Congratulating the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia on the 10th Anniversary of the Barrymore Awards Ceremony and Designating the Week of November 15th as "Greater Philadelphia Theatre Week."

WHEREAS, Philadelphia, the five-county region, southwestern New Jersey and northern Delaware are host to a diverse array of theatre organizations including large resident companies, small ensemble groups, theatre festivals, producers, and university or college theatres; and

WHEREAS, Audiences can choose from classic musicals, comedies or dramas to new works, movement-based pieces, avant-garde forms, and family and children’s programming; and

WHEREAS, The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia serves as an umbrella organization to strengthen the region’s theatre community and to promote the Philadelphia region as a destination for first-class theatre; and

WHEREAS, The Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre were created in 1994 to celebrate the artistry of the theatre community, to increase public and media awareness of the theatre community, and to enhance marketing and fundraising efforts; and

WHEREAS, Each year, a volunteer nominating committee evaluates more than 100 shows to determine award recipients in over 20 categories including The Lifetime Achievement Award and the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist which serves as a hallmark of the ceremony and provides a $10,000 cash prize to a local up-and-coming artist; and

WHEREAS, Ten years later, the Barrymore Awards, named after the famed Philadelphia-based first family of theatre, are a nationally recognized symbol of excellence for theatre in this region and are this region’s first and only theatre awards program; and

WHEREAS, This year’s line-up of nominees includes world-renowned actress Lynn Redgrave and Tony Award winning composer Cy Coleman; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of the achievements of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and to celebrate the diversity and quality of the theatre community in the Philadelphia region; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby congratulate the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia on the 10th Anniversary of the Barrymore Awards Ceremony and designate the week of November 15th as “Greater Philadelphia Theatre Week.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to James Haskins, Executive Director of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, as an expression of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body for their leadership in establishing the Philadelphia region as a first-class theatre destination.

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