Tony Award Nominee Rockwell Honored With Pratt Institute's Legends 2009 Award 10/29

Pratt Institute will present Legends 2009, a scholarship benefit honoring fashion designer Marc Jacobs; architect and designer David Rockwell; and iconic performer, poet, and visual artist Patti Smith on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street in Manhattan.

Broadway veteran David Rockwell designed the sets for the 2009 Oscar ceremony. Rockwell's company, The Rockwell Group, designed the Kodak Theater.

David Rockwell's latest set designs include CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, HAIRSPRAY, LEGALLY BLONDE, and DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. He will design and produce the upcoming musical 'HOUDINI' which is rumored to star Hugh Jackman.

He has also designed the sets for THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and the Cirque du Soleil building in Walt Disney World.

Legends 2009 will be hosted by Pratt President Thomas F. Schutte and Board of Trustees Chair Mike Pratt. Trustees Kurt Andersen and Amy Capellazzo, and Pratt friend Marjorie Kuhn are serving as co-chairs of the event.

The Legends awards were conceived in 1999 to celebrate distinguished individuals in the world of art and design, whose accomplishments and values resonate with those of Pratt Institute.The event's mission is to raise funds to provide financial aid to Pratt students based on need and merit. Eighty percent of Pratt's students require financial aid. Every dollar raised through Legends strengthens the student body by increasing the scholarship endowment.

Past Legends Awards recipients include Ralph Appelbaum, Dale Chihuly, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Michele Oka Doner, Al Hirschfeld, Helmut Jahn, Kenneth Lane, Naomi Leff, Peter Marino, Richard Meier, Takashi Murakami, Beverly Pepper, Stanford Richards, James Rosenquist, Julian Schnabel,Victor Skrebneski, Barbara Tober, Pauline Trigere, Emanuel Ungaro, Bruce Weber, Robert Wilson, and Eva Zeisel. Past Corporate Legends include Lawrence Herbert, Pantone, Inc; Joseph Pacifico, CulinArt, Inc.; and Philip Morris.

For tickets, please contact Pratt Director of Special Events Michael Hambouz at 718.399.4486 or by email at mhambouz@pratt.edu.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.