LiveConnections To Honor Actor And Philanthropist Leonard Haas With 2018 Connector Award

LiveConnections is proud to announce that Leonard Haas, professional actor, Vice Chair of the William Penn Foundation, and Trustee of the Wyncote Foundation, will receive the organization's 4th annual Connector Award at this year's Big Hurrah celebration on November 12, 2018.

The Connector Award honors someone who shares LiveConnections' vision for crossing boundaries and who works to build bridges, create collaborations, and fuel innovation through the power of connection and relationship.

"Leonard is a passionate champion of cultural and educational organizations, using the power of the arts, philanthropy, and his career in theatre to connect and inspire people across the Philadelphia region," said David Bradley, Founding Director of LiveConnections. "His positive energy and belief in the possible have opened so many doors for kids, artists and communities. We're honored to present him with the 2018 Connector Award."

Born and raised in the Philadelphia region, Mr. Haas has been a long time professional actor, music lover, and philanthropist. Having started acting at a very early age, he has followed that passion from then on and continues still. After getting his professional start in 1988 at People's Light, where he is still a member of the resident ensemble, he eventually branched out into the Philadelphia theatre scene, and has performed with many companies in the area. Highlights include playing Hamlet at Bristol Riverside Theatre, Norman in The Dresser at Bristol, Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest at People's Light, and Chamberlain in the Wilma Theater's production of The Invention of Love.

His love for music began at an early age too, when his older brother David one day handed him the LP Space Oddity, recorded by David Bowie. He was off and running.

As satisfying as theatre and live music has been, he has also been involved in his family's philanthropic endeavors. He is on the board of The Wyncote Foundation, and is the Vice Chair of the Board of The William Penn Foundation. With Wyncote, he notes support of LiveConnections, FringeArts, Open Connections (a homeschooling resource center in Newtown Square) and People's Light as highlights. And he is particularly proud of the work that the William Penn Foundation is doing in all three main areas of focus: Creative Communities, Great Learning, and Watershed Protection.

The 10th Anniversary Big Hurrah, a birthday party with a purpose for LiveConnections, will take place on Monday, November 12 at 5:30PM at World Cafe Live in University City. An all-star roster of LiveConnections favorites will perform, including Jay Fluellen, Andrew Lipke, Shavon Norris, Luke Carlos O'Reilly, Kristal "Tytewriter" Oliver, Joanna Pascale, Josh Robinson and Alex Shaw. The artists will share the World Cafe Live stage with students from Hill-Freedman World Academy, performing songs from the students' original album WHAT'S GOING ON. The program will also get the entire audience participating with a preview of LiveConnections' 10th anniversary cornerstone A SONG EVERYONE CAN SING, which looks at accessibility and inclusion through singing.

Tickets and more information to the Big Hurrah can be found at liveconnections.org.

Www.liveconnections.org

ABOUT LIVECONNECTIONS: LiveConnections is a nonprofit organization specializing in music education, arts accessibility and collaborative concerts. Since our founding 10 years ago, we have reached more than 38,000 participants through our educational Bridge Sessions and in-school residencies, and have presented more than 45 concerts through our critically acclaimed LiveConnections Presents concert series.

LiveConnections believes live music is an essential part of the human experience: it fosters joy and is one of the most powerful ways to build bridges between people. LiveConnections collaborates with artists from diverse music traditions to create our unique programming. We create opportunities for audiences with limited arts access - such as youth from Philadelphia public schools and people with disabilities - to be active participants in music-making. The music we create intersects with significant social issues, amplifying marginalized voices and encouraging creative responses to our world.

Notable projects include three albums of student songwriting created in partnership with Philadelphia public schools (A DAY IN MY LIFE, FIRST VERSE and WHAT'S GOING ON), our "Immigrant Songs" after-school program for refugee teenagers, "A Song Everyone Can Sing" looking at accessibility and inclusion through choral singing, and our "New Sound of Philadelphia" commissioning project which paired Philadelphia composers with Philly-based ensembles of a different genre.

LiveConnections' work has been widely hailed, recently receiving an NBCUniversal "Project Innovation" grant, a Cultural Access Award by leading arts accessibility organization Art-Reach, a Social Innovations Award, a Barra Award, and a special resolution by Philadelphia City Council.