EST to Honor Oscar Nominee John Patrick Shanley

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (William Carden, Artistic Director, Paul Alexander Slee, Executive Director) is celebrating a milestone - this spring marks their 37th Anniversary and 31st Marathon of One-Act Plays - and the occasion will be celebrated with a Benefit celebration in honor of distinguished E.S.T. member John Patrick Shanley. The celebration will be held Monday, May 4th at the Prince George Ballroom, 15 East 27th Street, with cocktails, hors d'ouevres and silent auction at 6:00 p.m., followed by dining and award presentation from 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $300 person with table and ad packages available.

The 2009 E.S.T. Benefit will honor a longtime member of this theater, director and playwright John Patrick Shanley, who will receive E.S.T.'s second Distinguished Member Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field. The 2009 E.S.T. Benefit will gather supporters to enjoy cocktails and light dining in the elegant Prince George Ballroom while raising funds to support this year's landmark play festival as well as provide general operating support of E.S.T. The award presentation to Shanley will include artists and others (list in formation) who have collaborated in his stellar career as a playwright, director and screenwriter.

John Patrick Shanley's plays include Defiance, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Savage in Limbo, the dreamer examines his pillow, Beggars in the House of Plenty, Welcome to the Moon, Four Dogs and a Bone, Italian American Reconciliation, The Big Funk, Where's My Money, Dirty Story, Sailor's Song and Romantic Poetry (a musical). His play Doubt was awarded the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2005 Tony Award for Best Play. In the arena of film, Mr. Shanley has had four spec screenplays produced: Five Corners, Moonstruck, The January Man and Joe Versus the Volcano. Five Corners won the Special Jury Prize for its screenplay at the Barcelona Theatre Festival. For Moonstruck, Shanley received both the Academy Award and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay. He also did the film adaptations of both Alive and Congo. Mr. Shanley directs in both theatre and film. He is an Academy Award nominee for his adaptation of Doubt, which he also directed. The film stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams.

For further information about sponsorship or ad packages, or to receive an invitation to this special evening in honor of Mr. Shanley, call Julie Whitehouse at 212/247-4982, ext.115.

 

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