PHILADELPHIA: The Walnut Street Theatre announces that it will honor actor Robert Prosky alongside Walnut Street Theatre Board President Emeritus John D. Graham with the 2008 Edwin Forrest Award at its 199th Annual Gala. The gala will be held at the Union League of Philadelphia, 140 South Broad Street, in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 26th at 6:00pm. This black tie event is held every year to honor a member of the business community and the artistic community with the Edwin Forrest Award for their contributions to American Theatre. The award was created in 1990 in honor of the leading American Actor of the nineteenth century, Edwin Forrest, a Philadelphia native who made his debut at the Walnut in 1820. This year's gala is entitled "In League with Cosette," and boasts a night of dazzling entertainment, fine dining and elegant dancing. Entertainment will feature sneak-peak performances by cast members of the Walnut's upcoming production of Les Misérables.
Edwin Forrest Award-Winner John D. Graham served as the Senior Marketing Officer of a major financial firm before his role as Managing Partner of the New England Financial Group; he is now a senior financial representative of the Creative Financial Group in Newtown Square, PA. His marketing background has kept him busy consulting to large and medium sized companies as well as serving his personal clients.
Mr. Graham currently serves on the Presidents council of Mount Saint Mary's University, where he has recently been appointed a Presidential Ambassador. He is a member of the board of the Drueding Center/Project Rainbow, a shelter for homeless women and children in Philadelphia, and serves of the Finance Committee of the Holy Redeemer Health System and the Finance Committee of the Sisters of the Holy Redeemer. Mr. Graham received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Mount Saint Mary University, where he has been awarded the Brute Medal as well as recognition of his years of service as a trustee. He currently serves as President Emeritus of the Walnut Street Theatre.
Actor Robert Prosky represents all the great things Philadelphia gives to the world. A Philadelphia native and actor, Mr. Prosky has a face recognized instantly by people from all walks of life. Throughout his career, he has exemplified all of the warmth, passion, integrity, dedication and talent that this great city can produce.
Mr. Prosky has been a trailblazer in many respects. After starting life as a grocer in his hometown of Manayunk, Mr. Prosky embarked on a wonderful and prosperous career on stage, screen and television. He has toured the world from Hong Kong to Ireland, and was a member of the first American acting company invited to perform behind the "Iron Curtain" in the Soviet Union. In addition to a number of national awards over the years, Mr. Prosky was twice honored with a Tony Award nomination for his roles in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross and Lee Blessing's A Walk in the Woods. He is perhaps best known for his work on film and on television, appearing in such films as Thief, The Natural, Mrs. Doubtfire and Dead Man Walking, along with his beloved portrayal of Sgt. Jablonski on Hill Street Blues. He recently performed on the stage of the historic Walnut Street Theatre in Arthur Miller's The Price. Mr. Prosky was recently awarded the DC Mayor's Award, the Atty Award from the Philadelphia law firm of Spector, Gadon and Rosen, and now the Edwin Forrest Award. In celebration of Mr. Prosky's life and achievements both on and offstage, Mayor Michael Nutter has proclaimed Saturday, April 26th as "Robert Prosky Day" in the city of Philadelphia.
The Walnut Street Theatre's 199th gala, "In League with Cosette", will truly be a night to remember. All proceeds from this event benefit the Walnut Street Theatre's Education and Outreach programming, which Theatre's Education and Outreach programs, which reach over 100,000 children annually in the Delaware Valley.
The gala is being chaired by Walnut Trustees Mr. Albert A. Giagnacova (Yardley, PA) and Mrs. Camille Andrews (Haddonfield, NJ).
