The screening of the Albee
Video Tribute -- indeed the entire Lark Play Development Center’s 20th
Anniversary Event -- was a great success! It was a privilege and honor.
Sally Field introduced the video
with great humor and poise, and a remarkable story about how her first scene
study work in college was a one woman version of THE ZOO STORY.
The event was produced by Bruce Cohen, Oscar-winning producer and
director known for AMERICAN BEAUTY (1999), SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012) and BIG
FISH (2003), and my frequent collaborator Lauren Rayner.
video includes interviews with Pam
MacKinnon, Tina Howe, Mercedes Ruehl, David Esbjornson, Bill Irwin, Liz McCann,
Stephen Rowe, David Henry Hwang, James Houghton, Terrence McNally and John
Guare.
Interviews were curated by the wonderful Arthur Kopit, who said in the Lark’s
press release, “This benefit is focused on the theme of transformation, and
everyone I interviewed about Edward focused on that same thing, though,
interestingly enough, the word itself was never used. It’s as if that was
understood. Transformation is what the Lark is all about, and every writer who
has ever been connected to the Lark will tell you the same thing. It’s no
accident that Edward is the first playwright we are honoring.”
Arthur will show Mr. Albee the video sometime this
week -- he turns 86 years young this Wednesday.
