Arturo O’Farrill, Jon Faddis
to perform along with
Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara,
Rebecca Luker, and Michael
Dansicker.
***
NYS ARTS – a thirty
three-year old, non-profit
New York service association
for community based arts and
cultural organizations –
will present four awards for
outstanding leadership and
advocacy of the arts in New
York State. Tony award
winner, Barbara Cook;
Elysabeth Kleinhans’ 59E59
Theaters, Phoebe Jacobs,
Executive Vice President of
the Louis Armstrong
Educational Foundation, and
Kristin Swain, Executive
Director of The Rockwell
Museum of Western Art, will
all be recognized for
outstanding commitment and
dedication to arts education
and advocacy.
This year’s award ceremony
and annual gala will be held
at the Manhattan Penthouse
on Fifth Avenue and
Fourteenth Street, Monday,
November 17th.
Stephanie Simon, the arts
reporter for NY1 News, the
24-hour news cable channel,
will emcee the event.
Honorary chairs are Stephen
C. Byrd and Alia M. Jones.
In recognition of legendary
honoree Barbara Cook,
Broadway performers, Kelli
O’Hara, Rebecca Luker and
Michael Dansicker will be
serenading Cook’s legend by
singing a musical homage. In
addition, jazz greats Arturo
O’Farrill and Jon Faddis
will be paying tribute to
patron of the jazz
community, Phoebe Jacobs.
The evening will also
feature a silent auction
with items available to
bidders such as artwork by
Stuart Davis and De La Vega,
artwork donated by Christo
and Jeanne-Claude with an
opening bid of $4,000, and
jazz CDs signed by Wynton
Marsalis and Sonny Rollins.
Also available will be
tickets to New York cultural
events such as The
Metropolitan Opera, Parsons
Dance, a meet-and-greet with
Michael Feinstein at his
holiday concert, and a Night
on Broadway Red Carpet with
NY1 News. Honoree Phoebe
Jacobs has also agreed to
donate a cancelled Louis
Armstrong stamp for the
auction.
“We are enthusiastic about
framing the younger
generation’s nod to the
older generation as they
praise our honorees with
musical selections. This is
one more way that we are
trying to usher in the next
generation to service the
arts,” said Judith Kaufman
Weiner, Executive Director
of NYS ARTS. “The honorees,
who have spent much of their
lives advancing the arts,
are all incredible examples
of individuals and
organizations that are
inspiring future generations
of New Yorkers.”
Barbara Cook
has captivated America with
her voice for more than
fifty years bringing a
passion for the performing
arts to her audiences. The
singer, actress, Tony Award
winner and Broadway Hall of
Famer has paved the way for
musical theatre artists
since her debut on the Great
White Way in 1951. A leading
star of the Broadway stage
during the 1950s and 60s,
Ms. Cook created classic
roles in three landmark
musicals – Cunegonde in
Candide, Marian the
Librarian in The Music
Man and Amalia in She
Loves Me. In 1976 she
embarked on an unparalleled
second career as an
international concert
artist. In 2006 she made her
solo concert debut at the
Metropolitan Opera, when she
became the first female pop
singer to be presented by
the MET in its 125-year
history. Last year she
celebrated her 80th Birthday
with three sold out concerts
with the NY Philharmonic at
Avery Fisher Hall. Her most
recent CD is the
just-released Rainbow
‘Round My Shouder from
DRG Records.
Phoebe Jacobs,
jazz enthusiast and
Executive Director of the
Louis Armstrong Educational
Foundation, has always been
a familiar face in the jazz
industry. As a young adult
working at her uncle’s jazz
club she met and worked with
legends such as Ella
Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn,
and Duke Ellington. She
became Louis Armstrong’s
publicist in the 1950s and
eventually the Executive
Director of his foundation.
She became very close with
his family and spent years
ensuring his legend was
honored by becoming very
much involved in initiatives
such as that of the Louis
Armstrong postal stamp. She
is also a board member of
the Louis Armstrong House
and Archives located in
Corona, Queens. Adding to
her list of contributions to
the arts, she is one of the
founders of the Jazz
Foundation of America, which
assists older musicians
experiencing financial
struggles or health
difficulties.
Kristin Swain,
President of the Board of
Trustees of the Rockwell
Museum of Western Art, was
named its Executive Director
in 2002. She has been
involved with the museum in
various ways since its
establishment in 1976 and
oversaw much of its growth
over the years. She serves
on boards of numerous arts
organizations including the
Alliance of New York State
Arts Councils as well as the
Clemens Center.
59E59 Theaters
evolved from the mind of
Elysabeth Kleinhans. The
theater complex, which
opened only four years ago,
is owned and operated by the
Elysabeth Kleinhans
Theatrical Foundation. The
brand new complex is a
state-of-the-art space
intended for non-profit
theater companies that would
normally be unable to afford
typical licensing fees.
59E59 provides affordable
packages for undiscovered
artists, giving them the
opportunity to showcase
their work.
About Us:
NYS ARTS has a 30-year
history of providing
leadership and vision and
delivering services,
resources and tools that
strengthen cultural
organizations. NYS ARTS also
provides education on
statewide and national
issues affecting the arts
and assists local arts
agencies in building
community support. Proceeds
from the event will benefit
the organization’s efforts.
Tickets
for this event are still
available; please call
631-298-1234 for more
information. For more
information about the
Alliance, please visit