Arena Stage Honors Chairman Phil Mendelson With The American Voice Award

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presented the American Voice Award to District of Columbia City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson on Friday, February 13, as part of the Opening Night celebration for Chez Joey, a world-premiere reimagining of the beloved Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical Pal Joey, now with a new book by Richard LaGravenese.

Established in 2005, the American Voice Award honors public officials recognized for their extraordinary support of and advocacy for American arts and arts education. Chairman Mendelson comes from a family dedicated to public service and has been an active public servant since 1975. First elected as an At-Large Councilmember in 1998, Mendelson became Chairman by appointment in 2012 and has since been re-elected to the position four times. Chairman Mendelson has guided and authored hundreds of laws that have shaped Washington, DC, including establishing an elected attorney general and an independent Department of Forensic Science, authoring Budget Autonomy, securing marriage equality and Universal Paid Leave, and more. Among this legislation has been strong, consistent support for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), a critical support system for arts organizations and independent artists across the city. This dedication to supporting CAH has made DC a leader in per capita arts funding since 2016 and has generated more than $13.8 billion for the DC economy annually. The award was presented by Arena Stage Executive Producer Edgar Dobie at the pre-performance dinner.

“The arts play a pivotal role in the vibrancy of the District. It is imperative to me that the District government support the arts, large and small,” says Mendelson. “A diverse and thriving arts community is what makes our city flourish. I am honored to be recognized for efforts to support this vital community.”

“I am honored to recognize the committed and consistent advocacy Chairman Mendelson, or Phil, as DC residents know him, has shown for the citizens, businesses, and organizations he represents,” says Dobie. “Phil's care and attention to every aspect of life in the District over his storied career reflects the passions and aspirations of the characters of Chez Joey, and his work as a tireless champion for DC residents has helped to ensure we all can chase those dreams in our city.”

American Voice Award recipients previously honored by Arena Stage include Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Supreme Court Associate Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA), Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), the late Representative John Lewis (D-GA), and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), among others.