Kathleen Chalfant, Tracee Chimo, and John Lithgow Honorary Co-Chairs and The Benefit Committee and The A.R.T./New York Board of Directors, Jefrey R. Gural, Chair Welcome You to the Honoring Lisa Clef Kurtz & Pam MacKinnon Entertainment Producer & Director Frank Ventura Music Director & Pianist Lyricist Debra Barsha Timothy Huang Drums Bass Production Stage Manager Joe Bergamini Leo Huppert Cate DiGirolamo Award Presenters Cynthia Harris & Jordan Roth Hosted by Christine Lahti April 20, 2015 / Tribeca Rooftop 2 Desbrosses Street 6:00PM Cocktails 7:00PM Dinner & Program Our honorees, Pam MacKinnon and Lisa Obviously, she made the right choice, as Clef Kurtz, not only represent the best Pam has enjoyed back-to-back successes of A.R.T./New York, but also the best of with productions that originated at New York City. Both women came here to nonprofit theatres but soon made their way pursue careers in the theatre: Lisa to study to Broadway, including her 2012 production acting at the Lee Strasburg Institute and of Bruce Norris’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Pam to direct. Since “cutting their teeth” drama, Clybourne Park, which also received in Of Of Broadway, these women have the Tony Award for Best Play. The following reached impressive heights of success in a year Pam received the 2013 Tony Award for WELCOME notoriously competitive field. But it’s not Best Director of a Play for Edward Albee’s only their resumes that make them such Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and through wonderful assets to our community: it is the years, she has garnered a reputation as their unwavering commitment to preserving a keen interpreter of Albee’s work. theatre’s power to afect us, heal us, and Just as his plays were written in the hopes push us toward our better selves, and their of stirring people to change, so we desire to share that power with the world. appreciate Pam for her collaboration with numerous A.R.T./New York member Lisa Clef Kurtz has appeared in, stage theatres, and her continuous eforts to managed, co-produced, and directed preserve nonprofit theatre as a moving numerous plays and short films in New record of our humanity. For her work York. After using her theatrical expertise throughout the entire theatrical ecosystem, to launch her highly successful consulting we are proud to present Pam with The Abe business producing videos for companies L. Blinder Award. such as HBO, Apple, and Disney, Lisa met her husband Michael Kurtz. In lieu of gifts, Tonight would not be possible without our Lisa and Michael requested donations to incredibly hardworking Benefit Committee, including a New York City Mayor’s Award their favorite charities, and their wedding whose devotion to Pam, Lisa, and A.R.T./ for Arts and Culture and a Tony Honor for was featured in the pages of The Chronicle of New York has brought us to this moment! A Dear Friends: Excellence in the Theatre. Philanthropy. Lisa’s giving spirit permeates very special thanks also to Todd Haimes for all she does in both her life and career, as his help behind the scenes, and my deepest On behalf of the Board of Directors, This year, as we enter the final stages of evidenced by her work as a Board Member gratitude to our two Awards presenters: the Benefit Committee, and our Honorary construction for the highly anticipated of A.R.T./New York. Lisa has introduced Founding Artistic Director of The Actors Co-Chairs, Kathleen Chalfant, Tracee A.R.T./New York Theatres, which will our organization to dozens of friends and Company Theatre (TACT) and award- Chimo, and John Lithgow, I am thrilled to open in 2016, we are thrilled to celebrate colleagues, led us to new Board Members winning actress Cynthia Harris, and Jordan welcome you to the A.R.T./New York 2015 this milestone with our supporters. We and new sources of support, and since Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters. Spring Benefit honoring the award-winning have created a very special evening of joining us has been unfailingly enthusiastic director Pam MacKinnon and our own entertainment for you, produced and and dedicated. For serving as A.R.T./ And finally, thank YOU for coming tonight devoted and dynamic Board Member Lisa directed by A.R.T./New York member New York’s one-woman press agent, and sharing this special celebration with us! Clef Kurtz. Frank Ventura, Founder and Executive fund-raiser, and hostess, we are thrilled to Artistic Director of CAP21. Thanks to the present Lisa with The Kathy and Howard Warmly, For 43 years, A.R.T./New York has generosity of Frank, his assistant James J. Aibel Award. supported the growth and health of New Bulleri, composer Debra Barsha, and York City’s nonprofit theatre field through lyricist Timothy Huang, we are bringing Pam MacKinnon’s journey to the theatre progressive training, grant, loan, and you the BEST of Of Broadway. We’re began with plans for a Ph.D. in Political subsidized real estate programs, and today also incredibly honored to have Academy, Science, but she soon realized that her we represent 350 companies in all five Emmy, and two-time Golden Globe love of the stage was greater than politics, boroughs. For our leadership, we’ve been Award-winning star of the stage and screen and turned her focus to directing at Virginia P. Louloudes honored with numerous awards, Christine Lahti as host of tonight’s event! the University of California San Diego. Executive Director 2015 HONOREE 2015 HONOREE THE KATHY AND HOWARD LisaJ. AIBEL Cle fAWARD Kurtz THE ABE L. BLINDER AWARDPam MacKinnon Honoring Honoring The Kathy and Howard J. Aibel Award is at internationally renowned creative agencies, The Abe L. Blinder Award is presented to an was nominated for Tony and Lucille Lortel Awards presented to an individual in the philanthropic producing TV commercials, music videos, and artist who has made a significant impact on for her direction of Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park. or business community whose work has had a documentaries. Lisa has invested in several A.R.T./New York and the theatre community. The Recent projects include Edward Albee’s A Delicate significant impact on our members. The 2015 Broadway shows including Lucky Guy, The Heidi 2015 Abe L. Blinder Award will be presented to Balance (Broadway) and Wendy Wasserstein’s Heidi Kathy and Howard J. Aibel Award will be presented Chronicles, and An American in Paris. Lisa also internationally acclaimed theatre director Pam Chronicles (Broadway, opened March 2015). Her to A.R.T./New York Board Member Lisa Clef produced several films: Little White Lie, The Hebrew MacKinnon for her talent, vision, and dedication many Of Broadway and regional credits include Kurtz for her incredible philanthropic support of Hammer vs. Hitler, The Russian Soul, and The Kid to the nonprofit theatre field. Even with her many recent productions of Bruce Norris’ The Qualms the organization. Lisa has been a tireless advocate, Stays in the Picture. Lisa’s philanthropy includes successes on Broadway, she keeps returning to (Steppenwolf), Sarah Treem’s When We Were Young generously loaning her creativity and connections providing pro bono marketing and development for the stages of A.R.T./New York’s Of Broadway and Unafraid (MTC), Donald Margulies’ Dinner to the cause. Her unwavering passion for the nonprofit organizations from the educational, fine member theatres, bringing even more success and With Friends (Roundabout), Craig Lucas’ The Lying theatre and in helping artists achieve their goals arts, and performing arts sectors. She is a long- notoriety to their work. Pam also serves as Chair Lesson (Atlantic), and Horton Foote’s Harrison, TX makes her the ideal candidate for this recognition. time donor to various educational, performing arts, of the Board for Clubbed Thumb, an A.R.T./New (Primary Stages). She is an alumna of The Drama fine arts, women’s rights, and veterans’ benefits York member theatre, staying connected to and League, The Women’s Project, and Lincoln Center Lisa began her career as an actor, dancer, writer, organizations. Lisa is the wife of the sexy and supporting the next generation of artists. Theater Directors’ Labs, and is an associate artist casting director, and artists’ rep. She studied handsome Michael Ira Kurtz and mother to the at the Roundabout, Executive Board Member of dance and theatre at Princeton Ballet Society, one and only gorgeous character that is Pam MacKinnon won a Tony Award and Drama the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, and Zoe Clef Lindgren. Desk Award and received an Outer Critics Circle and Board Chair of the New York City downtown HB Studio. A born entrepreneur, Lisa transferred nomination for Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of company Clubbed Thumb, dedicated to new these skills into a career as an Executive Producer Virginia Woolf?. She also won an Obie Award and American plays. PROGRAM To Pam ACT ONE Scene 1: A.R.T./New York: the Musical! Scene 2: Welcome with Love Scene 3: Salute to Our Supporters Scene 4: Lisa Clef Kurtz: the Musical! Scene 5: Presentation of The Kathy and Howard J. Aibel Award and to Lisa Clef Kurtz by Cynthia Harris / Entr’acte: Entrees / Admiration ACT TWO Scene 1: Pam MacKinnon: the Musical! Scene 2: Presentation of The Abe L. Blinder Award to Pam MacKinnon by Jordan Roth Scene 3: Raise the Roof/Your Hands Scene 4: Finale Your vision and artistry inspire us all. Congratulations on this well deserved honor. Daryl CHRISTINE LAHTI (Host) DEBRA BARSHA No one would view Christine (Music Director & Lahti’s more than 30-year Pianist) won the Jonathan career with anything less Larson Performing Arts than the utmost esteem.