiest members of the theater's repertory company, Donnenberg is currently prominently featured as "Reese" in the musical comedy "Theater Boys," while simultaneously serving as Assistant Director of another 13th Street Rep production, "The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue," while also producing an hour-long, high-definition "behind-the-scenes" video documentary about the making of "Theater Boys."

Donnenberg was presented with the award by two members of the theater's repertory company, ASCAP Award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa and Bausilio himself. (The photo shows Bausilio with Donnenberg at the Rep.) In accepting the Bausilio Award (which consists of a framed proclamation, a cash honorarium, and a newsboy cap), Donnenberg said: "I never expected this to happen. It meant a lot. It was validating; It made me feel like I have a significant contribution to make."

As for the video documentary he's producing (and will be submitting to festivals)-titled "For the Theater"-Donnenberg says he wants to show people what it's like to be in a new musical in New York. "Actors are fun people-and very unpredictable," he says. His ubiquitous camera has already caught the romance that's developed between two cast members backstage, and the ripple-effects of one cast member's leaving the production and the others having to pull together in his absence, to make the show better without him.

Edith O'Hara, the legendary 97-year-old founder/artistic director of the 13th Street Repertory Company, noted that an important part of the company's mission has always been to support, nurture, and bring recognition to rising young artists. O'Hara is proud that such well-known artists as Chazz Palminteri, Christopher Meloni, Bette Midler, and Barry Manilow all appeared, early in their career, on the stage of the 13th Street Rep. And that the Rep continues to nurture rising young artists-such as Bausilio (who is continuing to work with Deffaa on the development of his show "Irving Berlin's America," which had its New York premiere at the Rep), and Donnenberg, busy doing three projects at once.

And it will soon be four projects at once, according to Sandra Nordgren, producing artistic director of 13th Street Rep, since Donnenberg will also be working on the next big musical scheduled to premiere at the Rep, Deffaa's "Mad About the Boy."

"I like to keep busy," Donnenberg says.

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