Trinity Repertory Company to be Honored at 2008 Pell Awards

On Friday evening, May 30, the Trinity Rep resident acting company will be honored with a National Pell Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts.  

The fifteen current members of the resident acting company will be honored alongside the many actors and actresses that have called Providence and Trinity Rep home over the past 45 years.  Trinity Rep is the last large long-standing resident acting company left in the country.

The Pell Awards are a tribute to Rhode Island Senator Claiborne.  Throughout his career, Senator Pell worked to support the arts and provide new opportunities for artists. He sponsored the landmark legislation that established the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities in 1965, and chaired the Senate Education and Arts subcommittee. He also served a four-year term on the board of Trinity Repertory Company.

Currently the resident acting company includes: Stephen Berenson, Angela Brazil, Timothy Crowe, William Damkoehler, Janice Duclos, Mauro Hantman, Phyllis Kay, Brian McEleney, Barbara Meek, Anne Scurria, Cynthia Strickland, Fred Sullivan, Jr., Stephen Thorne, Rachael Warren and Joe Wilson, Jr.  The current company has been with the theater between three and 39 years - some having appeared in over 100 productions.

"As we approached our 45th anniversary, we started looking at just how far we have come from such humble beginnings in - literally - the Trinity Square church basement, "said artistic director Curt Columbus in a recent press statement, "Since 1964, our resident company has been at the heart of our mission and identity - hundreds of talented and committed actors have appeared on our stage and have called this city home. We want to honor all of the artists who have formed this company, and celebrate the ideals that inspired the regional theater movement a generation ago. " Columbus continued.

Previous Pell Award honorees include Jason Robards, Arthur Miller, Beverly Sills, Stephen Sondheim, Toni Morrison, Robert Redford, Maurice Sendak, Jane Alexander, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis and Chita Rivera.  

Tickets for the twelfth annual Pell Awards, which includes admission to the awards ceremony at Trinity's Chace Theater followed by a festive black-tie block party, are $250 or $500 for patrons. Corporate sponsor tables are also available. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit artistic programming at Trinity Rep. For information and reservations contact Trinity Rep at (401) 521-1100, x237.

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