On Monday, September 22, 2008, the IT Awards (New York Innovative Theatre Awards) announced the 2008 recipients at the Fourth Annual IT Awards Ceremony held at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Energetic host Lisa Kron kept the audience in laughter and high spirits throughout the evening. Blue Man Group performed an opening number and some additional segments.
Highlights included the presentation of the 2008 Artistic Achievement Award to Judith Malina by Olympia Dukakis, the presentation of the 2008 Stewardship Award to Martin and Rochelle Denton by Kirk Wood Bromley, and the presentation of the 2008 Caffe Cino Fellowship Award to Boomerang Theatre Company by Leonard Jacobs and Akia.
Nested inside in the attendees' swag bags were full-size, hard plastic white frisbees. At first, audience members regarded these merely as pleasant keepsakes. However, during his introduction of the Outstanding Ensemble award, presenter Michael Dahlen asked the audience to form a temporary "ensemble" of their own by hurling these frisbees towards the stage en masse. After a pregnant pause, it became clear that he was not kidding, and 300-plus discs sailed through the air, striking the co-presenter squarely in the forehead, yet not, surprisingly, causing any lasting damage to either people or expensive equipment.
The event closed with a moving speech delivered by Edward Albee in conjunction with the presentation of the Outstanding Production of a Play award. He spoke about the original Off-Off-Broadway theaters, the great plays that he saw produced there 50 years ago, and the impact that the movement has had on his own life and artistic work. Finally, he concludes, "There are two theaters in the United States: the commercial theater, and the theater that matters. Tonight, we celebrate the theater that matters."
offoffonline congratulates the award recipients and nominees for their fine artistic work and the event's organizers for their valued support of the Off-Off-Broadway community.
More information about the IT Awards is available on their official website, www.nyitawards.com.
offoffonline Congratulates 2008 IT Award Winners
