The USC School of Theatre, considered one of the premiere theatre schools in the country, launches a new tradition by honoring celebrated actor/director Robert Redford with the newly established "Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists" at an inaugural gala fundraiser on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 6:30 p.m., at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The award, to be presented annually, was created to recognize those artists who have distinguished themselves not only in the exemplary quality, skill and innovation of their work but also in their public commitment to social responsibility, to increasing awareness of global issues and events and to inspiring and empowering young people. Although Redford has received some of the entertainment industry's highest accolades, this is the first award named after the Santa Monica native. Proceeds from the event provide scholarship support for the next generation of artists at the USC School of Theatre.
"The Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists honors an individual who has used his or her fame to increase public awareness of issues that are of vital importance to us all," says Madeline Puzo, dean of the USC School of Theatre. "Robert Redford truly embodies all that an Engaged Artist
represents. He is a distinguished actor, an Academy Award-winning director, an ardent conservationist, philanthropist and environmentalist, a man who stands for social responsibility and political involvement and an artist and businessman who is a staunch supporter of uncompromised creative expression."
Gala Chair Richard Weinberg, who is also Chair of the USC School of Theatre's Board of Councilors, adds, "Many awards in our society bear the names of the great men and women who inspired them: Alfred Nobel, John Heisman, Eleanor Roosevelt and John Templeton, to name a few. With the new Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists, honoring this remarkable gentleman and creating an award that will forever bear his name, USC has joined in recognizing the best that the human spirit has to offer. I am honored that this good friend of mine, and good friend of so many, has once again displayed what it means to be a leader...a leader dedicated to the preservation and betterment of our world."
Gala vice chairs are Sherman Alexie, Lisa Barkett, Alex and Linda Cappello, Jake Eberts, Michele Engemann, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Susan A. Grode, Alan & Cindy Horn, Alan Ladd, Jr., Pat Mitchell, Madeline Ramer, Michael Ritchie and Tom Rothman. Platinum Sponsors are Bill and Lisa Barkett, Roger and Michele Engemann, Howard and Sally Oxley, and Richard and Diane Weinberg.
Robert Redford, who received the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences' 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award and the 1980 Best Director Academy Award for Ordinary People as well as the 2005 Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime contribution to American culture, is somewhat of an anomaly in the entertainment industry. Though he has been world-famous for some 30 years, he remains a very private individual. He is recognized the world over for the roles he has played and the projects he has directed or produced throughout a distinguished stage and film career. His life-long passion for nature and issues of justice has resulted in his being widely acknowledged as a highly effective and dedicated political and environmental activist. His passion remains to make films of substance and social/cultural relevance, as well as to encourage others to express themselves through the arts. Believing that it is the unexpected and uncommon that ultimately enlivens the cultural ecology of a society, Redford has nurtured more than a generation of innovative voices in independent film through his non-profit Sundance Institute and Film Festival.
The USC School of Theatre, founded in 1945, is recognized internationally as a leader in theatre education. Under the guidance of Dean Madeline Puzo, the School - with one of the premier theatre programs in the country - blends rigorous artistic training with all the academic advantages of a major research university. The School's active production program (over 20 shows annually) utilizes five theatre facilities, including the Bing Theatre, the Scene Dock Theatre, the Massman Theatre, the Village Gate and the new McClintock Theatre. The School encourages students to gain professional experience and academic credit through internships and has created a partnership with Center Theatre Group (Mark Taper Forum/Ahmanson Theatre/Kirk Douglas Theatre) that offers internships ranging from performance opportunities to administrative experience. The School also
attracts a wide range of guest speakers and lecturers, including distinguished talents from stage, screen and television. Its graduate programs in Acting and Dramatic Writing are both intensive, three-year programs taught by a faculty comprised of theatre artists working at the highest level of their profession. The strength of the school's programs is reflected in the professional success of its students working in theatre, film, television and related careers. Among the school's distinguished alumni are actors Forest Whitaker, Kyra Sedgwick, LeVar Burton, Eric Stoltz, Deborah Ann Woll, Tate Donovan, Anthony Edwards, Sophia Bush, Stark Sands and Swoosie Kurtz, as well as writer/actor Grant Heslov, writer/director Andy Tennant, producer/director Jack Bender, writer Danny Strong and producer Todd Black.
