Photo credit: Rich Kessler
“Well, she’s a client of mine,” Lionel Larner told Hollywood on the Potomac referring to Dame Diana Rigg who missed the award ceremony, “and I have been the manager for Stacy Keach for the last forty years and Dame Diana Rigg even longer. I came to The United States when brought here by Otto Preminger, the movie director, but when I got here he was out of town and the only people that would hire me was the American Bible Society; but from there I represented all these lovely people: Mia Farrow, Ethel Merman.”
“Diana Rigg is doing the Game Of Thrones,” he added. “She was in Croatia and flew back from Croatia together with me to come here, but she got the flu. She’s coming to New York though to star with Stacy in Love Letters on Broadway. They open December 6.” Larner met Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company Michael Kahn many years ago via a costume designer who took him to a tree trimming Christmas party. “He was the great white hope. He was directing off Broadway and everyone was talking about him. Long time ago. 1958.”
The occasion was the William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre to John Hurt, Stacy Keach and Diana Rigg as well as the Sidney Harman Award for Philanthropy in the Arts: The Beech Street Foundation, presented to Jeffrey Bauman and Linda Feinberg. The event was chaired by Meg and John Hauge and Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin at The Harman Center for the Arts.
Lionel Larner and John Hurt
“We’re long time patrons of the theatre, probably about 25 years now when it was still at the Folger Library, so we have followed the development for those many years and we’ve become increasingly active in it. We just love the theatre and a lot of the people and it has been a lot of fun,” said Tom Woteki, Sr. VP at Acentia.
“When Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen were the awardees, I think that’s my particular favorite, and they performed in ‘Waiting for Godot’ and they were fabulous. McKellen did a solo performance on his award night where he went through one little skit after another, just transformed himself from one character to another. It was amazing to watch. By a shrug of the shoulders or the way he spoke or whatever, he became another character and it was amazing to watch.”
Stacy Keach, Dr. Catherine Woteki and Tom Woteki Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“I’m on the board of trustees with the theatre,” said Stephen Allis. “This is not only the most important night of the theatre but of all the black tie charitable events in Washington and is the most fun by far. It’s a celebration.”
Stephen Allis and Stacy Keach – Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“I’ve been on the Board of Trustees for several years,” said Jerry Jasinowski, former President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Manufacturers who was there with his wife Isabel, “and I’m honored to do so and of course be here for Stacy Keach. It’s such a thrill. He has won so many hearts here at the Harman Center and Michael Kahn is a great leader. It’s really the finest theatre on the East coast.” “I think what Michael has been able to develop here is a jewel,” added Isabel. “l enjoy helping to make the theatre grow because of its quality.”
Isabel and Jerry Jasinowski – Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“Our three honorees do have genius in common,” said MC Judith Light, “and heart and a delicious and wicked sense of humor. As you may have heard, Dame Diana is unable to join us tonight, but we promise to honor her nonetheless.” “I am so disappointed not to be in person to receive it,” said Rigg by phone. “On the other hand, having just seen my face in the mirror, it is just as well I stayed away.” “For actors like myself,” added Light, “she is an inspiration who proves how rich and varied a life in the theatre can be. She has breathed life into the work of Shakespeare, Chekhov, Williams, Stoker, Shaw, Sondheim, Gurney, Opie, Brecht, Racine, Ibsen and George R. R. Martin. She took home a Tony award for Medea and has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company.”
“You didn’t pay a lot of money to listen to me or to watch the two of us accept this award tonight, although we’re very, very grateful to be able to to that. I just want to say, ‘Put in a plug’ that the artists that we are honoring tonight have given you all enormous pleasure, intellectual, emotional satisfaction from watching them on stage. What I suggest you do is equally moving, equally wonderful is to go on December the 13th at 9:00 am to the Lansburgh Theater and watch this year’s performance,” quipped John Hurt.
“One of the great things about this evening for me is to be able to ask artists from other disciplines to come and pay tribute to our honorees while showing through their art the huge inspiration that Shakespeare had throughout the world and through all the performing arts,” said Michael Kahn.
The Gala raised more than one million dollars.
The Gala dinner at The National Building Museum was the perfect setting for the elegant occasion: Gallery photo credit: Janet Donovan
Hollywood on the Potomac sat down with Stacy Keach and John Hurt
Stacy Keach
On the Will Award, his path to artistic success and his fellow actors: “I’m very excited about it. This a great award and I’m very honored to share it with John Hurt and Diana Rigg.”
John Hurt
On the early years, fame, preparing for his roles and his next project: “Oddly enough, I am always amazed when I get something really wonderful like this. It surprises me.”
