BAREFOOT THEATRE COMPANY
proudly presents the 2nd annual VASSALLO AWARDS
hosted by VH1's Ellie Lee
Monday, June 22nd, 2015 / New York City
AMERICAN BALLROOM THEATER
25 West 31st Street, 4th Floor
RED-CARPET CELEBRATION
VIP COCKTAIL HOUR - 7:15pm / CURTAIN - 8pm
Running Time (presentation & awards ceremony) - 75mins
$25 in advance / $35 at the door
LIVE PERFORMANCES, MUSIC, DRINKS, BALLROOM DANCING & MORE!
featuring the short play WAITING FOR WAITING FOR GODOTby Mike Reiss (Emmy Winner, The Simpsons); directed by Francisco Solorzano
starring Jerry Adler, Allison Anderegg, Jeremy Brena, Charles Everett, Daniel K. Isaac, Kenneth King, Margaret Ladd, Michael Pantozzi, Maia Sage and Jennie West
With Special Guest Speakers from Film, Television and Broadway!
VASSALLO AWARDS
This year we're thrilled to honor Anna Chlumsky (Outstanding Achievement In The Arts), Kamilah Forbes for her work with Hi-ARTS (Educational Outreach Program), Daniel Talbott (Mentorship Award) and 2015 Pulitzer Prize winner for Best Drama, Stephen Adly Guirgis (Outstanding Achievement In Playwriting).
Edie Nugent, Press Officer
Francisco Solorzano, Producer
by BWW News Desk at BroadwayWorld
Barefoot Theatre Company celebrated the 2015 Vassallo Awards with a
Spring Gala at the American Ballroom Theater in Manhattan. The ceremony,
hosted by VH1's Ellie Lee, honored artistic achievement as well as
mentorship and educational outreach to the younger generation of artists
in memory of Ed Vassallo. Vassallo's career spanned 20 years and included work producing for the LAByrinth Theatre Company and volunteering with the 52nd Street Project.
Actress Anna Chlumsky
(VEEP) was unable to attend due to family obligations, but sent a video
message accepting the 2015 Vassallo Award for Outstanding Achievement
in the Arts. She thanked Barefoot Theatre Company for "taking a chance"
on her when she relaunched her acting career in 2005.
Actress Liza Colón-Zayas presented Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis
(Riverside and Crazy) with the 2015 Vassallo Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Playwriting. Guirgis spoke of how Vassallo inspired him
and other artists to get out there and create art, rather than just
talking about it.
Playwright Lucy Thurber presented Daniel Talbott
of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater with the 2015 Vassallo Award for
mentorship. Talbott said: "when I think of mentorship, I think of
family."
Barefoot also saluted Kamilah Forbes of Hi-Arts with the Educational Outreach Program Award which her colleague Tiffany Vega was on hand to accept.
The Gala also included a performance of "Waiting for Waiting For Godot" by Mike Reiss, Emmy and Peabody award-winning writer for The Simpsons. Directed by Barefoot Theatre Company founder and Artistic Director Francisco Solorzano, the short play stars Jerry Adler (Larry David's Fish in the Dark), and Margaret Ladd (Falcon Crest) along with Barefoot Theatre company members Maia Sage, Jennie West, Daniel K. Isaac, Jeremy Brena, and Kenneth King.
Barefoot founded the awards after Vassallo lost a two-year battle
with cancer in 2014. The company was inspired to recognize Vassallo's
dedication to the arts, which included work producing the TENN99 and
NYNY festivals for the LAByrinth Theatre Company
as well as feature films which saw release at the Tribeca Film Festival
and IFC/Sundance Selects. Vassallo's passion extended to work as a
mentor with the 52nd Street Project, which pairs New York City children
and teens from with professional theatre artists. For this reason, the
awards acknowledge not only artistic achievements but also educational
outreach and mentorship that engages the next generation of artists.
The Vassallo Awards were sponsored by Sixpoint Brewery, American Ballroom Theater & Barefoot Studio Pictures.
The Vassallo Awards were sponsored by Sixpoint Brewery, American Ballroom Theater & Barefoot Studio Pictures.
Photos found at the Facebook of the Barefoot Theatre Company.
