The legacy of "Elder Statesman of the American Theater" Harold Clurman will be celebrated with a four-day festival of theater, music, poetry and symposia highlighting that legendary director, producer and critic's impact on American culture.
The events, which will feature an array of theatre luminaries, will take place at The Stella Adler Studio of Acting (31 West 27th Street); it will run from May 5th through 8th.
The festival will kick off Friday May, 5th with a pre-performance cocktail reception (6 PM) and a special presentation of
Let There Be Art! – Harold Clurman's Life of Passion, created by and starring Ronald Rand as the famed director, at 6:30 PM. The performances will be followed by a symposium to discuss Clurman's effect on American theater, culture, and the lives and works of panelists, which include Zoë Caldwell,
Roy Scheider,
Lois Smith and
Elaine Stritch. The moderator of the 8:15 PM panel will be theatre critic Howard Kissel. Cynthia Adler and Emmy Award-winner
Holland Taylor--two actors long associated with the studio--will introduce the events.
On Saturday, May 4th, Marilyn Hacker will introduce Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott and Pulitzer Priz- winner Grace Schulman, who will read from their works (12:30 - 1:30 PM). Internationally acclaimed jazz artist/composer David Amram will play Kazan/Amram collaborations (1:45-2:45 PM) and readings by award-winning poets
Charles Wright and Martha Serpas, introduced by eminent critic, essayist and author Harold Bloom, will follow (4:45-6:15 PM).
On Saturday evening, The Harold Clurman Theater Company will present
The Woods, a rare performance of David Mamet's play, sanctioned by the author and featuring Tom Oppenheim, Artistic Director, The Stella Adler Studio of Acting and Nina Capelli (8:00 PM – 10:00 PM). Following will be an open mic event hosted by Mariana Bell and Shannon Sutherland featuring the students, faculty and alumni of the studio.
On Sunday, May 7th, the celebration will continue with a concert by classical composer and pianist Laurence Gingold playing Aaron Copeland (1:00 – 2:00 PM). Later that afternoon, Tony Award-winner
Marian Seldes will bring to life one of the famed Algonquin Round Table's wittiest members in
Dorothy Parker Gets The Last Word by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Ellen M. Violett, directed by James Tripp (2:00 – 3:00 PM); jazz saxophonist Ned Otter will perform in concert (3:00-4:00 PM) before a repeat performance of
Dorothy Parker followed by a panel discussion,
Harold the Critic, with Ronald Rand, Steven Scheuer and Ellen M. Violett
Steven Scheuer, a noted critic and television historian, will receive The Harold Clurman Spirit Award and will be special guest of honor at an intimate dinner in The Studio (5:45 – 7:30 PM) followed by an elegant evening of cabaret by Elizabeth Parish (7:30 – 10:30 PM).
The closing night on Monday, May 8th will feature four of America's most renowned playwrights--
Edward Albee, John Guare,
Horton Foote and Israel Horovitz. They will discuss the Clurman's effect on their lives and work and on the theater of his and our time. The moderator will be George C. White, founder of The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (7:00 – 9:30 PM). The closing reception will feature a presentation of the first ever Harold Clurman Lifetime Achievement award toAlbee. Seldes, who has won acclaim for her performances in several of Albee's plays, will present the award.
In speaking of his motivation for inaugurating this festival, Tom Oppenheim, grandson of Stella Adler and step-grandson of Clurman, noted "In his
All People are Famous, Harold Clurman writes,' Kenneth Tynan told me that his aim as a critic was to celebrate and foster genius. If I were to set down a parallel intention as a man, I would say that I hope to sustain other people in their selves.' That impulse of Harold's, to foster growth, to celebrate the uniqueness of other people; so elemental to Clurman as a man, a producer, director, and a critic, is one we believe not only needs commemoration, but embodiment. Hence the Harold Clurman Lecture Series, and all of its offspring (i.e. The Harold Clurman Poetry Reading Series, Concert Series, Laboratory Theater Co., Center for New Works in Movement and Dance Theater, Center for the Spoken word). These programs constitute a vital extracurricular aspect of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting which spirals around the nucleus of class work like electrons, holding the message we endeavor to communicate to our students and to the world: Growth as an actor and growth as a Human being are Synonymous.
It is with this goal and in this spirit that we have initiated the Harold Clurman Festival of the Arts, a celebration of the life, work, and spirit of Harold Clurman, and a declaration of our deepest, Clurman-esque conviction that actors must endeavor to be ever evolving human beings, that the craft of acting demands the cultivation of one's humanity. For Harold this humanism reached cosmic proportions."
A number of festival packages will be available. The $4,000 Visionary Package includes reserved seating for eight guests to all poetry readings, concerts, symposia and theater events; one table for eight guests at Harold Clurman Spirit Award ceremony and dinner honoring Steven Scheuer; reserved seating for eight at closing symposium and Harold Clurman Award ceremony for
Edward Albee; eight collector's edition Festival posters signed by participating artists; and one full-page ad in the Festival program.
The $2,000 Spirit Package includes priority seating for eight guests to all poetry readings, concerts, symposia and theater events; one table for eight guests at Harold Clurman Spirit Award ceremony and dinner honoring Steven Scheuer; priority seating for eight at closing symposium and Harold Clurman Award ceremony for
Edward Albee; and one half-page ad in the Festival program.
The $500 Producer's Pass includes reserved seating to all poetry reading, concerts, theater events, symposia; admission to dinner honoring Steve Scheuer, admission to
Edward Albee Award ceremony, and a collector's poster signed by select participating artists.
The $250 All Access Pass includes priority seating to all poetry reading, concerts, theater events, symposia; admission to dinner honoring Steve Scheuer; admission to Ed Albee Award ceremony.
The $75 Passport includes general admission to all poetry reading, concerts, theater events, and opening night symposium.
To purchase tickets, call the Studio at (212) 689-0087, Extension 27
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